Local Color Goes Wide

Our Connecticut Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA-CT) group created a juried exhibit, focusing on our local landscape.  Titled Local Color, it traveled widely though out the state from a university, an art center, the CT Legislature Office Building to a very fine museum, The Slater Museum of Art.

After what we thought would be the end and time to return all pieces, we were asked to contribute eight, selected by Quilting Arts Magazine, to be featured in this August/Sept issue.  It includes work of Kate Themel, Ruth Anne Olson, Phyllis Small, Cathy Smith, Barb McKie, Kendell Storm, Norma Schlager and my own.  Yeah!

Kate, who was co-rep with me at inception, wrote a wonderful piece to accompany the mini-exhibit.  The two of us have had such a wonderful trip with Local Color.  Every step:  'let's put on a show' to this last 'hurrah' has been informative, interesting, exhilarating, frustrating, and most of all FUN!  Thank you, Kate for being my co-rep, partner-in-crime and cohort.  It was a blast!

In my mailbox.

Featuring Elaine Quehl as the Cover Girl with one of her gorgeous hostas, is the latest issue of Quilting Arts, out on newsstands…and mailboxes.  I am in wonderful company with a beautifully edited piece about free-motion quilting with double/twin needles.  Check it out:  Double Down 

Double Down Crow

Doran Doran!

And I'm not talking about a Second British Invasion of Rock and Roll!  That's Duran Duran, silly.  Rather I'm referring to another, much more IT savvy Diane.  Diane Rusin Doran.

I have just finished watching her newest DVD from beginning to end.  I have my head FULL!  There is SO much information here, you will want to play your copy over and over to digest it all.

I 'made' my in-house IT guy (better know as DH David) watch this with me today.  I figured that I'm so non-techy that I would have to have him there to interpret.  But, no, I did get it….it's just that there is an incredible amount of information to get.

My personal favorites expanded on drip dyeing and screen  printing. Doran's way (digital) is superior to mine (dyes and inks and mess) in that there is nothing for me to be allergic to…and there is no ink dribbled all over my studio and no dye in strange places, hence no mess to clean.

Granted I'm going to have to watch it completely at least one more time and still will probably have to refer to it.  So, I'd suggest buying a copy instead of borrowing one from a friend….you really will want to refer to it.

I want to try drip dyeing!  You can't believe what you can do.  I am imagining using some of my colorful photographs from our trip West this last spring full of colors that make my heart sing…and I will know, deep inside, that there is another layer of meaning embedded in my printed fabric.

So:  A shout out to Vivika Denegre who knew I would connect with Diane Rusin Doran's DVD!

These comments from DH:  He would recommend that you watch it with your computer and try to play along with what Doran is doing (Next on my agenda).  And, some familiarity with Photoshop Elements is very helpful, particularly with layers.

Sisters in Cloth

Can't keep hands off

I was so excited to have been approached by Lynn Krawczyk to contribute to one of her articles on art quilt groups.  Her last article was full of inspiration:  Replenishing Your Creative Well Fiber Art Groups in the Aug/Sept issue of Quilting Arts featured 'the thursday art group' and was full of interesting points.

The art quilt group that I belong to Sisters in Cloth morphed out of an interest group that I started when I first relocated to Connecticut from Florida.  Bereft of friends, I joined the local Newcomers Club and offered to teach anyone to quilt who would join my group.  Pathetic, I know, but it worked.  Members, who already knew how to quilt, joined, along with newbies.  That core is still together.  After we 'graduated' from Newcomers we invited other quilters to join us...and long the way...changed our emphasis from strictly quiltmaking to a broader interest group.  Most of us would consider ourselves art quilters...but not everyone.  Definitions are not important to us.  A cohesive, supportive bunch of friends with common interests is ....We have been through thick and thin with each other.  And, along the way, we have created some fine work that we get to exhibit together.

Lynn's most recent article includes her interviews with four art quilt groups around the country.  It is most interesting with a list of tips for starting your own art quilt group.  I could not imagine my life if I had not been a part of Sisters in Cloth.  Read the Sisters' blog to find out more.

Poised and well-behaved