The European Patchwork Meeting at Ste. Marie aux Mines

On the second day of our vacation in the Alsace region of  France, we attended the European Patchwork Meeting in Ste. Marie aux Mines. I've had work at this show in a couple of previous years (with my Crossing Oceans group and with SAQA). SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) had the Canadian section of their "My Corner of the World" exhibition on display. While I did take photos, I realized afterward that photography is not normally allowed at SAQA Shows. For that reason, I am going to provide the link to a slide show of these quilts on the SAQA website. You can see them here.

I also knew there would be a get-together of SAQA members at the European Patchwork Meeting. The opportunity to meet other SAQA members, mostly from Europe, was one that appealed to me. I also had the opportunity of seeing our current President, Lisa Ellis, once again. That's Lisa on the right of me.

In addition, I had the pleasure of meeting incoming President, Lisa Walton, for the first time. If I am not mistaken, she is the first President from outside the US, and she clearly stated that her mission will be to increase international memberships.

It was also a huge honour to meet European member Elizabeth Nacenta de la Croix. Elizabeth purchased one of my auction quilts a few years ago, and I have been using an image of her work in my digital presentation on Composition and Design. Don't you just love mutual admiration societies?

Here are all the SAQA members that showed up for our lunch-time meet and greet.

While the European Patchwork Meeting takes place in several locations, I looked them all over and decided to focus on one location, that housed the SAQA exhibition, and the exhibition of a few other artists that I admire. I have to say that my very favorite exhibition was by London, UK artist, Ian Berry. Ian works strictly with denim and glue. A wide variety of values of denim create the depth and realism in his work. That is Ian on the left and his self-portrait on the right.

Ian says that the work in this exhibition is about ideas of home and urban dislocation.

Ian also has things to say about inside the home, and that is why he produced the series My Beautiful Launderette. This first piece is actually an installation.

God save the Jean?

A fun patchwork creation with all the things that have been said about artist Ian Berry.

It turns out I'll be seeing Ian again in March at Festival Internacional de Patchwork in Sitges, Spain (just south of Barcelona). We are two of the artists invited to exhibit there. The website is just in the process of being updated, but I expect all the information should be there soon.

Slowing Down

My boxes of kits and patterns and teaching supplies have been shipped off to the Vermont Quilt Festival where I will be teaching next week. My quilt has also been shipped there for the Teacher Showcase. I am breathing easier and sleeping better these days now that the spaces between teaching trips are a little more reasonable in length and the dyeing of kits has ended for 2016. When I tell you that I dyed more than 500 meters of fabric within about a two month period, I truly do not mean to brag, even though it may appear to some that this is what I am doing. I am just astounded that I did it and survived it, and want folks to know that this IS the reality of being a teacher on the road. Some folks think it is an easy job and a glamorous one, but it is a lot of tough work.

I may have mentioned this before on my blog, but I was travelling home from a teaching trip a few weeks ago when I suddenly thought that I better pay attention to when Easter weekend is. Then I suddenly realized that Easter weekend had passed and that I had spent it in my dyeing dungeon, while my husband spent a chunk of it ironing fabric. The same thing happened on Victoria Day weekend, although by that time I had only about 20 meters left to dye.

I'll tell you another thing. In April I started dreaming about retirement. I even went so far as to have my pension numbers crunched. While that feeling has now passed, I think I need to heed what this dream means: I need to slow down because I don't want to miss my life!

Over the past year or two so many of the things I used to do have fallen away. I missed the deadline to submit work to the SAQA Portfolio. One of my art works has been in each yearly Portfolio since I became a SAQA member in 2007. I also missed the deadline to submit work for the Haliburton faculty show at Rail's End Gallery. I've participated in this show for the last seven years. I didn't get a one-foot square quilt made for the SAQA auction and I've been contributing to that for many years. I haven't entered any shows, and in fact I haven't turned my sewing machine on since January. I've begun to question all my memberships in organizations because I'm not in a place where I can contribute right now, nor in a place to partake of the benefits of membership. For the first time ever, I did not publish my quarterly newsletter this spring.

So I have come to the conclusion that I need some time away from teaching. I have turned down and am turning down any additional requests for teaching for Fall 2016. So this means that after my classes at Haliburton School of Art + Design at the end of July, I will only have two teaching commitments after August 1: 1) a week of teaching in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia (Cherry Tree Quilts retreat) at the end of September, and 2) a private one-day workshop in November. My 2017 schedule is filling up nicely, and in such a way that things are spaced out a bit more comfortablyI will begin dyeing kits in January 2017, if not before, to avoid the crunch I experienced this year. I'm still amazed at the popularity of kits, having never used one myself.

The fact is that it takes quiet time and contemplation to be creative again. I hope to get my mojo back this fall. Actually, I'm already starting to feel stirrings as I am less rushed right now than I have been in months, and ever so thankful that I am sleeping like a baby again :-))

Here's a little funny for you. A friend of mine says I dyed so much fabric this spring that I wore out my laundry sink! Yes, while mixing up dye fixative for the last 20 meters of fabric, the jug slipped out of my hands and landed spout-side-down in my laundry tub, tearing a hole in it! A plumber did a tremendous job of fixing it a few days later.

As I slow down and get more grounded, maybe I'll have more contemplative blog posts, rather than a running travelogue ;-)) My time away from teaching this summer/fall will be divided between time in the studio, vacation time, and professional/personal development. Stay tuned!

September Activities

During the month of September I reserved a couple of weeks for vacation to a destination that has been on my bucket list for a while. I'll be blogging about that over the next few days. But here are a few good news items I wanted to share that have happened in the last few weeks.

I'm hearing reports that the show of the Crossing Oceans Textile Artists, on the theme of Nature, was a success at at Carrefour de Patchwork Europe. My Spanish friend Cecilia Gonzales, who was teaching there, sent photos of my pieces. It is a reminder to me of how much better quilts look on a gallery wall with appropriate lighting, rather than the pipe and drape of quilt shows. Cecilia and her sister Merce do some fabulous textile work. I met them last year when I was teaching in France, and did a blog post about their work. You can view it here.  Their website is www.desedamas.com.

A blogger from the UK, named Annelize, has done a very detailed blog post about our show, with very good quality photos. 

"Encore" was juried into the Infinity Art Gallery fibre art show. Just follow that link to see all the works in the show.

I was very pleased that "Returning 2", my donation to this year's SAQA Auction, sold on day one of Section 2 of the auction, raising $750 for SAQA. The auction continues for two more weeks, so have a look at the link and consider purchasing one of these one foot squares to help raise the profile of the art quilt and support exhibitions around the world. 

After my vacation I holed up in my office for most of the week, working on the pattern for my next line of fabrics. I thought I had finished the job before I left for vacation, but when the fabric scans became available I had issues with the colour loading properly. I've learned a lot this week and am feeling just a bit more confident with Electric Quilt.

I've also spent a lot of time cutting up fabric for promotional events, give-aways, and for sale. I've already had one give-away on Facebook of the Autumn Harvest line.

I've been thinking a lot lately how much activity I am engaged in on Facebook compared to my blog. So if you are on Facebook and also a reader of my blog, please do come and friend me on Facebook.

The Fall teaching season has begun so I'll be quite busy teaching for the next two months. When I get some time I'd like to make something with this colour way of my fabric line.

SAQA Blog Interview

A couple of months ago I was interviewed by Clairan Ferrono for the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) blog. The interview went live yesterday. You can read it here.

Scrumptious Threads Coming Up!

Interested in learning how to dye and use beautiful, variegated, multi-coloured thread to use in your quilts and textile work? I'm renting the dye studio at Wabi Sabi for a one day class on JULY 11, 2014. It's been a couple of years since I taught this class in Ottawa ... don't miss it! Email me at equehl@hotmail.com for information and to register.

Lighter-weight ones can be stitched through a Topstitch needle;

Heavier threads can be couched or used for bobbin work 

or textured hand-stitching. 

We will also be spending a day dyeing thread at my week-long "Uncommon & Unforgettable Threads" class at Haliburton School of the Arts, July 28 - August 1, 2014. Other topics to be covered there are: thread painting, thread sketching, hand-stitching, couching, bobbin work, when to use a stabilizer, what needles to use, and how to be successful with any thread. Click here for the course description and registration information. To see blog postings, with photos, from my previous Threads classes, click on the "THREADS" label in the right-hand bar of this blog. Come join us!

A New Year ...

At this time of year everyone seems to be making New Year's resolutions or choosing a word for the year to inspire them. What about you? I don't really do either. I keep a running list of goals all year long, and update it maybe once a month. My list includes nine major categories:

1) Well-being (this includes health related items like eating better, exercise, and getting in the studio because it is good for my mental well-being)

2) Self Development (things I want to learn, things I need to learn)

3) New Work (the work my heart wants to make)

4) Show Entries (shows I plan to enter along with entry deadlines)

5) Course Development (classes I am revising or developing or dreaming about developing)

6) Patterns (this is a relatively new one)

7) Dyeing (what do I need to dye that might be useful in upcoming classes or for my own work)

8) Publishing (includes website updates, new brochures, e-newsletters, e-blasts, and sometimes magazine articles)

9) Commissions 

The last section is called SHORT TERM GOALS.  This is where I list all the things I need to do in the next few weeks. Sometimes they get carried over a few times.

Keeping all of the above balls in the air really does require me to write everything down, especially since my memory is not what it used to be!!

One thing is for sure, there are some big changes coming for me in the new year. I now have a retired husband and will have my first fabric line, and am heading into the pattern publishing world. There is also a plan to have a shopping cart on my website in a few months. My patterns will be sold there, and perhaps some fabric. It may be my Northcott line, and there may also be hand-dyed fabrics.  

As I write this I am beginning my relationship with Electric Quilt 7 software. I am on a fairly tight deadline to design two patterns for my new fabric line. Can I just say that the free-hand drawing tool is a big challenge?! My fabric line was finalized just before Christmas, but I have been asked to wait until the end of January to share it. So everyone will have to wait a bit longer. Well OK, maybe it is me that is having the hardest time waiting ;-))

In the mean time, I have some other in-progress work shots to share.This first little piece is my 10 x 7 inch submission for the upcoming SAQA Trunk Show. All members are invited to contribute a work that will get shared in a travelling trunk show to spread the word about Art Quilts. You can see it is a spring off from the panel I made for the European show, in the photo beneath it.  This piece is not yet quilted.

Over the holidays, between the travel and bad weather, I also managed to get a really good start on the hosta bud piece. All that is left is the main bud and one leaf below it. This piece is slow in the making.

Here are all the panels for the European exhibition group so far, with of course a big gaping hole in the middle one, where the main hosta bud still needs to be created. This piece has brought me back in touch again with my love of light and shadow, and how it creates form. But wow, it has a lot of little pieces. I am fairly happy with how the sheer purple organza is giving the effect of purple buds about to pop open. But as I write this I wonder what would have been the effect with green organza overlaying purple fabric? An idea to explore in a second hosta bud quilt.

        

What do you think? Do they work together so far? 

I am working on several projects at once. This peony is an experiment for another pattern I hope to publish. I am off to a good start but lots more work to do, after some of the other stuff that needs doing.

I have also finalized the designs for my new hosta classes. The first group to try my two new patterns will be the Windsor Quilters Guild in March. There are some lovely values of green in my new Northcott line, so maybe I can turn one of these into a pattern that promotes the line. That is if I manage to master that darn free-hand drawing tool.  Yes, I know, I didnt learn free motion in a day, and I probably wont master the tool in a day.

All best wishes for a happy, healthy, and creatively fulfilling 2014!

Good News for Curtain Call 2

Curtain Call 2

Last week I was surprised by some very good news.  "Curtain Call 2" has been selected for a "cash award" in the "Art-Naturescapes" category of the International Quilt Association's show in Houston, Texas. The exact nature of the award will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on October 29.  Unfortunately I will not be able to attend to receive the award in person.  More information to follow. A few days ago I also received the news that "Curtain Call 2" will be one of the quilts featured in the International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene magazine. This magazine is dedicated to the quilts and happenings of the International Quilt Festival.  I have seen it available at Chapters stores here in Canada in previous years.

              

If you would like to own a little piece of this series, "Curtain Call 3", below, will be up for auction in the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) annual fund-raising auction on Monday, September 23.  

Curtain Call 3

I am currently preparing for a busy month of teaching and travel. My Art Quilt Series starts here in Ottawa at The Running Stitch on Sunday, September 22. I will be teaching for three days (October 4, 5 and 6) at Cherry Tree Quilts in Summerland, British Columbia.  A few days of vacation will be added to spend some time enjoying the Okanagan Valley. My week-long dyeing class "Dyeing to Quilt" takes place October 21-25 at the Haliburton School of the Arts. I am busy revising notes, inventorying patterns, getting copies made, reviewing my dyeing processes, and beginning to pack. I am also working on some new patterns and starting to give thought to a simple pattern for my first line of commercial fabrics. I am still not revealing the name of the company until I have some concrete details to share.

The weather has been just gorgeous here and the trees are starting to turn. My husband took this photo last weekend. I hope to carve out a day to spend seeing and photographing autumn this coming week.

Taos Pueblo

It was an utter pleasure and privilege to visit Taos Pueblo on my trip to New Mexico. Taos Pueblo is the oldest continuously inhabited native pueblo in the United States, and it dates back about 1000 years. Natives  of the "Red Willow People" still live there, but mostly come for religious rituals. 

Of course the Spanish brought their religion when they came to this area. St. Geronimo Church was built around 1619.  There were clashes between the Spanish and the native population, and despite this about 3/4 of the population shares in Catholic practices.

The white cross of the church makes a bold statement against the blue sky.

The adobe buildings are built of earth, straw and water, mixed and poured into forms. 

At one time entry to homes was by ladder only, through openings in the roof. This allowed light in but also served to keep out intrudors.

The exteriors are plastered annually to keep them in good shape.

Doors are painted striking blue colours, that mirror the colour of the sky, and complement beautifully with the earth colour of the buildings.

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This door, however, was painted white, and patterned with hand prints.

Dogs are numerous and seem to be happy and well-fed, although their aloofness to strangers suggests they may not be pets.

The site of the old graveyard is located next to the village, but the newer graveyard is off-site.

Chile peppers drying in the sun are a common sight all over New Mexico.

Stunning Santa Fe

I just returned very late last night from my eight days in Santa Fe. Part of the time was spent attending the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Conference, but most of the time was spent touring around New Mexico with a friend attending the conference. Since I am unpacking, doing laundry, buying groceries, going to the gym, re-acquainting myself with my cats and husband, catching up on email, downloading and resizing photos, and of course prepping for a class I'm teaching on Friday, and so on, I'm going to keep this post brief and mostly focused on the visual. Here are photos taken within the City of Santa Fe, some on our first day there, and some on our last. 

These old doors were photographed along Canyon Road, known as the Gallery District.

Art (mostly sculptures) outside the galleries on Canyon Road.

The following photos were taken on our last day, walking around the City. Who knew the doors and windows would be so beautiful?

 

The sky was bluer than blue on most days! 

I met this creature, which looked to be half hummingbird and half butterfly or moth.  I'm told it is a hummingbird moth. I wasn't quite able to capture a clear photo as the wings were moving so fast.

I hope you enjoyed this visual inspiration. More to come in the next few days.