Art quilts – Page 11

Being true to my creative self

Frequently, I’m asked “How long did it take to make that?” I really wish I knew. Sorry, but I don’t time myself, it could be very depressing to know. When people ask, I usually answer them with the amount of time its taken from inspiration to completed quilt. This literally could be years. I think what they really want to know is how many hours it took me from cutting the first piece of fabric until I stick the label on the back and hang it. That’s much more difficult to quantify without timing myself along the way.

However, the other day, I was working on a new piece (I blogged about weeks ago) and I happened to notice that I spent nearly 3 hours cutting and positioning little bits of black fabric. I took a picture of my progress. Great! I’m half-way through this step! … right? ….uhm?

I left it alone overnight and when I looked at it the next day I knew I couldn’t live with it. Something wasn’t right, so I referred to my reference photos. Sure enough, I couldn’t live with what I had done (you may not even see the difference in the 2 photos).

My saving grace was that the black bits where only pinned to my design wall. Sometimes, I’m not so cautious and fuse (glue) the pieces in place without giving the design some space to percolate in my brain. Once something is fused I’m usually stuck. I either a) live with it, b) come up with plan B to fix the issue, or c) scrap it and start over.

I’ve blogged about the “point of no return” that I frequently face when I create my art quilts. There are layers and layers of process in my pieces. Literally, each step could lead to fatality. This is one reason I may step away until I feel emboldened to tackle the next step.

With this new piece, I re-grouped and fixed the problem. I’m much happier with where its going, but many hours later I’m not much farther along than I was a few days ago. There’s still plenty of work to do. I’m really OK with this, its how I do things. The finished piece has to fit what’s in my head, otherwise what’s the point of making it?

I do, however, have a problem with the fixation on time. I really don’t care how long it took me. That’s not why I’m doing this. I try to work faster/smarter, but I also work very hard at not beating myself up about it. I’ve accepted, this is how I create. Anything else is not being true to my creative self.

Being part of this tribe

I’m back from an amazing couple of days with my “tribe.” I am an active member and volunteer for SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates). Last week they held their annual conference in San Antonio, TX and I had the opportunity to attend. This was the 3rd conference I attended. I enjoy going because I reconnect with friends from all over the world. There’s also a ton of inspiration packed in those 4 days.

It is so rewarding to be around people who get what you’re doing and support you. That’s what a tribe is. A tribe can be your family or friends or professional acquaintances. SAQA is my art quilt tribe. I find it inspiring to share ideas with people who are on the same journey.

I also have another tribe which includes local friends who are passionate about the longleaf pine ecosystem. Because I was in San Antonio, I missed the Opening Reception for “Palustris” and missed meeting with this tribe. However, I did get to visit the exhibit earlier this week. It is so fun to walk into an art gallery and see how all the art work is displayed. The combination of pottery, mixed-media, photography, drawings, poetry and an art quilt works well with this theme. The earthy colors are warm and comforting. I am so honored to part of this exhibit and love being part of this tribe.

PALUSTRIS: Celebrating Longleaf Through the Arts
Arts Council of Moore County
Campbell House Galleries
Southern Pines, NC 28387

Exhibit Dates: April 6-27, 2018
Opening Reception: April 6 from 6 to 8p
Gallery Hours: Weekdays / 9a to 5p
Weekend Dates:
Saturday, April 14 (10a to 4p) – So. Pines House & Garden Tour
Saturday, April 21 (10a to 3p) – Party for the Pine
Saturday, April 21 (4-8p) – After-Party for Party for the Pine

Honoring this pine

I’m so excited! In just a couple days PALUSTRIS: Celebrating Longleaf Through the Arts opens at Campbell House Galleries (Apr 6 – see details below). The exhibit’s name pays homage to the longleaf pine ecosystem. Pinus palustris is the Latin name (genus/species) for the longleaf pine tree which is native to the Southeastern United States.

This exhibit includes the work of Brady Beck, Linda Dalton Pottery, Sharon Ferguson, Janette Hopper, Diana Russ, and Caroline Young. My newest artwork “Longleaf Pinecone” will also be part of this exhibit. Each of the artists in this exhibit were invited to participate because we share our passion for the the longleaf pine forest through our art.

In addition to the honor of being selected to be in this exhibit, I’m also very excited about the theme. The entire month of April will be filled with activities which pay tribute to the natural community in which I live. In conjunction with the exhibit, there will be the Southern Pines House & Garden Tour (April 14) and the much loved Party for the Pine (on Earth Day, April 21) presented by NC State Park’s Weymouth Woods – Sandhills Nature Preserve. The Party for the Pines celebrates the oldest recorded longleaf pine tree, which turns 470 years old this year. How cool is that!

If you’re in the area, I hope you get a chance to stop by and see the exhibit or attend one of the other events honoring this pine.

PALUSTRIS: Celebrating Longleaf Through the Arts
Arts Council of Moore County
Campbell House Galleries
Southern Pines, NC 28387

All pieced together smoothly

So its time for me to start a new art quilt. I guess you could say that I’ve been working on this one for over a year already. I was inspired to make this during a visit to California I made almost exactly 1 year ago.

As with all the art work I make, this one is not going to be a “cookie cutter” design. I’ve decided to do some piecing of the background this time. Trying to get the fabric to have this curve (see photo) took a bit of effort. I had to sneak back to my sewing roots and experience in traditional quilting. Oh dear, I even needed to match seams when I sewed the wedges together. The process of making this quilt top reminded me of how much I don’t love this part of quilting.

Thankfully, I had enough fabric to accomplish the task and extra thankful that I didn’t make a mistake cutting. Yikes! Its not easy for me to buy fabric here in this little town. If I ran short on fabric, it would be weeks before I could move forward on this project. Or I’d have to re-group on the entire construction concept. Lucky for me, it all pieced together smoothly.

A lifetime to complete

My art quilts contain layers and layers of process. I know it looks complicated, because it kind of is complicated. I find I get stuck between stages. Frequently, I’m not sure how to proceed with an idea that’s in my head.

I had that problem with this quilt (which hasn’t been named yet). The idea came to me sometime before the spring of 2013. I know this because, the inspiration photo that was taken March 23, 2013. About a year later, I also took some staged photos of a pine cone. However, I’m pretty sure I was inspired to make this quilt long before I took the photos.

I have evidence that last summer (June 2017) I started experimenting with the design elements. However, I don’t think I actually started making the quilt until this past fall. Until last fall, I was thinking about it, but hadn’t shown much action. So when should I say I actually started the quilt? When the idea hit and the years I spent thinking about it? Or, was it when I actually started putting the idea into fabric?

I have photographic proof that I was working on the quilt in October 2017. However, in July I know I was at a fabric store looking for the perfect “pinestraw” fabric. So did I start in October? or July?

I know from October until now, I hit 2 major stumbling blocks. One stopping point was when I had to figure out how to quilt the pieced top that I created (the background fabric and pinecone). The other pause was after I quilted the piece and needed to decide how to add the “pinestraw” in the foreground. Each pause took weeks (months) to get through. So should I count all this thinking when I add up my time? I don’t know. I mean thinking about it isn’t an active stage of progress. Or is it?

What I’m trying to say is that, for me, its difficult to say how long something took to make. If I use the inspiration photo as my starting point, then it took me 5 years to complete. If I use the actually quilt making process, then it took me about 5 months. But, If I use the actual labor hours as my guide, then its probably taken me about 40 hours.

Realistically, I tend to like to look at it differently. I believe I must consider all the years I studied art, sewing, quilting, photography and nature. Without all that study time and practice, I wouldn’t have any of it. So, if you ask, I’m going to tell you that this quilt took me a lifetime to complete.

I’ve been published!

Quilting Arts Magazine
Dec17/Jan18
Cover Artist
Click Here to Get a Signed Copy!

Here with me

How’s your January going? Between weather events and facing some difficult challenges, I’m happy to say goodbye to January. Goodbye and good riddance. I’m ready to start over and begin some new adventures.

I’m optimistic that February is going to be good, because that’s when the Feb/Mar 2018 edition of Quilting Arts Magazine hits the newsstand. Since I subscribe, I’ve already received my copy and perched on page 82 is another article written by me! I’m so very excited!

I’ve known about this for a little while. Over the summer, I wrote this article and the one in last month’s edition. I use to work for a publishing company and they always advised us not to talk about an upcoming publication. You just never know …. until you’re in print, anything could happen to stop publication.

I submitted both proposals early last year and waited several months before I heard anything from the editor. I was so overwhelmed and honored when editorial director, Vivika Hansen DeNegre, sent me 2 congratulatory notifications on the same day. Both articles were accepted! I completed both by the end of September. I also prepared samples to show my process and sent them off to be photograph. Yes, I was busy those few months, but I couldn’t let you know. Now it seems like so long ago and seeing them in print is surreal.

I’m excited that I can finally tell you about it and hope you get a chance to read the articles. I still have copies of the Dec/Jan edition in my Etsy store and I will be adding copies of the Feb/March edition very soon (I’ll even autograph them if you like). These publications, along with some other changes I’ve made in my life, mark the start of a new direction for me. I’m looking forward to this journey and I’m glad to know you’re here with me.

I’ve been published!

Quilting Arts Magazine
Dec17/Jan18
Cover Artist
Click Here to Get a Signed Copy!

With good company

Browsing the magazine isle at a local grocery store, I had this surreal experience of looking up and recognizing one of the cover images. I know that bird on the top shelf all too well. He was born in my soul and now graces the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine. I’m happy to see he’s hanging out with good company.

See my work and discover my process of “Creating Highlights & Shadows”
Quilting Arts Magazine
December 2017/January 2018
available in book stores or online at Interweave Press

Waiting for some realism

On October 25, I posted a photo of my Eastern Towhee in progress. I start with a basic line drawing which I use to cut out the fabric pieces and fuse them to my background fabric. I hinted that there was more to the process. Today I’m going to share that with you.

The one thing I’ve noticed about most fusible applique techniques is that the pieces look flat and cartoon-ish. I’m far from being a realist in my artistic style, but I do crave more realism in my work. In life, objects aren’t 2-dimensional, they reflect light and shadows. That’s what I want to see in my design.

A few years ago, on a whim, I decided to take a Prismacolor pencil drawing class from a local artist and friend, Frank Pierce. I enjoyed the class, but didn’t think I’d every use what I learned. Then, I had the ah-ha moment of, “I wonder if I could use the pencils on fabric?” That started me on a mission of exploration. These colored pencils gave me a tool to add the shading I was looking for. But as with any discovering, I realized there was more to it than just coloring. If you want to know more about my specific process, then you might want to pick up a copy of the Dec17/Jan18 Quilting Arts magazine. There’s an article in there where I explain the techniques I use. I’m pretty excited about the possibilities of using these pencils in my art.

This little bird still isn’t finished. There’s some stitching that needs to get done, but I’ll share that later because right now I have another bird in the works waiting for some realism.

See my work and discover my process of “Creating Highlights & Shadows”
Quilting Arts Magazine
December 2017/January 2018
available book stores or online at Interweave Press

The right answer to “how?”

I’ve been a long time subscriber to Quilting Arts magazine. Over the past decade they have truly inspired me to pursue my artistic interest. This past week I received my Dec17/Jan18 copy of the magazine. It’s always a surreal moment when you see your artwork in print. The honor is even greater for me this time, since I’m such a big fan of the publication.

All of this is about taking a leap of faith. That’s what I truly hope to inspire in other people. If you really want something don’t say “can’t.” Try to come up with the answer to “how?”

This idea has long been in my head, but it took several things to push me over the edge. One thing that happened was I met Lea McComas while I was at Quilt Festival in Houston about 2 years ago. I knew who she was, had admired her work, and saw her a number a times during my visit at Festival. On my last night there, I went to dinner with my sister and a friend and had to use the restroom. Lea happen to be in line waiting and we started chatting. Just casual chatter. On our way back to our respective tables, she asked me “Why haven’t you published?” I know I came up with some excuse, but our conversation hit a nerve. When you’re at these shows, its interesting how random encounters become meaningful and inspiring events.

I really don’t know why Lea asked the question, but it hasn’t left me. I even jotted her question down on a piece of paper and tacked it to a bulletin board in my studio. I wanted to be reminded. At the time, there really wasn’t a good answer to her question. But her question left me pondering my personal barriers and eventually finding the right answer to “how?”

See my work and discover my process of “Creating Highlights & Shadows”
Quilting Arts Magazine
December 2017/January 2018
available book stores or online at Interweave Press

Put yourself out there

It has been over 10 years that I began reading Quilting Arts Magazine. It has always been my bucket list dream to grace the pages of this inspirational publication. I came close in 2012, when my pet portrait of my dog “Storm” became Mr. September of their calendar.

Since then, I pondered to myself, what do I have that’s worthy of their reader’s interest. I use a lot of tools to create my art, but everything felt ordinary. A few years ago I began experimenting with Prismacolor pencils on fabric. I was so impressed with the depth I could create (my piece “Silenced,” on my home page, was enhanced using them).

I’ve been asked several times by artists I admire, “Why aren’t you publishing?” I had no answer. Early this year I decided to take their challenge and submit a proposal to Quilting Arts. To my joy, they accepted. This summer I wrote the article and created the supporting artwork, I’ve been waiting to share the news since July.

Having worked in the publishing business for many years, I was always told don’t talk about it until its in print. Anything could happen along the way. Today I got the OK to share the news, but to my surprise I get to share even bigger news. My summer tanager gets the limelight as the cover artwork. I cannot explain how amazingly surreal this is. Dreams come true when you put yourself out there.

See my artwork at your local newstand
Quilting Arts Magazine
December/January 2018