Model City Art Show

Well, the awards for the Model City Art Show at FunFest were announced at a reception last Sunday while I was on the road from Wisconsin to Iowa, but my piece "Wending Onward" won one of the two presentation awards for the most effective/professional presentation of work.

I used a serious amount of stitching at the edges to create a quilted frame. This allows the design to continue all the way to the edge while still creating a visual "stop."

Congratulations to all the other winners:

Margaret Helvey (best in show)
Nancy D. Bilbro (second)
Tony Henson (third)
John Hilton, Rebecca Dunham, Diane Nelson, and JoAnn Wilkerson Lyle (awards of excellence)
Lily Horton and John Denner (student awards)
Thelma Wyatt (the other presentation award)
JoAnn Wilkerson Lyle again (Celebrate Kingsport award)

Roving II also is in this show, and here is its premier online showing as seen in the gallery:

Details aren't up on my website yet, but the background is a piece of fabric I dyed stretched on a frame over cotton duck, and the trees are a separate piece applied to the background. The main tree is needle felted and the other trees are created dimensionally with the quilting.


This is similar to the piece that appeared in the April 2010 Quilting Arts mag, but I wanted to try this presentation with something small so I could decide whether it works before committing to a larger piece.

The show, run by the Kingsport Art Guild, will hang through July 28, 2010, in the Main Art Gallery at the Renaissance Center, 1200 E. Center St. in Kingsport.

3132 Green Mixing Bowl

Well, I managed to make it to one meeting of the Kingsport Art Guild's June paint out, but it was one productive session. Found a great green mixing bowl (stock or booth number 3132) in the front window in great lighting with a table and chair just the right size to set up my felting. And here's the result:


This is the first time I tried "painting" with felt from life. Didn't know if the process would be fast enough or if it would be nerve-wracking, but it was very meditative and satisfying in the end. The only thing I'd have done differently was lifting the piece from the foam more often--the foam nearly became part of the final work!

It's hanging right now at a small exhibit of work from the paint out entitled Textures and Treasures at the Main Art Center in the Downtown Kingsport Association Building at the corner of Main and Shelby Streets.

Wazzup?

Well, it's summer and there is no such thing as routine for the next two months (and the one month behind us). That means there is no such thing as regularly getting work done, so I'm fitting in what I can when I can and joyfully enjoying my children, too.

When I'm waiting during dance or instrument lessons I'm usually sketching or stitching samplers for Sharon's commission. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that if I do my "draft" on muslin I don't have to rip it out if I don't like the color--I can just change the color and then stitch on the actual piece. So, for instance, here's a little piece I did last week.


I like the shape, but refined how to make the intersections less awkward as I went and tried out some other color combos along the edge.


Now I'm adding this motif to the final product--and I'll have a little mini "study" quilt to sell at some point as well. Muuuuuch better than ripping out stitches!

Had the blocks done for this.


My oldest, who likes things just so and symetrical, finds its asymetry annoying, but my youngest thinks it's swell.

It was to be a king-sized quilt for my bed, but hubby wants another "Almost Amish" quilt, so figured I'd had enough fun with these blocks and put them together.

I am very pleased with the result, particularly as I managed a horizontal rather than a vertical orientation for the first time in, I think, ever. I kept meaning to do a horizontal piece yet it would morph partway through and come out as an exaggeratedly tall and slender piece.

I am using the last two chapters of C.S. Lewis's The Last Battle to inspire the quilting and provide the title: "Further Up and Further In."

I have a couple of other thing in the queue, but Sharon's commission is my top priority this summer, so everything else is more of a back-burner project. She gets to be the first to see that piece, though, so no sneak previews here except the sort that you see above.

Chaos in the Studio

My natural state seems to be somewhat organized chaos. The degree varies, but I think chaos is a necessary part of my creative process.

Yeah! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

And then I'm cleaning up so I can find what I want to be creating.

Edward Tufte, aka ET

I heard a story on NPR this morning that both resonated with me and made me aspire to do and be more than I am. That doesn't happen all that often when I listen to the news, particularly both in the same story, so I thought I'd share.

The article you can read online is abridged from the audio version, which is certainly worth taking 9 min, 8 sec to listen to. NPR has images of some of his work, but you can see it all at his site. Enjoy!
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Edward Tufte is a professor emeritus of poli. sci. and statistics at Yale who is well-known for his work in presenting data clearly and graphically. He was recently recruited to the Obama administration's Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, to advise and devise ways to track and present in an easily digestible but meaningful form how the $787 billion stimulus package is being spent.

Yawn. That's all well and good and I applaud him, but neither resonates with me nor inspires me to aspire to more.

But ET is also an artist. A large-scale sculptor to be more specific, who does, IMO, some very fine work. He has just opened a gallery, ET Modern, in NYC. But he doesn't necessarily want to sell his work.

So here's the resonating part. In the article he says:

"I have a very big problem selling pieces, because I don't want them to leave," he says. "For a long time, I believed that any successful piece was a tremendous luck-out, and that I'd never be able to do it again ... My fellow artist friends, who are serious with me, told me to grow up."

I tell myself to grow up all the time. He went on to say that it's not necessarily the entire piece that he clings to, but rather elements that he's not sure will come again. I so get that, and suspect many artists feel the same, even if they don't say it out loud.

He also talks about giving back, which I love. He's smart, positive, creative, particularly in fields (poli. sci. and statistics) that are not generally known for creativity in a positive way, and not stuck on how wonderful he is. That combination is appealing and certainly worth aspiring to.

Model City Art Show

Early registrations for the Kingsport Art Guild's Model City Art Show must be postmarked today (May 28). If you send a CD with images of the work you submit, your work may be used in publicity for the show. Final postmark deadline is June 11, 2010, the show runs July 6-July 28, 2010.

$1200 in cash prizes, so enter early and often--well, at least early!

Infinity Art Quilts Exhibit

I'm pleased that I have work juried into the Infinity Gallery's 2010 Art Quilt Exhibit. I've enjoyed visiting other exhibits of theirs--the artists are talented and the work high-quality. I'm proud to be counted among them (the artists, that is, not the work :-) ).

If you visit the website today or tomorrow (Thurs.-Fri. May 13-14) you can see all the pieces that were entered. The finalists will be presented online on Saturday May 15. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I submitted "Wending Onward" and "Contemplating Madness."

According to their website, "Infinity Art Gallery's mission is to increase the visibility of artists by providing ongoing opportunities to showcase their artwork through our online juried exhibits; to provide direct access to artists so they can sell their work; and to actively promote artists to collectors, galleries, museums and journalists. Infinity Art Gallery is a commission free gallery where collectors buy art directly from the artist."

Better food in our schools

As you might know, I have a couple of kids in public school. If you have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, friends, etc., in school--or if you attended public school, you know that the quality and healthfulness of school food leaves a lot to be desired.

Every once in a while I am shocked anew at a school lunch menu that includes fried chicken shapes, corn, rice, and a roll. If you're up on your nutrition at all, you know that this is carb upon carb upon carb. Pair that with the offerings of flavored milk and dessert and all I can do is shrug and throw up my hands in bewilderment.

The schools say they focus on teaching nutrition, yet seem to fall flat on their faces when it comes to practicing what they preach, due in part to strange and arcane guidelines they must follow from the government, which also is not practicing what it preaches (see the USDA's www.mypyramid.gov) when it comes to school nutrition.

I recently signed a petition to update food standards in our schools and invite you to do the same if any of the children you love attend public schools.

I also recommend the recent series Food Revolution--you can watch all the episodes online if you missed them the first time. Several years ago chef Jamie Oliver led the charge to overhaul the school lunch system in the U.K., to such an extent that a friend who lives there says she'd eat at her kids' school as if it were a restaurant, the food is so good. Can you imagine? The food is prepared from scratch, so rather than opening a can of sauce or fruit in heavy syrup, school cooks prepare sauce from scratch and students enjoy fresh fruit. And the food is sourced locally as much as possible.

Food Revolution recounts his recent initiative in Huntington, WV.

Other great resources include The Lunch Box (which includes recipes and menus for schools and action plans for parents, principals, etc.) and the Healthy Schools Campaign.

You know I rarely put political stuff on here (other than it's every citizen's responsibility to vote or shut up), so you know this is near and dear to my heart. Luckily my kids have recognized the lack of quality in the school lunches and frequently pack their own. However, regardless of whether they eat the school lunch, all the kids are getting the wrong message on nutrition from our schools.

You know you're in East TN when . . .

. . . you're sitting in a Japanese restaurant and suddenly realize you're listening to country music.

Observation by my DH at dinner tonight.

Things keep moving forward--even when I don't post!

Sorry for the long absence--we had some lovely company from far away, and I've been working away both on quilts and the prospectus/planning for the art show I'm chairing this summer. As soon as I make one I'll post a PDF of the prospectus for anyone who lives around here.

One piece of good news--my article "Paint with Wool, Sculpt with Stitch" appeared in the April/May issue of Interweave's Quilting Arts magazine.

It's a beautiful issue (as you can see from the front cover alone) and I'm thrilled to have been invited to contribute.

Went to a quilting retreat last weekend--three full days of productivity without cooking, phone calls, appointments, or any other responsibilities. Made good progress on a number of projects and decided I need a couple of weekends like that a month!
Although it's a traditional-ish pattern (I'm calling it a half pineapple), my fabric choices are not. I have used a lovely line of calicoes, but also an oriental and a Marimekko wannabe. I'm also working on creating a bolder and more asymmetrical secondary design than is generally typical. Was going to make it for our bed (still haven't made a quilt for it--the cobbler's children and all that) but DH really doesn't like the green (although I love it), so this'll go up for sale whenever I finish it. The good news? It needn't be king-sized if it's not going on our bed, so I don't have to make as many blocks. WOOT!! WOOT!!

Finally putting together a quilt with my original "Lean-to" block. I will have a pattern (with or without paper foundations) available for this by the end of the year--let me know if you're interested. This small version is predominated by color (obviously). I'm working on a larger version in which the black and white fabrics predominate.

I also continue to work away on Sharon's commission (all handwork), but no peeks until it's done. :-)

Acrylics on Fiber

Artists Deb Lacativa posted a letter she received from a Golden representative re: acrylic on fabric--UV resistance, sealing, various applications, and heat setting, among others. This is a treasure trove of information all in on place. I'm adding it here (my journal) so I remember it--hope you find it helpful, too.

BTW, Deb does exuberant work--check out her website.

Freebie

OK. It's not shiny or precious or fancy, but it is practical, useful, and best of all, FREE!

Advice!

For years I've heard even accomplished quilters fret and stress over the quilting phase of their work. And this anxiety seems to strike traditional and art quilters alike. Intellectually I can understand it--they've just spent something between hours and years on finishing a beautiful top and don't want to ruin it.

But emotionally, I am always eager for the quilting to begin. It's one of my favorite parts of the creation process and I've explored the limits of what works and doesn't over the years, so here are a few tips to make your next quilting project a success. Although the samples are traditional, these are the same principles I use in my art quilts as well.

1. Don't leave your motif floating in a sea of unquilted top

2. Make sure your motif is the right size for the space it fills.

3. Don't forget to fill in the blanks. A fill flattens the background and allows your main motif or the focal point of your art quilt to pop. For example, this:

becomes this:

Neither is terribly complex, but one is much more appealing.

4. Create visual layers by varying the direction and density of your quilting, and allow some motifs to cross the boundaries of your blocks.

5. If you want to emphasize something, quilt it less. If you want to de-emphasize it, quilt it more heavily. You can see how this works in the example above.

Just for fun, take a basic coloring book page . . . and color it as if you were five years old again. Now, if this were your quilt, every place that you colored should be quilted lightly and every place you didn't color should be quilted more heavily.

If you have specific questions, feel free to contact me.

I offer classes that addresses these sorts of issues, including "Designing Great Quilting Schemes" and "Sculpting with the Quilting Stitch." If your guild or group is interested in a class and/or lecture on either topic, I'd love to hear from you.

Cheers, Cindi