How One Things Leads to Another

While working on my power point presentation for On the Same Page Literary Festival, I needed an image for Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories (an oral history project that I had given more than 10 years of my life) and remembered a quilt I had made. It was for Lynn Krawczyk's 2008 Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit with the theme "With One Voice." Artists were asked to give voice to all the good in the world by showcasing a person or organization that they felt contributed to making the world a better place. Ninety-four artists answered the call.

As I was looking through the catalog, I was struck by how many people I know now that I didn't know then- Liz Berg, Mimi Holmes, Linda Boone Laird (essay in Quilts in the Attic), Heather Lair (essay in Quilts in the Attic and fellow Postmark'd Art participant), Catherine Lamkin (interviewed her for Q.S.O.S. and have remained friends), Ann Louise Mullard-Pugh (our quilts hung next to each other for the Alzheimer's: Forgetting Piece by Piece traveling exhibit and I also interviewed her for Q.S.O.S.), Diane Petersmarck (interviewed her for Q.S.O.S.), Bonnie Smith (member of my group CLAW (Crossing the Line: Artists at Work) and a good friend), and last but not least Patty VanHuis-Cox (member of my heARTist Trading Cards group). And while Ami Simms and I knew each other then we are much closer now. It's just too cool.

So I have an image to illustrate all the connections in my life and I took a nice trip down memory lane. Who could ask for anything more?

1950 Challenge Fabric Reveal

It all began with this 1950s fabric and a group of wonderful people who joined in the fun. The rules were simple.

1. The challenge fabric must appear in your finished quilt. After all, that is the point.
2. You can do anything you want to the fabric (dye, stamp, etc.).
3. You must use Rayna Gillman's book, Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design, as your inspiration.
4. You must take photographs showing your process. I'd like to see at least three and especially photographs of any changes you make to the challenge fabric.
5. If you don't have a blog, send the photographs and thoughts to me and I'll post them here. If you have a blog, then please share it so we can watch and comment on your progress.

I asked that all the quilts be completed by March 1. However, I knew that not everyone would or could finish it. Irene Armock broke her arm and Marti Porterfield is having visions problems. Rayna Gillman has had lots of deadlines. We Should all be so lucky. Please understand that when I began this challenge,  I did not know Rayna nor did I knew that she would care about my challenge AND that she would take the time to join in and provide encouraging words to those who stepped up and put themselves out there to do the challenge. The world s a better place because of people like Rayna.  Others didn't even bother to acknowledge they got the fabric but life is too short to worry about them. More photos are coming so check back. Thanks to everyone for joining in the fun.

 Mine

  Rayna Gillman

Ode to Karen

Carol Esch

 

Louise Baldel

Denise Frank

Barbara Beadsley

Metamorphosis

  Vivian Helena Aumond-Capone

Bonnie J Smith

Janice Paine Dawes

Pink Rain and Chocolate Bunny

Sherrie Spangler

Martha Ginn 

 Kristin McNamara Freeman

Feeling Blue and Foto/Fiber

Here is my first indigo quilt which I have titled "Feeling Blue." This one was created completely out of scraps. I colored the appliqued circles with a fabric marker because they were much too white and bright. It is 22" (w) by 19.5" (h). This certainly boosted my confidence and I think it shows in my second indigo quilt which I will share tomorrow.

Exciting news on the challenge fabric front! Bonnie J. Smith has posted her finished challenge on her blog. It makes me chuckle every time I think about it. You don't want to miss seeing it. And Denise Frank has started her quilt! You can check out how she is manipulating the fabric. I'm so excited!

Count down to Foto/Fiber has begun! On Wednesday, you have the opportunity to own a great photograph by Virginia A. Spiegel, Karen Stiehl Osborn, and/or Cynthia Wenslow AND raise money for the American Cancer Society. You can preview the photographs by going to http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/FotoFiber2012PHOTOS1.html. In addition, you will receive a BONUS donated by 35 artists including me! Please join me in supporting this worthwhile event!

Here is one of my BONUSES. The silk was made during the time of the Soviet Union and I purchased it in the open air market in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. I am including a photograph of the women I purchased it from, one of my ATCs called "Memories of Kyrgyzstan" and three Kyrgyz postage stamps printed on fabric. And of course, I couldn't resist making a box to put it all in even though it's only suppose to fit in an envelope.

Now it's back to the studio for me!

Bonnie's Boxes

I love when something I post makes someone share. My friend, Bonnie Smith, has some incredible boxes on her blog which she made out of her watercolor drawings. Now I have to go dig out more stuff for boxes. Love it! Thanks Bonnie for sharing. Go check it out!