Fiber Artists Coalition

100 Artists Living In The Midwest.

2012-01-29T09:01:00.004-06:00

Greeting All,
Here is the description of a new book that will be coming out later mid-year and FAC members Clairan Ferrono and Trish Williams are two of the 100. "This expansive book takes a fresh look at 100 living artists from the Midwest, their personal stories and inspirations, along with several examples of their works. A wealth of urban settings, wide plains, flourishing cities, rushing rivers, and placid lakes are source material and inspiration for the artists. These works show how each artist interprets life. They explore the richness of the homegrown imagery of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin – their culture, society, and environment. They are delineating our stories for future generations in oil, pastels, sculpture, and other media. Their works are displayed in over 600 full color images. This book is essential for all who appreciate or practice art today".

This book will be available by May 2010 and you can check Schiffer Books website for more info or check out Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/100-Artists-Midwest-Minnesota-Wisconsin/dp/0764341057/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327850147&sr=1-1

Blackbirds Take Flight Again

2012-01-12T22:17:00.001-06:00

13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird:

Art quilts by members of the Fiber Artists Coalition

Waukesha Civic TheaterGallery hosts 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, based on a poem of the same name by Wallace Stevens. The exhibit includes fifteen art quilts by thirteenmembers of the Fiber Artists Coalition and runs January 10th thru February 20,2012

The Fiber ArtistsCoalition is made up of Professional Artist Members of Studio Art QuiltAssociates (SAQA) from the upper Midwest. FAC curates traveling exhibits of itsmembers' works. Members employ a variety of innovativematerials and techniques in the creation of fiber art with a contemporary edge.Some members have published books about their artistic processes and are indemand as teachers and presenters. Many exhibit their work in juried group andsolo exhibitions within and beyond the U.S. Thethirteen members whose works are included in this show are Astrid Hilger Bennett, Pat Bishop, Kathie Briggs,Shelley Brucar, CherylDineen Ferrin, Clairan Ferrono, Kasia, Peg Keeney, PatKroth, Casey Puetz, Joan Potter Thomas, Laura Wasilowski, and Trish Williams.

As an example, ClairanFerrono’s Eye of the Blackbirdinterprets the opening stanza:

Among twenty snowy mountains,

The only moving thing

Was the eye of the blackbird.

In Taking Flight,local artist Kasia chose to interpret Stanza IX:

When the blackbird flew out of sight,

It marked the edge

Of one of many circles.

The Studio Art QuiltAssociates, Inc. (SAQA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is topromote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional developmentand documentation. Visit the Studio Art Quilt Associates’ website at http://www.saqa.com. Learn more about the Fiber Artists Coalition at http://www.fiberartistscoalition.com/ .

Waukesha Civic Theatre
Performing in the Margaret Brate Bryant Civic Theatre Building
264 West Main Street, Waukesha, WI 53186 - John Cramer, Managing ArtisticDirector
Business Office: 262.547.4911 - Box Office: 262.547.0708 - Fax: 262-547-8454

What Does It Take To Be An Artist?

2011-12-21T10:14:00.007-06:00

When I made my first quilt in a community education class I never dreamed that 24 years later I would be calling myself an artist. How did I get from there to here? I didn’t plan my route out. I have treated myself to numerous side trips and have been forced to take detours along the way. The key is that I never stopped traveling.

May Basket - 1989

My journey began by honing my craft skills. There was so much to learn, such as maintaining a consistent seam allowance, being able to redraft a quilt block to a size I needed, understanding color and value, learning machine quilting, trying numerous appliqué styles and playing with embellishment. I moved from following patterns, to adapting patterns to designing my own work.

2001 A Floral Odyssey

Started in a class taught by Pat Campbell

Oh the classes and missions I have taken up in order to advance as an artist. I’ve taken technic classes, drawing classes, paper paste classes and mixed media classes. Currently I am working my through Carla Sonheim’s Drawing Lab lessons and loving it.

Man in a Food Court - 2011

Blind contour drawing assignment from Carla Sonheim's Drawing Lab

A few years into the process I started to seek out exhibitions in order to see what others on a similar journey were doing. This led to me becoming a joiner. I became a member of my local quilt guild and then I joined SAQA. It was through SAQA that I met members of the Fiber Revolution. What a thrill to be invited to join them! This led to an invitation to join Fiber Artists Coalition. I have joined the Wisconsin Visual Artists in order to broaden my exposure outside of fiber artists.

Insomnia - 2006

My most exhibited piece.

Every group I have joined has lead to opportunities to exhibit my work. The groups have also provided me with mentors and I have taken my turn as a mentor to others. I find that there is nothing like teaching to fine-tune my skills.

Cat's Eye - 2007

Playing with detail as the full image

There are numerous opportunities to see my work and the work of my fellow Fiber Artists Coalition members already planned for 2012 and in the planning stages for 2013. I will have a solo display of work at the Menasha Library in Menasha, WI for the month of January. Please check out our exhibition schedule posted on our website.

Cardinal - 2009

Playing with scale. This pieces is 4" x 6"

Open Studio

2011-12-18T08:39:00.004-06:00

On December 4th I held my sixth Annual Open Studio. As my studio is actually in my home, I hang my work throughout the house, as well as in the studio. Most of the work is for sale, but this also gives people the chance to see both the work I have saved for myself, and my extensive collection of small pieces by artists I know and admire. I currently own work by FAC members Trish Williams, Cheryl Dineen Ferrin, Gwyned Trefethen, Kathie Briggs, Jennifer Conrad, and Pat Bishop. Of course, I hope to collect more!

I very much enjoy the party aspect of the Open Studio. It's a great time to see old friends and meet new ones. Every year, friends bring their friends and neighbors along. But I especially value my Open Studio for the opportunity it gives me to regularly get organized and think about why I do what I do. During the Open Studio I give several studio talks. Thinking about what work I'll display and what I'll talk about is very productive for me. For several weeks before the event, I spend some time thinking about the work I've done in the past year. I write about it and analyze it. This allows me to be as articulate as possible when explaining my work to non-artists. This year I also gave two demonstrations. I showed people how I do my reverse applique process. It was confusing to many, and I fortunately had several pieces on hand to cut out and demonstrate the process. I also did some machine quilting. Everyone found this quite fascinating. We often forget that what is commonplace to us is quite exotic to the layman!

I don't always make sales during my Open Studio (other than notecards which are quite inexpensive and thus popular), but I always find it valuable. I look forward to it every year.

2011-12-12T05:39:00.006-06:00

If you'd like to learn more about science and see some art quilts too, please stop in and visit Stitched Together: Art and Science at the Fermilab Gallery.

Work by members of the Illinois and Wisconsin region of SAQA and a local guild, PAQA, will be on display through January 20, 2012.

The opening of the exhibit in November near Batavia IL was well attended by Fermilab employees and friends of the Fermilab Gallery.

Many of the participating artists were also able to be there including several FAC members.

Two quilts were sold at opening night. A great showing of art and support for the arts! Be sure to attend Stitched Together: Art and Science at the Fermilab Gallery in Batavia IL.

Show & Share

2011-11-21T08:38:00.000-06:00

I have a passion for people, mandalas, and fabric. Today my passions will come together when I present my show and share program, 'Evolution from Seamstress to Fiber Artist' to the residents of the Avalon Manor in Waukesha, Wi. This program follows the time line of my sewing hobby/career. The trunk show consists of Wearable Art pieces, early traditional quilting attempts and current works.

My fascination with mandalas (Sanskrit for circle) has led to a decade of experimentation and discovery as I have studied this ancient art form while developing my voice as an artist. Since my sewing machine has been a lifetime trusted friend, it was only natural that I would combine my love of fabrics with the designs of the mandalas which now serve as the core of my current work.

One of the benefits of being associated with the Fiber Artists Coalition is the exhibits that this group curates. Watch this blog for information on upcoming exhibits. For another look at my LoveLights (c) visit www.KasiasStudio.com

Shelley Brucar @ Schamburg Prairie Center for the Arts

2011-11-11T07:44:00.003-06:00

Greetings All,
Here is a video interview of Shelley Brucar at the Schamburg Prairie Art Center. Thank you Shelley for a great interview.
Enjoy;-)

Visiting with SAQA Members in Houston

2011-11-06T05:23:00.001-06:00

One of the best parts of being a SAQA member is belonging to a community of like minded individuals. Here you see these like minded individuals at the SAQA booth at the International Quilt Festival in Houston TX. They are here to meet and great fellow members and to educate quilt show attendees about our organization. And to have a good time!

It was a great thrill for me to attend the Houston show too and to be part of the SAQA Masters 2 exhibit. The exhibit has work by each of the 40 artists included in the Masters: Art Quilt Volume 2 book by Martha Sielman. Here I am exuberantly dancing through the entrance to the exhibit where my quilt, Artfabrik, is on display.

Artfabrik by Laura Wasilowski

It's a happy event to have your work on display with so many beautiful quilts. And to count yourself among a community of artists from around the world.

FAC at SCHAUMBURG PRAIRIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

2011-10-30T22:24:00.008-05:00

It took 3 of us over 4 hours, but the show is hung and it's looking GOOD!

In the photo at the top, the hallway between the gallery and the theater is awash with the brilliant colors of the "Some Like It Hot" exhibit. Some of the work seen here is by Casey Puetz, Trish Williams, Astrid Hilger Bennett and Laura Wasilowski.

The next image is part of the "13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" wall. Some of the work you can see is by Cheryl Dineen Ferrin, Kathie Briggs, Astrid Hilger Bennett, Shelley Brucar and Clairan Ferrono.

Huge thanks to Mary Berg, formerly of Simply Chicago Art, without whom Clairan and I would probably still be hanging the show.

We hope you'll get to the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts to view the vibrant colors and textures that cannot be fully appreciated on a computer screen. The address is 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, IL. The show can be seen through Sunday, November 27, and you can join us for the Artist Reception, Saturday, November 26, 3:00-5.

Staying Fresh

2011-10-22T01:00:00.002-05:00

It is easy to become complacent in creating art as in other aspects of life. Routine is comfortable. By following routines few or no decisions need to be made. However, routine can become boring. I like to shake things up.

One suggestion to keep things fresh in art is to explore media other than your primary one. Museums, galleries and fine craft exhibitions are a great way to see other ways to combine texture, shape, color and line. Personally, I love checking out fashion from trashy magazines that highlight what the stars are wearing to watching Project Runway.

Don’t just look at other media, play, explore and dabble in other media. Some things I have done in the past include taking a paste paper workshop, creating a water color a day for a full year, doing the Sketchbook project and now I am committed to following Carla Sonheim’s book Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists.

Sonheim’s exercises are all about shaking things up. The very first exercise has you drawing 30 cats in different poses while you are propped in bed. You are given approximately 10 minutes. I took 20. Still that is less than one minute per drawing. No time to obsess or even erase. Here are my favorite 3 kitties from my session.

What do you do to keep your art fresh?

Ties That Bind: Art Quilts at the Sheldon - video

2011-10-02T16:17:00.002-05:00

Greetings All,
Here's a video of the exhibit at the Sheldon. Enjoy:-)

Sheldon The Ties That Bind: Art Quilts from Dickson Beall on Vimeo.

The Sheldon Gallery Exhibit by FAC, St. Louis, MO through December 3, 2011

2011-09-25T10:22:00.002-05:00

Jennifer Conrad's Bird's Eye View, 2007, 33x38 inches

This exhibition presents a selection of quilted works by members of the Fiber Artists Coalition, in conjunction with the citywide biennial Innovations in Textiles celebration, now in its 9th year. Included in the exhibition are works by Pat Bishop, Kathie Briggs, Jennifer Conrad, Clairan Ferrono, Linda Witte Henke, Kasia, Peg Keeney, Pat Kroth, Edna Patterson-Petty, Casey Puetz, Gwyned Trefethen, Laura Wasilowski, Maggie Weiss and Trish Williams.

Innovations in Textiles is a citywide, collaborative event in St. Louis, MO, that investigates the state of contemporary textile arts. More information at http://www.innovationsintextiles.com/

The Sheldon Gallery is connected to the Sheldon Concert Hall and receives 75,000 visitors each year. It is the perfect place for music and visual arts. For a sneak peak at the "Ties that Bind Exhibit" you can watch the video tour given by Sheldon Art Director, Olivia Lahs-Gonzales and published by The Saint Louisan. Click on this link: Sheldon FAC exhibit in their Bellwether Gallery.

Ties That Bind

2011-09-11T07:58:00.007-05:00

April

Clairan Ferrono

In conjuction with the bienniel fiber fest in St. Louis, Innovations in Textiles, Fiber Artists Coailtion presents Ties That Bind at the Sheldon Galleries.

She Series # 6

Pat Bishop

This exhibit was curated by the gallery director, Olivia Lahs-Gonzales, and represents many exciting and innovative art quilt ideas and techniques.
River Red#2

Linda Witte Henke

Ties that Bind can be seen in the Bellwether Gallery of St. Louis Artists at the Sheldon Galleries, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO, www.THESHELDON.org from Sept 16- Dec 3, 2011. Please join us at the opening Fri., Sept. 16 from 5-7 pm.

FUN with FABRIC PAINT

2011-08-29T11:28:00.004-05:00

For the past year or so I have been experimenting with fabric paint, mixing colors and testing out different paints. I have also been exploring various application techniques, and my favorite so far is dripping paint.

The first image above shows "Southern Lights IV" in progress, many layers of paint dripping on a slant.

The texture and lines in the the second image were accomplished by dripping paint in layers and by changing from wet to dry fabric. I start with a piece of white pdf fabric hanging on a line in the back yard. For this piece, the first layer was applied to wet fabric. The fabric was sprayed with a hose, and thinned paint was dripped from a bottle; thinned paint on wet fabric spreads and blends beautifully.

The next 2 layers were applied to dry fabric which still allows for some blending but also results in more distinct lines.

I use mostly Prochem textile paints (www.prochemical.com), but have also experimented with Setacolor and Blick acrylic paint. More information and experiments can be found on my blog. Just click the link under member blogs.

Finding Balance

2011-08-26T16:56:00.005-05:00

Solitude (detail)

When I contemplated retirement I never envisioned myself in a rocking chair in front of the television. I knew that leaving the 9-5 world would open up time for the things I really loved. And as much as I love to create art in my studio I have found that it is a solitary pursuit and I still need a bit of stimulation that comes from working outside the house. I will admit that I actually wrote out my vision way back when I worked at the Federal Reserve Bank and I am thrilled to say that I am living that dream.

I volunteer my time with the local art center and founded a fiber arts group that meets monthly at our library. Both activities have put me in touch with other artists in the area and have enriched my life tremendously. At times the work involved can feel like its starting to take over my life but I am learning to ask for others to share the load and, so far, have found willing hands.

Keeping myself healthy is a core value and I carve out time for yoga and Pilates classes at the gym as well as the more recreational type of exercise like walking out in the country with my dog and paddling my kayak around the lake. I find that some of my best ideas pop into my mind during or following exercise.

Last year I started working part time in a small clothing store. I had never before worked in retail and was terrified of the cash register. But I got over it. I love interacting with the customers, especially the tourists who are visiting our resort town. I really like my co-workers and it feels nice to be part of a team again.

People often comment that they are amazed at how much I get done considering how busy I am. I think my productivity is actually enhance by having a busy schedule. When I have the time to spend in the studio I am ready to get right to work--the ideas have been flowing for hours or even days.

And to keep it all balance I spend some time in solitude. Our house is in the woods, on the shore of a lovely and tranquil lake. Walking or snowshoeing in the woods, kayaking on the lake, or just sitting on the dock and observing the waterbirds gives me the visual stimulation I need to go back into the studio and attempt to portray what I see and how I feel about it.

View from My Window

2011-08-14T04:53:00.003-05:00

We learned in April 2008 that the facility where my husband had worked for 35 years would be closing and that we would be transferred half way across the country to Appleton, Wisconsin. We didn’t want to focus on what we would be leaving behind: our family, friends, community and the home we had lived in for 34 years. Instead we focused on what we would be gaining: an opportunity to get to know another area of the country, a chance to make new friends and for me a new studio. That studio and our home became my mission. We traded the woods of New England for the water of Wisconsin. Our condo overlooks Little Lake Butte des Morts.

It has been 15 months since we made Appleton our home. The novelty of watching the seasons change from our home hasn’t worn off. In the winter the lake is frozen – perfect for ice fishing. In the spring it is the bald eagles’ turn to fish. They sit along the junction of the frozen lake and the Fox River watching for movement in the running water. Summer brings the greening of the cattails and waterskiing. Soon fall will be here and so will the migratory birds.

When I glance up from my sewing machine or worktable this is an impression of what I see:

Little Lake Butte des Morts in Summer

49” H x 30”W

July 2011

Where to Find Some Great Quilts

2011-08-07T05:17:00.001-05:00

Sprouts by Laura Wasilowski on exhibit at the National Quilt Museum

Would you like to see an inspiring showing of art quilts? Work by the famous Chicago School of Fusing compatriots is now on exhibit at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah KY and extends through October 4.

Sprouts (detail)

They are fond friends who frequently find fusing fun.

Listen to this fantastic line up of artists who make fused art quilts:

Frieda Anderson- the Dean of Technology and the Good Kind of Dyeing
Jane Sassaman- the Dean of Sweetness and Light
Judy Coates Perez- the Dean of the Talented and Tall
Anne Lullie- The Dean of Festivities and Fun
Emily Parson- The Dean of Knitting and Wit
Melody Johnson- Dean of Music
Laura Wasilowski - The Dean of Corrections

Sprouts #2 (detail) by Laura Wasilowski

With something for everyone, you are sure to enjoy the show (and the Museum Gift Shop ain't bad either). If you can, make an appointment to stop in at Caryl Breyer Fallert's studio or take a class at the museum. This museum is well worth the trip.

Mastering Digital Photography

2011-07-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

I've always been a pretty good photographer of my work when it came to taking slides with a standard camera. However, I soon saw the merits, both in convenience and money savings, of switching to digital photography. Even so, the results have not always been stellar. With the widespread use of digital online jurying for exhibitions, I realized that I needed to work to improve my images if they were to be viewed on small computer monitors.

Scroll back to last year and an email from SAQA, Studio Art Quilts, to which all of us FAC members belong. Included was a link to Shoot that Quilt, a series of informational steps on digital photography by Andy Baird and Holly Knott, posted on Holly Knott's website. Thinking I knew everything already but ever curious, I visited and soon learned many tips. While I needed no convincing of the merits of digital vs conventional cameras, I learned more about how digital lighting differs.

I made it a point to use the set up that is recommended, purchasing 30 watt daylight-balanced compact fluorescents online, using stretch fabric in either black or white as my background on my already-existing pinup board, and working indoors without ambient window light to interfere. The results have been a very encouraging! The ease of photography in a permanent setup has made this less of a chore.

I deviated from the recommended set-up by using a spare tripod as one of my light-stands, and a souped up music stand as another; these are left permanently set up with lights. I did not purchase additional insulation board as a backdrop since I had my own walls, but found that idea potentially very useful. But mainly, I also finally understand the difference between daylight and soft light compact fluorscents, and will never make the mistake of purchasing daylight for my interior home use again.

I wish I could show you the difference, but you know how it is with those juried exhibitions. We can't enter pieces that have been published on websites and blogs other than one's one. So, you'll have to wait for a future post for this. However, here's a recent image I took. In the meantime, I'm re-photographing a number of pieces. Thanks, Holly and Andy!


Astrid Hilger Bennett, Summer Light, art quilt using handpainted, monoprinted fabrics by the artist

Notes from the Surface Design Conference

2011-07-12T22:03:00.000-05:00

SDA Conference Exhibitions at the Nash Gallery included Barbara Lee Smith, India Flint, Tim Harding, Mary Edna Fraser, SAQA member Linda Gass and a large members' show

In June, I attended the Surface Design Association's international Confluence Conference in Minneapolis, MN. Several Fiber Artist Coalition members are also members of SDA; Linda Witte-Henke and I were the only conferees from this group.

As an SDA Board member, I knew that my tasks at the Conference went beyond mere participation, —I am in charge of all the "state" or Area Representatives — but I had a wonderful time. What I've always appreciated about the SDA Conferences is that they provide not only a forum for networking and sharing of technical information, but they are also a rich snapshot of what's currently interesting in fiber art. Not all fiber art gets covered, of course, but participants on all levels of expertise return home with food for thought on many levels. At this time, I'd like to share a link to my own personal blog for more photos and impressions of the Conference. Interested? Read more by visiting my blog.

Tim Harding's show at the Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota

Artists Need Mentors

2011-06-26T08:00:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I had the chance to attend the Minnesota Quilt show that was great as usual. Our local SAQA chapter had an exhibit in the show and I was reviewing the schedule and had not realized that my Art Quilt idol/mentor was in St. Paul teaching. Not only is she my idol her art quilt just won the Japan Award at the 2011 Quilt National in Ohio. Who is she you may ask? The very creative and talented Katie Pasquini Masopust. Katie is the reason I became an art quilter.
About ten years ago Katie was speaking at a Guild in Baltimore, MD and I joined the guild to just to be able hear her lecture. From then on I was hooked. I had been taking classes at quilt stores in more of a traditional focus since that was what was offered. Amish quilts had always intrigued me; however I was not inspired by traditional quilts. I considered myself a painter who new how to sew. When Katie shared her process for designing her quilts I was determined to do what she did.

I hate to admit it, but I became a groupie. I thought that was reserved for rock stars; but in my book Katie qualifies! I decided I was done doing the traditional quilt classes and I was going to incorporate my art background and make quilts that spoke to my graphic aesthetic. At the time Katie had an annual retreat in Santa Fe, NM. I was fortunate to participate two years in a row. Both times I took classes from her and learned how to take my paintings and reinterpret it in fabric. My creative juices were released and it was the beginning of my life as a quilt artist.

As an artist we seek inspiration in many ways. We are at our best when we are able to connect with others and are able to draw inspiration from them. Katie opened my eyes to the medium that best suited me. I just didn’t know it yet, however that is the beauty of finding a mentor. We all need guidance whether it is a teacher, family member, friend, or a muse. Being an artist is a journey. That voyage can take many paths. We all have the potential to create and find the path that suits us as artists. Everyone has to start somewhere, it amazes me where my journey began and where I am today.

I was able to reach out to Katie and had the opportunity to have dinner with her while she was here. It thrilled me to have quality time with her and get to know her on a personal level. I am forever grateful that she inspired something in me to pursue my passion. Many thanks and applause to Katie! She has given the art quilt profession so much in her many years working as an artist and as a long standing past president of SAQA. She has given so much to the art quilter to make our vision possible.

It should be noted that my second visit to her retreat I started my vision for the quilt “Bird’s Eye View”, it has appeared in her book “Design Explorations for the Creative Quilter”. From there the quilt was selected by Pokey Bolton to represent SAQA@20. Having a mentor has been the inspiration to keep me growing as an artist. The only limit is what you impose on yourself. Now it is time to get back to being creative!

Jennifer Conrad

Remembering My Father

2011-06-19T06:21:00.003-05:00

In physics, the Coriolis effect is a deflection of moving objects when they are viewed in a rotating reference frame. In a reference frame with clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the left of the motion of the object; in one with counter-clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the right. In less technical terms, the earth spins on an axis, objects on the earth spin with it. Objects in the Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise and conversely in the Southern Hemisphere they spin clockwise. This was proven in 1962 in the Northern Hemisphere by Ascher Sharpiro and in 1964 in the Southern Hemisphere by my father, Lloyd M. Trefethen.

My father was the quintessential absent-minded, nutty professor. He was obsessed through most of his career with surface tension and fluid mechanics. Often cooking, brushing our teeth or a stroll by the pond would come to a screeching halt so he could point out how bubbles raced across a hot pan, water formed unusual shapes leaving the faucet or a bug literally walked on water. My father invented mathematical games for my brother and me. We spent days tossing a coin over 1,000 times to prove that the probability of getting heads was really 50%. He devised a circuit board that emulated “math on Mars.” It was a way of demonstrating the binary system.

My brother, Lloyd N. Trefethen, is a professor of numerical analysis at Balliol College at Oxford University. I am a fiber artist, known for work with a strong mathematical influence. Is it any surprise that my latest piece, Poseidon’s Lair, is based on the Fibonacci Sequence?

Poseidon's Lair

by Gwyned Trefethen

48.5" H x 32" W

May 2011

Did King Tut Quilt?

2011-06-05T05:18:00.000-05:00

Recently I came across an image of this quilt, Princess Louise's Poppies #2. A photo of it appears in Fuse and Tell and now the belongs to a lovely woman who purchased it from me a while back.

It's good to review what you've made in the past and see it with fresh eyes. For instance, in this quilt you see a small hit of that sweet black batik fabric. That's all it takes to add interest to the flowers.

The flowers are based upon an Ancient Egyptian inspired wallpaper design I encountered in a well appointed bathroom. A pharaoh would have loved them. I bet he'd love the indoor plumbing too.

New Venue / New Member

2011-05-31T19:58:00.006-05:00

"Stormy" by Shelley Brucar

FAC artists have been invited to exhibit at the Sheldon Galleries in St. Louis, MO. Specific works for this show, including the piece above, have been selected by gallery curator, Olivia Lahs-Gonzales. "The Ties that Bind" will be shown from September 16 through December 3, 2011, with opening reception to be held Friday, September 16 at 5:00. More info to follow...

I want to welcome new FAC member, Pat Bishop, to our group. Pat is a fiber artist from Appleton, WI. She started sewing as a child and found the world of art quilting in 2005. Pat began entering shows at the urging of friends, and she has won several awards for her beautiful work - which you can see by clicking the following link.

http://www.patbishop.info/gallery.htm

Painting with Fabric

2011-05-23T16:51:00.006-05:00

If I had been a painter my medium would probably have been watercolors; I love the translucency of watercolor paintings. And I would likely have gravitated to plein air painting. There’s something magical about sitting in front of a lovely garden or a dilapidated barn and trying to capture the image on canvas.

But my medium is fiber and the image of setting up a treadle sewing machine in a meadow filled with wildflowers is just not as romantic. So my camera is the tool that I use to capture the images. One advantage of digital photography is the ability to take many photographs of the same subject without the need for film or developing. All I need is my camera and my computer.

Rather than trying to duplicate a specific photograph in textiles, I prefer to make a sketch that incorporates elements from several pictures. The photographs also serve as a good color reference.

My photography is never ever going to win any prizes. Many photos are not artistically composed and the ones I take of wildlife are generally blurry but they serve as a valuable reference. I am lucky to have amassed a pretty good collection of photos but I still take my camera with me on my walks because I never know what I may see. And, for me, there is one particular advantage over plein air: I can work on my art in any weather.

Blackbirds visit Iowa Artisans Gallery

2011-05-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

The Fiber Artists Coalition exhibition, 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, is currently on view at Iowa Artisans Gallery in Iowa City. This group of 13 art quilts by 11 artists interprets the Wallace Stevens poem, 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, and is ongoing through May 29, 2011.

Kathie Briggs, Blackbird on November Wind

Iowa Artisans Gallery was established by artists in 1984. The gallery features work by 200 American artists and focuses on Midwestern artists wherever possible. It currently occupies a 4000 square foot space in the historic Paul-Helen Building in downtown Iowa City, sharing a portion of the floorspace with its sister business, DJ Rinner Goldsmith. Visit ART Notes, the gallery's blog, for a post on screenprinting, including an image of Bennett's piece in an earlier stage.

Former gallery manager and current marketing director, Astrid Hilger Bennett, is a participant in this show with her piece, The Beauty of Innuendo, and has been able to view first hand customer response. "We've had many visitors, all ages, male and female, who really take a good look and tremendously enjoy the overarching premise of the exhibition."

Shelley Brucar, Interesting Color for a Blackbird

Iowa City is one of four Unesco-designated international Cities of Literature, so the poem is especially apt. For those who don't recall the poem, it's worth repeating once again:

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird
by Wallace Stevens

Among twenty snowy mountains,
The only moving thing
Was the eye of the blackbird.

II
I was of three minds,
Like a tree
In which there are three blackbirds.

III
The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds.
It was a small part of the pantomime.

IV
A man and a woman
Are one.
A man and a woman and a blackbird
Are one.

V
I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.

VI
Icicles filled the long window
With barbaric glass.
The shadow of the blackbird
Crossed it, to and fro.
The mood
Traced in the shadow
An indecipherable cause.

VII
O thin men of Haddam,
Why do you imagine golden birds?
Do you not see how the blackbird
Walks around the feet
Of the women about you?

VIII
I know noble accents
And lucid, inescapable rhythms;
But I know, too,
That the blackbird is involved
In what I know.

IX
When the blackbird flew out of sight,
It marked the edge
Of one of many circles.

X
At the sight of blackbirds
Flying in a green light,
Even the bawds of euphony
Would cry out sharply.

XI
He rode over Connecticut
In a glass coach.
Once, a fear pierced him,
In that he mistook
The shadow of his equipage
For blackbirds.

XII
The river is moving.
The blackbird must be flying.

XIII
It was evening all afternoon.
It was snowing
And it was going to snow.
The blackbird sat
In the cedar-limbs.

List of Blackbirds participating artists plus state of residence:
Astrid Hilger Bennett, Iowa City, IA
Kathie Briggs, Charlevoix, MI
Shelley Brucar, Buffalo Grove, IL
Cheryl Dineen Ferrin, Mattawan, MI
Clairan Ferrono, Chicago, IL
Peg Keeney, Harbor Springs, MI
Pat Kroth, Verona, WI
Casey Puetz, Waukesha, WI
Joan Potter Thomas, Northville, MI
Laura Wasilowski, Elgin, IL
Trish Williams, Chicago, IL

Together Again

2011-04-19T16:24:00.000-05:00

The Fiber Artists Coalition is a group of artists living in the upper midwestern United States. We are all also professional artist members of the the non-profit organization, Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. FAC curates exhibits of our members' contemporary fiber art and arranges for the exhibits to travel throughout the Midwest and beyond. We meet regularly via conference calls to form our committees and encourage each others efforts, while keeping alive our goal to show and share our art.

We met this morning to discuss an upcoming new exhibit of '13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird': Based on a poem by Wallace Stevens which is opening at the Iowa Artisans Gallery located at 207 East Washington Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. This interpretive art will be on exhibit from April 22 thru May 29, 2011. For more information, please visit the gallery at: http://www.iowa-artisans-gallery.com/events.html or contact their office for exhibit hours.

319-351-8686
Toll Free 1-877-439-6554
mail@iowa-artisans-gallery.com

Fiber-Fabric and More

2011-04-07T14:50:00.002-05:00

I know many of you are wondering why I would post information regarding a glass mural on this blog, which is definitely all about fibers, but as an artist I love learning new and exciting ways to create. My first love is fabric art and I am never very far from that, but I also enjoy working with mosaics as well as other mediums. When I was given the opportunity to create a design that I knew would be translated into a glass mural, I was very excited. My design was based on my version of a 'deconstructed quilt'. I use to paint my own fabrics many years ago and would cut the yardage into pieces to incorporate into my fabric art quilts, so it was great to approach my design concept based on past experiences.. So for this great design opportunity I chose to create my design using watercolors on a heavy watercolor paper which was my fiber of choice, and then I cut the design into multiple pieces and re-assembled into a whimsical design. To see an image of that design, please click on link. airport's website

Doing the Work

2011-04-03T09:06:00.008-05:00

Paintbox 29x41 2004

Artists, like everyone else, go through times when inspiration dries up, when nothing goes right, and when life interferes. We don't like what we're working on or nothing about it seems to "fit." We despair, we procrastinate, we make up reasons not to work today (I really should vacuum my closets today instead). But creativity won't really come that way. { Actually, solutions to creative problems may come while vacuuming if you are working on a project and maybe need a new perspective; taking a break to let the "back of your mind" mull it over can be just the ticket.} But I'm talking about avoiding the work. Not gonna solve anything.

Here's what does solve that: Do the work!

What do I mean? Go into your studio or work space and do something. Do anything. Do it every day - even on a day when you only have 10 spare minutes.

Clean it up -- this almost always leads me to rearranging my fabrics or my paints. Inevitably I see a fabric that I'd forgotten or a color I haven't used in a while and it starts me thinking -- hmmm, how can I use this? how would this look. . . ? If you're a fiber artist you can cut fabric or iron fabric or fuse fabrics. I almost always have sleeves to hem. And if I can, I leave them for down periods just like this. Often I find an old unfinished project (how many years ago did I start this???) and I think, ah ha! now I could do this to it or that and what about. . . .? Pretty soon I'm humming along.

Do something familiar, something you really know how to do successfully, and do it until you're bored and end up trying something new. Really good ideas can come from this. Take an old idea and do it in a new color or in a bigger or smaller size, or with a different technique. Just get your mind asking "what if?" and you're on your way.

Write in a journal or get out the sketchbook and draw. I still press leaves and color in coloring books.

Do you have a collection? Look at it, touch them if you can. What is it you like about these objects. Let them inspire you.

Play around! Just fool around with your materials having nothing about the outcome in mind. This childlike approach almost always works for me, and besides it's lots of fun!

One of the best tricks I've come across is always leaving a project at a point where you know what to do the next day. So you don't have to enter your workspace with a big question mark hanging over your head.

Perseverance is the key. Maybe you're depressed because your work seems bad. Keep at it! One thing leads to another in the creative world. And if you want to be productive, and you want your work to improve, you just gotta get in there, no matter how you feel, and do the work.

Cover Story

2011-03-20T12:48:00.001-05:00

Greetings All,
My piece "Dancers of Praise" (below) has been chosen to grace the cover of the Yale School of Divinity's "Reflections Journal" coming soon. I am so very honored for this opportunity and just had to share my joy.

Blackbirds and Midwest Meditations opening 3/4/11

2011-03-05T09:53:00.005-06:00

Greetings All,
Here is a slide-show from last night's opening at Simply Chicago Art of Blackbirds & Midwest Meditations. I hope that you enjoy and thank you to all that were able to come out.

Dreams Do Come True

2011-02-25T11:33:00.002-06:00

As Mike Dooley reminds us daily in his messages from the Universe, "Thoughts are Things, - - - choose them wisely." Often times we consciously whisper a prayer for a dream that we wish to come true and other times a thought can dash through our awareness with such subtlety that we barely take notice.

One dream whose details have resurfaced in my mind, focuses on the Anderson Art Center in Kenosha, WI. This stately mansion situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan boasts huge rooms and large expanses of white walls that are the perfect backdrop for the colorful, large art quilts currently on exhibit there. More than ten years ago, I visited this gallery with my artist friend Kathie to check out something very new to me, an exhibit of Art Quilts. At the time, viewing these smaller, beaded, abstract pieces sent a jolt through my creative awareness. Why couldn't I create art like this?

Having no interest in traditional quilting, I had been creating wearable art and teaching variations on basic traditional quilt block patterns. These techniques were a part of Judy Murrah's Jacket Jazz concepts. On that particular day, I whispered a desire to show and share my award winning wearable art at venues such as this. A dream seed was planted.

In time, I joined the Fiber Artist Coalition (FAC) while developing my artistic voice. This group of talented fiber artists from the Midwestern states meets via the Internet and conference calls to support each other in showing and sharing our passions. 'Conversations In Stitch' is a collection of 60 pieces representing the work of 18 artists and curated by Gwyned Trefethen and Linda Witte Henke who are members of the group. The opening reception was held on Sunday, Jan. 23rd from 1-4pm. Gratefully, there was a steady stream of visitors to the gallery eventhough we had some stiff competition with the Packers vs. Bears game being aired during that time.

I was so thrilled that some family members and friends came out to support my dream come true and share in my Joy at having my art on exhibit at the Anderson Art Center. The exhibit will hang until March 20th, (for more information) should you care to visit the gallery and view the fruits of our labors. I am so grateful for the opportunities that membership in this group brings. Pinch me, am I dreamig?

Until Next Time ~ Think Great Thoughts!
Kasia

Material Ways Exhibit Ending Soon!

2011-02-06T05:23:00.001-06:00

Seedpods by Laura Wasilowski

The Material Ways exhibit at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles. IL will be ending soon. So it's time to get on your traveling shoes and see some great art work created by our Illinois and Wisconsin regional members of SAQA, Studio Art Quilters Alliance. The show in the Fine Line’s Kavanagh Gallery will close on February 19, 2011. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am until 5pm.

You can see my quilt, Seedpods, along with art work from: Frieda Anderson, Gail Baar, Patricia Bergh, Pat Bishop, Kathy Downie, Deborah Fell, Mary Ellen Heus, Nancy Kimpel, Pat Kroth, Barbara Lardon, Karen Linduska, Stephanie Nordlin, BJ Parady,, Jeanne, Pfister, Casey Puetz, Jill Robinson, Katherine Sands, Virginia Spiegle, Sue Spurlock, and Tracy McCabe Stewart.

The Fine Line Creative Arts Center is where I taught my first classes many years ago. It is an educational center devoted to helping individuals nurture their creative energies. It provides year-round classes in a wide range of media including weaving, knitting, crochet, machine knitting, dyeing, jewelry, glass, blacksmithing, pottery, painting, drawing, printmaking and papermaking. Check it out and nurture your creative energies!

C.I.S and Fiberarts magazine.

2011-02-05T09:30:00.006-06:00

Greetings All,
I found out yesterday that Maggie Weiss's "Canopy" (below left) and my "Save Darfur" (below right) will be in a write up about "Conversation in Stitch" in Fiberarts magazine spring issue. Thank you Astrid for sending out the press release on C.I.S.

The Accidental Series

2011-02-02T14:26:00.004-06:00

When I first started creating art quilts I couldn’t imagine ever working in a series, although I suspected it was something I should be doing. I had enough difficulty sustaining my interest from concept to completion and the thought of working in a series seemed mind numbing. In the year 2000 I posed the question what would happen if I shifted values both horizontally and diagonally across the quilt canvas? The answer is First Snow.

First Snow

27" x 27"

When I was approached to do a commission based on First Snow, but in a size compatible with the client’s wall, I learned that the same concept resized could produce a different feel. I was hooked and a series was born.

First Snow Revisited

48" x 42"

Each new incarnation of the series has allowed me a base to build upon. I have experimented with substituting color in sections while maintaining the value sequence throughout as I did with Breaking Through Depression.

Breaking Through Depression

40" x 50"

One of my quilts that is often sited as a favorite by others, is Insomnia. Here I used hot fix Swarovski crystals to add sparkle and ribbon to indicate the lines of my ceiling.

Insomnia

30" x 42"

The newest in the series is Thinking in Green. I have left the gray scale behind, eased towards representational and away from abstract and even played with a triptych approach.

Thinking in Green

54" x 58"

Who knew a series could sustain me for a decade? If you are intrigued by this series you may view four of the works in the series, including Breaking Through Depression and Insomnia at the Anderson Art Center in Kenosha, WI. They are just four of the fifty-eight fiber art pieces making up Conversations in Stitch, a Fiber Artists Coalition exhibition. The exhibition runs through March 20, 2011. Please check the website for directions and gallery hours.

P.I.E.C.E.S. Artist Reception Slide-Show

2011-01-19T08:38:00.003-06:00

Greetings All,

I thought that I would share images from the artist reception of my exhibit at Concordia University. Martha Tabis and I talked with the gallery director about doing a FAC exhibit there and she said send in our proposal. I hope that you enjoy the slide-show:-)

Textile Exhibit at the Art Institute

2011-01-18T08:49:00.002-06:00

The Art Institute of Chicago has a huge collection fiber art, some of which has recently come out of storage. The sixty-one pieces now being shown in the new Allerton Textile Galleries explore the development of fiber as an art form from the mid-20th century through the present.

Photography is not allowed in the exhibit however you can see one extraordinary work by Magdalena Abakanowicz and further information on the Art Institute website.

The exhibition runs through February 7 in Galleries 55 and 57-59. It's in the basement and somewhat difficult to find but well worth the effort!

Conversations in Stitch at the Anderson Art Center, January 23 - March 20

2011-01-08T08:29:00.000-06:00

Pat Kroth, Post Meridian Mambo

Conversations in Stitch, an exhibition of fiber art by members of our organization, the Fiber Artists Coalition, will be on view at the Anderson Art Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, January 23 to March 20, 2011. An Opening Reception is scheduled from 1:30 to 4pm on January 23. Please join us!

Maggie Weiss, Canopy

In making selections for the exhibition, co-curators Gwyned Trefethen and Linda Witte Henke choose works that are likely to spark “conversations” with viewers or other pieces on display. Trefethen explains, “there are multiple ways to interpret trees or unexpected fabric and embellishment choices. I chose work that I hoped would cause viewers to stop, question and ruminate.” A feature unique to this exhibit, “Conversation Cards” will enable viewers to communicate responses and address questions about the work directly with the artists.

The sixteen members whose works are included in this show are Frieda Anderson, Astrid Hilger Bennett, Kathie Briggs, Shelley Brucar, Jennifer Conrad, Cheryl Dineen Ferrin, Clairan Ferrono, Linda Witte Henke, Kasia, Peg Keeney, Pat Kroth, Casey Puetz, Gwyned Trefethen, Laura Wasilowski, Maggie Weiss, and Trish Williams.

Trish Williams: Save Dafur

The Fiber Artists Coalition is made up of Professional Artist Members of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) from the upper Midwestern United States. FAC curates traveling exhibits of its members' works. Members employ a variety of innovative materials and techniques in the creation of fiber art with a contemporary edge. Some members have published books about their artistic processes and are in demand as teachers and presenters. Many exhibit their work in juried group and solo exhibitions within and beyond the U.S.

Cheryl Dineen Ferrin, Self Portrait in Sun Glasses

Freida Anderson: Dancing Trees

Material Ways at the Fine Line

2011-01-04T09:10:00.000-06:00

Alphabet Soup by PatKroth

Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles will host “Material Ways,” an exhibit of art quilts created
by our Illinois and Wisconsin regional members of SAQA, the Studio Art Quilters Alliance. The show will take place in Fine Line’s Kavanagh Gallery from January 8 – February 19, 2011 with the opening reception scheduled for Saturday, January 8th from 1:30pm – 4pm. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday from 10am until 5pm.

Each art quilt reflects personal experiences of everyday life and the beauty of the natural world. Quilt artists to be featured are: Frieda Anderson, Gail Baar, Patricia Bergh, Pat Bishop, Kathy Downie, Deborah Fell, Mary Ellen Heus, Nancy Kimpel, Pat Kroth, Barbara Lardon, Karen Linduska, Stephanie Nordlin, BJ Parady,, Jeanne, Pfister, Casey Puetz, Jill Robinson, Katherine Sands, Virginia Spiegle, Sue Spurlock, Tracy McCabe Stewart and Laura Wasilowski.

Fine Line Creative Arts Center is an educational center devoted to helping individuals nurture their creative energies. It provides year-round classes in a wide range of media including weaving, knitting, crochet, machine knitting, dyeing, jewelry, glass, blacksmithing, pottery, painting, drawing, printmaking and papermaking. Visit www.fineline.org for more information.

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-02T18:44:00.005-06:00

Fog 13x13" 2007

Like everyone else I'm busy cleaning my studio, getting ready for the New Year, and making some resolutions: get into the studio more often, be more productive while there, and have more fun with my art practice! In order to have more studio hours, I've rearranged my schedule so I can get to work most mornings. To be more productive while there, I'm working on several projects at once, so I have one I'm designing (on the board), one I'm piecing, and one I'm quilting. As I have 2 sewing machines always set up and available(a Bernina 1090 for quilting and a Bernina 930 -- a real workhorse! -- for piecing, sewing on sleeves, etc), I can accommodate this. This way there is always an easy "in." No having to decide what to do -- if I'm not really enthusiastic about something, I can simply sit down and work on an established piece. I've found that once I'm in the studio and working, I develop enthusiasm and creative ideas abound. To get up and stretch, I can then just go to the design board and work on it for a while. And in order to have more fun, I've set aside one morning as play day. I've intended to work with paper and fabric together for quite a while. Now I will make that intention come true by reserving time specifically for it.

I currently have 6 pieces in various states of completion, and I would like to have them all finished by the end of February. Can I accomplish this? Stayed tuned. I'll let you know in April.

Have a creative 2011 everyone!

P.I.E.C.E.S. - Trish Williams

2010-12-19T06:39:00.005-06:00

Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month:
P.I.E.C.E.S -Trish Williams
“Precepts Inspirited by Episodes of Creative Expressions of Self”

January 10 - February 13, 2011

Artist Reception: Sunday, January 16, 2011, 2 - 4 PM

Special Artist’s Talk: January 17, 1 PM

Concordia University Chicago
Ferguson Art Gallery, Kretzmann Hall
7400 Augusta St.
River Forest, Il 60305

Gallery hours:
Monday through Friday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

For more information contact: 708-290-3012

I hope to see you there and Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

Gifts of the Season

2010-12-13T11:10:00.000-06:00

As the snow continues to cover us in a blanket of white, I find warmth in my studio. Gratefully, I have had several commissions this year to be used as gifts which satisfies the need to create new 'LoveLights'. I find working on these personalized mandalas (sacred circles) very rewarding. My creativity flows as do the days to reach the completion deadlines.

The mandalas that I create are specific to the recipient, usually incorporating a name or a word message that relates to the person. Often the handprints of the person are stitched or painted into the 'LoveLight'. This makes these works of art unique gifts.

Our friend Keith received this 'LoveLight' for his birthday. If you'll look closely, you will see not only his name "Keith", but also his last name, his handprint and that of his wife of over forty years. The color green was expressly used for its healing energy as health issues challenge him these days.

I believe that 'Colorful Art lifts the Spirit', so the study of color energy and symbol placement is important in my work. You may view more examples of these healing color Mandalas by visiting Kasias Fiber Art Studio.

This holiday gift was presented last week. I am anxious to hear how the recipients enjoyed it. Their name makes up the design and their handprints have been stitched into the foreground. Ralph is an American Indian enthusiast, therefore the leather background, turquoise and brick red colors, and tapestry-like fabric were all chosen for this 'LoveLight'. This original design was prayerfully constructed with MaryLou and him in mind.

As you can see, the snow doesn't bother me, as I enjoy getting lost in my designs in the comfort and warmth of my studio. It is where you will find me on these cold Wisconsin winter days.

Let the Baking Begin!

2010-12-06T09:50:00.004-06:00

Hi all:

Creative energies spent on baking and hosting family company as of Thursday! Dinner here for 21 Friday night. Lou Manalti's did the cooking and I did the baking. First snow frosted everything and even the alley looked beautiful!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies were a HUGE hit Friday. Had to copy recipe many times over for siblings and nieces.My daughter will love it since it doesn't have nuts. That's ginger-orange-pecan-craisin biscotti next to almond biscotti.

Will post progress on big quilt another time after I'm back in the studio and have made some!

One Christmas gift nearly done.....

2010-12-02T10:02:00.004-06:00

Well, it took longer than I thought but worked out fine. Still working on the knee highlights which look unfortunately like knee pads. Will made some adjustments and then have to find the time to quilt it before Christmas!

Had to use up some leftover chicken last night so I made tortilla soup.

I also used up some leftover ham and made a batch of split pea. I asked my son Luke to add the cilantro to the soup but didn't specify which pot, so here we see Split Pea with Cilantro...a delicious accident.

And as long as the oven was warm and I was holding up, I made a quiche so we had that with the soup. And now it's off to the studio. Have a great day!

2010-12-01T10:19:00.005-06:00

Making progress on horse pattern as you can see. Switch from Palomino to Bay coloring seems to be working. Hope to move past the horse today and on to creating a foreground for the background of a new collage piece seen here. Inspired by the colors of coleus I now see cherry blossoms and other flowering plants in similar colors. Will be fun to see where this leads.

Sewing Club went well. Adorable kids! And they're sewing almost perfectly straight seams from the get go.

Quilts as comfort

2010-11-30T09:48:00.008-06:00

Today I have to complete a PURCHASED pattern, something I haven't done in more years than I can recall! One of my sisters had back surgery and can no longer ride horses without causing physical problems :^( She has worked like a demon to be able to have horses in her life and this is a heart wrenching transition. When I saw this pattern in Houston I thought I might be able to adapt it to the color of Eddie, her favorite dearly departed mount from many years ago. I'll show you later how far I get. What was I thinking!? Look at those instructions!

Later today my friend Lonna and I will go to our Sewing Club at a local middle school. After one week we have 6 participants including one boy, Carlos, who is a natural.

2010-11-29T23:12:00.003-06:00

Hi Everyone:

I've been lurking for months and thanks to Cheryl and Clairan, this is my first blog post EVER. It's wonderful reading everyone's contributions as well as fellow member blogs. Last week with 27 for dinner on Thursday and with my daughter back from school, I didn't have much studio time. However, I did have to cook and bake...this pot of cranberry compote was too beautiful not to photograph. More work images coming soon! Have a wonderful week.

SOFA

2010-11-07T08:33:00.011-06:00

Broken White Band with Pin (2007)

Sara Brennan

Bella Pais (1985) Zofia Butrymowicz

from the Baruch Collection

Rolled Leaves Mitobe Katsuko shibori

I spent a wonderful Friday afternoon at SOFA (Sculptural Objects and Functional Art) Chicago, an international show. This is a fantastic exhibition for anyone interested in art -- not paintings, but just about everything else. Lots of glass, more than ever this year, ceramics, metal work, sculpture, furniture, dolls and puppets, jewelry, and, of course, fiber. There's more here than one can absorb in one day. From the innovative to the highly sophisticated, the incredibly creative use of materials is readily apparent. Most interesting to me was how other media are being used to look like fiber -- painted metal, mosaic glass, and even wood is made to look like stitched fabric. And the fiber works also often include metal, resin or wood. A superb exhibit with a year's worth of food for thought.

America Celebrates Exhibit

2010-10-31T05:42:00.001-05:00

If you are in the Longmont, Colorado early next year, please check out the exhibit America Celebrates: Quilts of Joy and Remembrance at the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center. The show runs January 15 - March 13, 2011. I'm proud to be a part of this exhibit organized by Judith Traeger, quilt artist extraordinaire.

My quilt, Arbor Day, celebrates the beauty of trees and all they give us like shelter, shade, warmth, food, and even clean air. Along with 56 other art quilts, the America Celebrates exhibit opens in Longmont then travels nationally for a few years. Hope you have the opportunity to see it.

Getting Together: Iowa SDA and SAQA members

2010-10-26T09:34:00.004-05:00

Iowa is a big state with a small population, smaller than the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Our Surface Design Association (SDA) and Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) are small enough that it makes sense to pool our resources and meet together in different locations in central and eastern Iowa. I held an earlier meeting last February at my home, and this time Carol Coohey shared her home and inspiring studio with us. Nineteen women attended from the Des Moines area, Elkader, Grinnell, Guernsey, Oskaloosa, Fairfield, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City/Coralville. This post originally appeared on Astrid Hilger Bennett's Blog, Citings.

Karin Gundlach explored the issue of what kind of finishing presentation is most appropriate to art quilts and fiber art in general, especially smaller pieces. She posed several questions in an online SAQA forum and received a wealth of technical responses, from mounting on a protruding cloth-covered or painted "frame," to shadow box framing, to armatures. In general the consensus was that framing or mounting of some kind helps to set these pieces off and relate them to their environment. Some participants shared pieces in which presentation was discussed.

Kris Grover shares her ideas for studio design (above), with Amanda Murphy discussing lighting (below)

Kris Grover, former University of Iowa space planner and mixed media artist then shared her Studio Design Challenge, where she converts a small 10 x 10' bedroom-type space into a functional studio. She shared drafts of this presentation, done on her laptop with many images included. This was a very interesting presentation that we could have spent more time on; Kris had many ideas for finding simple storage units at janitor supply shops and places like Cabellas. One idea was installing a simple overhead bike rack to hang three dimensional works from while they're in progress. Then
Amanda Murphy, a lighting consultant for Light Expressions and a mixed media artist working three dimensionally with concrete and felt, shared ideas and answered questions for adequate lighting.

Lastly, we had a tour of Carol Coohey's impressive studio space. Not grungy like mine, but airy and clean. She does deconstructed screen printing in the way that Kerr Grabowski does, but adds her own spin and has recently started doing regular screen printing. One look at her extensive wall of fabrics, all hanging from a cork strip rail, and one can't help but admire her grasp of this process. Carol was recently accepted into the newest Quilt National for the first time.

Carol Coohey with her wall of deconstructed screen printed fabrics

After the meeting, participants split up, some attending Dianne Day's show at Arbor Gallery, some going to central Iowa City to visit Home Ec Workshop, Prairie Lights Books and Iowa Artisans Gallery, and some home. An interesting, enlightening time, no pun intended.

Astrid Hilger Bennett

Getting out of your own way

2010-10-17T14:32:00.003-05:00

I have felt for a long time that I have become too complacent with my art quilts. Although I enjoy what I do I have been wanting more, but not totally sure of what I want more of. Have you ever felt that way? Confusing and frustrating, right! I think that because of my husband's health problems it made me unconsciously not strive for more, what I was creating was safe, I knew how to do it, it had become too easy, therefore unsatisfying. The best way that I can explain it is to imagine a feeling of hunger yet when you have completed your meal, you are still unfulfilled eventhough you enjoyed every morsel.

In late August of this year there was a call for nine artist to create a design that could be replicated into glass. It stated that you did not have to be a glass artist to participate. All one had to do was to send in 10 images of your work, your intent if you were to receive the honor, 3 page resume, and 3 references. So I thought well that is easy, so I download the application. I let the application lay around from one place to another, going about my business each day. Finally mid September, I just threw the information away-why I don't know. There I was once again getting in my own way-no explanation. Then I received a group email stating that it was the last week to apply for the project and the deadline was just a few days away. So this little voice said 'just do it' I then printed out the information once again. So with vim and vigor I started on my audacious task of completing the paper work, etc., I gave thanks and then took the package to the post office and mailed it. I was sooo proud of myself.

During the first week of October I received an email stating that my information had been received. That made me feel good, I said maybe that's a good sign. On Monday October 11, I received an email stating that I was a strong contender for one of the nine spots, and to pencil in the 14th to meet with the group, go to the site to see where the glass panels would be placed and then as group go to dinner later. I said okay, but then thought, why would they ask me to do all these things if I had not really been chosen as one of the artist. Then the very next day I received a call to state that I was indeed one of the artist. I cried, I screamed, I prayed, I gave thanks, called my daughter who lives 45 minutes away, and called my husband who was at a doctors appointment and told him once you leave the doctors office come straight home, no stopping-come straight home. Then I shared my news with him the second I heard him in the drive way. So getting out of my own way worked for me, and I am so grateful.

So I and 8 other artist will create art-glass triptychs for freestanding glass wall partitions in the Airport A and C Concourses. These nine Art Glass Triptychs will be the first public art commissions for Lambert St. Louis International Airport as part of the Airport Experience Program. The Public Art and Culture Project is an art initiative to create gathering places and visual high points by commissioning permanent artwork installations and rotating exhibitions in the Airport.
All nine artist will go to Munich, Germany November 28, and December 5,2010 in two groups, to work with Franz Mayer glass fabricators on bringing their designs to fruition. The works of art are due to be installed May/August 2011.

Attention To Detail

2010-10-10T04:56:00.005-05:00

Send one full view image and one detail image of your work is a request found on many calls for entry for artwork. The more I complete calls for entries the more I realize how drawn I am to the detail photo, often preferring it to the full view. Why not make artwork of the detail only? This is precisely what I did with Cat’s Eye.

Details within a work of art can be what bring it to life. I prefer to piece versus fuse my work. However, I will make an exception if the work cries out for a ragged edge. The black cat, in Cat’s Eye View of Santorini is fused. I even teased out a few threads along the edge of the cat to give the fur texture.

Both these small works were made as part of a monthly challenge I participated in several years ago called 12 x 12 x 12 facilitated by Kate Themel. Our mission was to make 12 small works that were 12” x 12”. Looking at them again is a good reminder to pay attention details.

SAQA Booth Help Needed at SOFA

2010-10-07T11:08:00.002-05:00

Greetings All,
Your help is needed at the SAQA booth during SOFA and here are the hours.
Nov 5th 11am - 8 pm
Nov 6th 11 am - 8 pm
Nov 7th Noon - 6 pm
We have only 4 volunteers thus far. Please if you plan to attend give us an hour or two. Thank you in advance and you can contact me off the list if you like.
Trish Williams at handworksbytrish@yahoo.com

FINE ART of FIBER

2010-10-05T17:05:00.003-05:00

"Southern Lights IV" (c)2010 Shelley Brucar

The annual fiber show at the Chicago Botanic Garden is coming up the first weekend of November. The show includes a fiber art exhibit, fashion shows, lectures and demonstrations as well as a boutique filled with handcrafted items, fiber art and wearable art for sale. This year's special exhibit by Women's Journey in Fiber is called "Hats: Wise Women Speak."

Fine Art of Fiber is presented by North Suburban NeedleArts Guild, Illinois Quilters, Inc., and Weavers Guild of the North Shore.

Dates and times for this year are:
Thursday 11/4, 6:30-9pm and
Friday through Sunday 11/5 - 11/7, 10am to 5pm.

For more information, please visit www.chicagobotanicgarden.org/fiber or call 847-835-6870.

2010-09-25T20:18:00.000-05:00

From Paralysis

to Productivity

K A I Z E N

Rooted in the two thousand-year-old wisdom of the Tao Te Ching ("The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"), Kaizen is the art of embracing progress in small, steady increments.

A Japanese word meaning “small steps for continual improvement,” Kaizen is used to describe a strategy developed in U.S. manufacturing during World War II, one that is credited for enabling a large increase in our nation’s productivity. Although the Kaizen technique was soon set aside in American circles, it was introduced in Japan, where it continues to play a key role in that country’s ongoing productivity.

More recently, American psychologist Robert Maurer began applying the principles of Kaizen at the personal level, eventually publishing a book, One Small Step Can Change Your Life—the Kaizen Way (Workman Publishing, 2004). Of particular interest to artists is Maurer’s attention to fear as the principle dynamic that paralyzes intention and impedes progress. Kaizen, with its strategy of taking small steps in the direction you want to go, provides an effective antidote by keeping us out of the part of the brain that triggers fear.

As much as I love my work, I often struggle to get started on new projects, and fear seems to often be at the root of my paralysis. Sometimes I can expend weeks in studio busyness that has me working on anything and everything except the project on which I need to begin. Employing an adaptation of Kaizen is the only thing I’ve found that can reliably move me beyond paralysis to productivity.

In my application of the technique, I give myself permission to outline steps for whatever will play a role in executing the project — clarifying the design, stipulating the supplies required, identifying the techniques that need to be explored, creating detailed sequencing of the steps for every process to be employed, etc. In an effort to overcome a particularly severe paralysis during my participation in Jane Dunnewold’s Art Cloth Mastery Program, I ended up with four (typewritten, single-spaced) pages of steps for executing my “Tabula Rasa” design. Taking the time to break down this substantial project into many, many small steps enabled me to push past my fear and embrace a roadmap for steady progress toward my goal.

Tabula Rasa [244 inches wide by 71 inches high].
(c) 2009, Linda Witte Henke.
All rights reserved.

SOFA volunteers needed.

2010-09-23T11:33:00.001-05:00

Greetings All,

SOFA is coming to town soon and we need volunteers for the SAQA booth. Thus far I only have 4 offers, Ramona Lindsey, Clairan Ferrono, Carolyn Abramofsky, and Trish Williams. More are needed and please email Trish Williams if you can help us out. Show hours are:
Nov 4th 7 pm - 9 pm
Nov 5th 11am - 8 pm
Nov 6th 11 am - 8 pm
Nov 7th Noon - 6 pm

SAQA Benefit Auction

2010-09-21T07:56:00.009-05:00

SAQA Benefit Auction has started and you can view all the pieces at

http://picasaweb.google.com/katethemel/2010SAQABenefitAuction. Shop and enjoy.

Midwest Meditations Opening Slide-Show

2010-09-20T03:39:00.003-05:00

Greetings All,

Here is the slide show from the opening of Midwest Meditations at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum in Bloomingdale, IL. The show will run until October 23rd and there is an exhibit of the SAQA 20 in the second gallery. Enjoy.

Caffeine IV opening reception.

2010-09-19T10:03:00.011-05:00

Greetings All,

Next Saturday, Sept 25th is the opening reception for "Caffeine IV" a group exhibition of 47 artists of different types of media at Murphy Hill Gallery, 3333 W. Arthington, from 6-11 pm. There are 7 of us that are fiber artists and I'm sure that you know some of them, Mary Jo Bower, Iva Freeman, Gwen Jones, Gerry Macasai, Kathy Weaver, Linda Sorkin-Eisenburg and myself So the fiber/quilt world will be well represented. Below are the three pieces that I have in this exhibition, plus each artists was ask to make a coffee cup for the silent auction. I made a Demitasse set and used one of those old CD for the base. I'm in looking forward to opening night and you know that I will post photo later. Now I'm preparing to attend the "Midwest Meditation" opening this afternoon and more photos.

Midwest Meditations

2010-09-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

My husband Brett and I hung the new FAC show at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum in Bloomingdale IL. It was so great having him there to help me. He is so logical and practical. We measured and leveled and had the show up in 2 1/2 hours. Then we went out for sea food. Perfect afternoon with my husband. A little art, a little food, a little fun.

The show opening is September 19th from 2-4, I hope you can stop by, there will be wine and cheese, great art and fun conversation.

Some Like It Hot Opening.

2010-09-05T20:04:00.007-05:00

Greetings All,

Here is a slide-show from the opening of "Some Like It Hot". I hope that you enjoy it.

SOME LIKE IT HOT

2010-08-29T15:06:00.006-05:00

Fiber Artists Coalition has two exhibits opening during the month of September.

"Some Like It Hot" features work from 17 members of FAC based on the title theme. Artist interpretations of "Some Like It Hot" were expressed through color, design and message, resulting in a very hot and exciting show.

"Some Like It Hot" can be viewed at Simply Chicago Art, 1318 Oakton, Evanston, IL September 4 through 26. Gallery hours are Saturday 11:00 - 7:00 and Sunday 1:00 - 6:00 or by appointment.

Please join us for the Artist Reception, Saturday, September 4 between 1:00 and 5.

Finding Time

2010-08-22T09:38:00.002-05:00

When people learn that I am an artist working in fiber, the most common question is how do you find the time? Although I haven’t done a scientific study, I have gleaned through observation that artists find the time in different ways. My preference is to be disciplined and organized. I schedule studio time for myself, blocking out two solid days with no appointments, errands, business or household chores. I schedule a third day a week to take care of the business of being an artist. I am a very, very early riser. I’m up each morning between 3:30 and 4:00 am. This is when I journal, attend to any e-mail that came in over night and then head off to the gym. It is my time to ease into my day. With my daily self care and correspondence taking care of, I am able to enter the studio without distraction or guilt.

I am a firm believer in using a calendar system with an associated to do list. I use iCal, because it fulfills my needs and came with my iMac. It is available to me on my iMAC, MacBook and should I ever get a smart phone or iPad, it will be there too. I can enter information in my iCal on any of the devices listed and all the “other” iCals are automatically synchronized. Since everything I need to keep track of is entered on iCal, I don’t have to keep it stored in my brain. Thus keeping brain clutter at a minimum. All my to do items are assigned a date when I want to work on them. By prioritizing my to do items and assigning them dates I get the most important things done first and am much less likely to waste time putting out fires or responding to others reminding me of things they need from me. Each night I review what was accomplished. All completed items are removed and any lingering items are reassigned. Then I print out tomorrow’s list.

"Entwined"

64" H x 48" W

Is it any surprise that my work has a disciplined feel to it? Entwined projects discipline. It also speaks to multiple aspects of life vying for attention.

Quilts as Art

2010-08-08T07:46:00.009-05:00

Nearly Spring 14x10.5 detail

Recently many art quilters have been successfully submitting their work to art shows rather than fiber or quilt shows. Over the nearly ten years that I've been an exhibiting artist, there's been a shift in the perception of art quilts within the art world. Although some of this persists today, the categorization of art quilts as "craft"

Blue Desert 20.5 x 30

rather than "art" (which resulted in many art shows saying specifically "No Fiber") is fading. Increasingly critics, museums, galleries and curators of major exhibitions are recognizing that the use of the medium defines art, rather than the medium itself. This is especially true as many more art quilters are using surface

Paintbox 29 x 41

design techniques in their work (painting, mono, block and screen printing, dye and discharge, stamping, etc) as well as creating mixed media work with fabric, paint, paper, found objects, metal and a host of other materials. Many art quilters make 3D work which is now routinely considered sculpture. So if you are an art quilt fan, look for more and more art quilts to appear at art exhibits as well as in galleries and museums. And keep in mind that art quilts are still a bargain in the art world -- great for the new collector!

SAQA 12" SQUARE AUCTION

2010-08-02T08:50:00.003-05:00

It's time - take a look to see which pieces you want to add to your art collection. Studio Art Quilt Associates 12" square auction starts September 20, 2:00 Eastern time. Over 200 pieces have been donated by SAQA members for this annual fundraising auction, with proceeds supporting SAQA exhibits, catalogs and outreach.

To view artwork and learn how the auction works: http://www.saqa.com/news.php?ID+1423.

Life Happens

2010-07-25T06:19:00.004-05:00

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” is imbedded in the lyrics of John Lennon’s song, Beautiful Boy. How true. How appropriate. Often I have followed one path with purposeful intent only to look up and discover a new path that must be explored. Sometimes it is a natural curiosity that has me veering off the path. Just as often it is life happening, such as the birth of a child or illness in the family that sends me down unplanned detours.

Snail Mail is a pictorial representation of one of life’s derailments. A friend from my college days mentioned in a Christmas card back in 2000 that she would be starting chemotherapy for breast cancer shortly after Christmas. I called to ask how I could support her. She didn’t want food or visitors, what she did want was snail mail. She wanted cards and letters so that when she could muster her energy to walk to the end of the driveway there would be something waiting for her other than junk mail and bills.

We were casual friends in 2000, staying in touch annually through Christmas cards and occasionally chatting at reunions, weddings and other large gatherings of common friends. I committed to writing her once a week during the six months of chemotherapy. We are closer now. We just finished our fourth vacation, a bike trip along the Tuscan Coast, together with our spouses. My husband I are the ones on the right.

In 2000 my plan was for my child rearing days to end (I had one child in high school and the other in college) so that I could work with total focus on developing my art. I have followed that plan, sort of. Every one of the past ten years has been a challenge. Life happens. I do my best to focus on my art. I have also journeyed down many of life’s detours.

"Blackbirds" featured in Charlevoix MI

2010-07-21T08:58:00.003-05:00

The Fiber Artists Coalition's traveling exhibit "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" inspired by a poem by Wallace Stevens is a featured exhibit at the Charlevoix Circle of Arts through September 18.

The show, entitled "One of A Kind: Fiber and Furniture" was curated by FAC member, Kathie Briggs, who is the featured artist with her series "45º North".

Charlevoix Circle of Arts

109 Clinton Street

Charlevoix MI 49720

The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 – 5 p.m.

And while you are visiting Charlevoix, drop by the Charlevoix Library to see the final showing of the Michigan Quilt Artist Invitation “Ciao Italy” exhibit. July 1 through August 31, 2010

Hour and directions to the Charlevoix Library can be found on their website here.

International Textile Biennial, "Beyond Category: Visions of Jazz In Fiber"

2010-06-26T11:10:00.008-05:00

Greetings All,
Two of my pieces (Monks Thang - below top and Smooth Jazz Clipart - below bottom) were accepted into "Beyond Category: Visions of Jazz in Fiber". The exhibiton will be in San Jose Costa Rica at the University of Costa Rica (Limon) September 7 to October 12, 2010.

International Expressions Quilt Art

2010-06-11T02:53:00.000-05:00

For the first time in the United States, International Arts and Artists introduces the work of Quilt Art, a unique group of 22 contemporary quilt artists from nine countries whose work ranges from traditional quilting techniques to modern methods of photo transfer and improvisation. Quilt Art is Europe's leading advocacy group for innovative quilt making.

The "International Expressions" exhibition features more than 35 quilts that include landscape scenes, still lifes, geometric constructions and abstract juxtapositions of color and form. While each member brings a distinctive approach to the medium, a reflection of their home countries' culture, geography and design traditions can also be discovered in the work.

The Quilt Art group has established a reputation for being at the forefront of contemporary textile art by maintaining integrity of expression and quality craftsmanship. The group has exhibited extensively in Europe since 1987, and more recently in Japan and Canada. Included in this exhibition are works by Linda Colsh (Belgium) and Inge Huber (Germany).

The exhibition will be on display June 12 through August 28. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission for non-members is $5.

Minnetrista Cultural Center
1200 North Minnetrista Parkway
Muncie, IN 47303
(765) 282-4848

Solo Shows

2010-06-07T16:14:00.004-05:00

"Slow Dance" (c)2010 Shelley Brucar

will be in my July show at Simply Chicago Art.

Someone recently asked me for "advice" for doing a solo show. Beyond producing work for a solo show, here are some hints to help you get ready

1. Advertise - Write a press release and send it to papers and magazines local to your home ("local artist") and local to show venue. American Craft Council requires info about 2 months in advance. Most papers will not print entire press release, only show info. Be sure to include your contact info (someone may want to call you for an interview!), venue address, dates, times, etc.

2. Have postcards made; send out to your mailing list and everyone you know. Leave stacks of postcards at shops near show. (I use vistaprint.com, but everyone I know seems to have a printing source they like and trust.)

3. Check out and measure the space and decide which work you want to hang, what looks good together, which pieces compliment each other, etc.

4. Get 1-2 friends with good eyes for art to help you hang the show, and be flexible about changing around the layout you have previously decided upon depending on what really does look good where, what makes the exhibit "flow". If show is at a gallery, the gallery owner/staff will probably hang it. Know ahead of time how the venue wants everything hung and labeled.

5. Get friends to help with the opening reception - shopping, setting up, and cleaning up. It's also a nice touch to have music that is appropriate for viewing art.

6. If the venue does not provide insurance, have your own.

7. Have a guest book so you can collect emails and addresses; build your mailing list.

8. When you go to hang the show, bring hanging hooks, nails, hammer, scissors, pens, various kinds of tape, your wall labels and/or price list, and anything else you can think of that you might need. Obviously this list depends on the venue and their hanging system.

Feel free to share additional ideas about hanging a solo show.

2010-06-04T04:36:00.001-05:00

Exhibit at the Vale Craft Gallery
If you are in the Chicago area this summer, please stop in at the Vale Craft Gallery to see my art quilts on display in their group show. Including Midwest Summer (above), there are several of my new small works to be seen. The Vale is that rare gallery that displays wonderful craft objects from pottery to jewelry to basketry and beyond. It's located in Chicago's River North gallery district on Superior and Franklin and well worth the trip.

The exhibit opens Friday, June 4 with an reception from 3:00 to 8:00 and ends on September 4, 2010. I can't make the opening (teaching in North Carolina) but hope you are able to visit this unique gallery.

Sharing my excitement and news:

2010-06-01T08:23:00.002-05:00

KASIA’s LoveLights

Please join us in celebrating ‘Colorful art that lifts the Spirit!’

Using a conventional sewing machine, fabric, specialty threads and paint,

Kasia creates breathtaking one-of-a-kind Mandalas—symbols for healing, prayer, and meditation.

Opening Reception

Friday, June 18, 6:00-8:00 PM

Free and open to all!

Exhibit Dates

June 18—July 17, 2010

Mon - Thur: 10 am – 7 pm

Fri & Sat: 10 am – 5 pm

Flourish Studios’ Envision Gallery

3020 N. Lincoln Chicago, IL 60657

www.icanflourish.com

10% of the proceeds from all Gallery and retail sales during the Opening Reception will be donated to Imagination Theater, a local touring company offering interactive theatre programming to address social issues, educate communities and improve life quality for participants of all ages.

2010-05-23T05:33:00.007-05:00

Studio: From Concept to Reality – Part 3

Hip, hip, hurray! On Monday morning our carpenter arrived with the list of projects remaining for our renovation. He wanted me to put them in priority order. Finally, I had say in what work would be done, when. Number one on my priority list was my design wall.

I thought you might be interested in how the design wall was put together. It began with three pieces of one inch 4’ x 8’ pink Styrofoam panels used for insulating walls. Since the design wall is 10’ wide by 8’ tall we cut one of the panels in half.

Next the panels needed to be covered. I thought I would wrap them in flannel, however when I went to select the flannel I realized that if I could see my hand through the flannel I would certainly see the Pink Panther logo through the flannel. A Plan B was needed. Cruising through the home decorating section of the fabric store I realized that white room darkening fabric used on the back of window shades would be perfect.

It was 56” wide so no piecing would be required. However, it is sleek so unlike flannel my work wouldn’t stick to it. Might as well go all out. I bought white, relatively lightweight polar fleece since it comes 60” wide. Once again, no piecing was required.

Our carpenter built a trough like system top and bottom of wood stained to match our baseboard. This way the individually wrapped panel could slide along and be held by the trough. Also if I ever felt compelled to recover the panels they would be simple to remove.

The design wall is located at the back end of the studio, away from the picture windows, so any work that lingers for months will not be faded by sun. There are even three flood lights with “natural light” bulbs” aimed to wash the wall with light. It is the first thing I see when I come down the stairs to the studio. With 30’ between the stairs and the wall I get an excellent sense of what my work will look like in gallery setting.

This is my current work in process. It is the next piece in my Shifting Value series. It is the first time where the dominant value shifting takes place in the green family, versus black, white and shades of grey. It is also the first piece I ever designed to be a triptych.

It feels great to be back in business again. Hip, hip, hurray!

On the Importance of Play

2010-05-12T09:40:00.009-05:00

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across Print and Stamp: 52 Ideas for Handmade, Upcycled Print Tools by Traci Bunkers (Beverly, MA: Quarry Books, 2010). I bought it because I felt like I needed a little fun in my life, and this little treasure has prompted a lot of it.

My studio is already equipped with many of the odds and ends that Bunkers makes use of to develop print tools, but I certainly wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to scrounge around garage sales and “dollar” stores looking for more. That fun continued through several evenings of working my way through many of the 52 lab assignments Bunkers includes in her book. Using Bunkers’ ideas (some new, most not) and spring-boarding off of those to come up with a few of my own, I've been totally engrossed in creating a collection of new print tools. I can’t wait to give these new tools a work out!

One of the things I’ve learned about myself over the years is that I sometimes have a hard time giving myself permission to play. This enterprise has reminded me, once again, that play is an important activity, both for nurturing our creativity and for stimulating it.

Linda
http://www.lindahenke.com

Studio: From Concept to Reality - Part 2

2010-05-09T05:40:00.003-05:00

Do you ever have one of those days? You know the type, when you have a deadline looming, but are confident that meeting it will be a breeze. You just have a little more machine quilting left to do. You settle yourself down at the machine with your favorite quilting beverage, turn on the iPod and start quilting. Then it happens. The thread breaks. No biggie, you rethread the machine and start again. It breaks again. You check the spool, replace the needle, clean the lint from the bobbin area and start again. The needle breaks, the phone rings, someone is at the door and there is a family emergency. You get the picture. Even the best of plans can’t always keep life from sidetracking you.

On March 28, when I lasted posted to the FAC Blog, moving into my studio by May 9 seemed a sure bet. What I hadn’t taken into account was that although we could move our possessions into our new home, we couldn’t put anything away in the kitchen, office, wet studio/laundry room or studio, because the cabinets and closets weren’t finished.

Nor did I realize that a significant number of our solid wood cabinets from the prior home, the cabinets I store all my quilting paraphernalia in, would be scratched and water damaged from the move, necessitating an insurance appraisal, repair and therefore, no cabinets to store my quilting items in.

Eventually, the shelves were installed in my fabric cabinet. That’s my husband generously moving shelves up and down as I determine just the right spacing between shelves that also allows me to reach the top shelf without necessitating a step stool to accommodate my 5’ 3’’ frame. Note the obsessive way I store by hue, value and even fabric content.

I’ve configured my workstations so that the most used, my Bernina, gets First Class seating by the picture window. In the second row is my cutting/iron station. My husband built it for me years ago. I love being able to store the fabric for my works in progress on the wire shelving. There are nails on the railing that runs around the top. I hang my numerous rulers, cutting boards and rotary cutters from them. The new studio allows me to circumnavigate the cutting/ironing station without hitting my head on a shelf or bumping into the wall. Yippee! My new toy, George, has third row seating. I’ve only practiced with it so far. There are some tops, still packed away, just begging to slide under George’s 20” throat.

Can you feel my eagerness to be active in the studio again? At this point a day where the thread keeps breaking is looking mighty good.

Will I or won’t have everything settled when I post again, on May 23? Feel free to weigh in with your comments.

Applique, Reverse Applique and Collage

2010-05-02T10:15:00.020-05:00

October 9x12 2005

Most of my work is quite layered, so I have long been working with collaging techniques. This could involve fusing or attaching with glue or gel medium. But most of the time, I prefer to collage with stitch. Using direct applique generally means adding things on top of a base cloth. Edges can be turned under (needle turned), or fancy stitched over (as in crazy quilts), finished with zigzag at the edges, or left raw, softly fraying with just a outline of stitching. This is my preferred method of working as I like the rough and frayed edge. Sometimes I just lay several pieces of fabric over my base fabric, generally canvas or duck or another heavyish cloth I have dyed and painted, stamped, printed, discharged or written on. Other times I make little "bundles" or "presents" that I hand stitch together and then attach as a piece to the base, or to already layered cloth.

Nearly Spring detail 14x10.5 2006

April detail 24x22 2006

Sometimes I like to work with reverse applique for which I layer as many pieces of fabric as I want i a pile and cut through to the one I want showing on top. The Kuna women of Panama do this exquisitely in a process called Mola. They make thin stripes and handstitch each one almost invisibly. Mine is a much rougher form. I leave threads hanging and pieces ragged and torn.

Fog 13x12.5 2007

Recently I have been experimenting with quilting whole sections and then attaching them as reverse applique, combining direct and reverse applique, as well as appliqueing paper. These are very old techniques, but they are endlessly adaptable, and, of course, lots of fun!

Artist Date "Italian Style"

2010-04-28T11:15:00.006-05:00

The inspiration for my work generally comes from what I see. I live in northern Michigan, in the woods at the edge of a small lake. I spend a lot of time outdoors observing the seasonal changes in the the landscape and the many moods of my small lake as well as nearby Lake Michigan. I take great delight in the animals and birds I am privileged to observe. So most of my work reflects this flora and fauna. While I will never grow tired of the local landscape it was a delight to spend two weeks in Italy this month. What a change to see vistas ranging from Venice's familiar gondolas and St. Mark's square to the ancient castles in the Parma countryside.

In Venice I was intrigued not only by the usual highlights but by what I discovered outside the tourist areas: the small plazas that serve as the neighborhood meeting places, colorful laundry hung to dry across a back canal, balconies filled with flowers. The fish market held an astounding variety of species, including the expected octopus and squid; the produce stands were heaped with fresh, colorful vegetables that made me wish I had access to a kitchen. Since it was Easter time the confection shops showcased seasonal delights including fanciful marzipan creations of fruits, vegetables and even fish.

We spent a week in the countryside, driving through the Apennines Mountains and touring castles and ancient churches. The castles, even those in ruins are imposing. Most of them date back to the 11th century. We were able to tour a few and view the countryside from the towers. Everywhere I looked I found intriguing details: roadside shrines, old frescoes, detailed ironwork.

Two weeks later I'm back home in the woods with about 300 photos. The area we visited is roughly the same latitude on my hometown, 45 degrees north, but with very different landcapes. and may be the inspiration for a new series.

INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL 2010

2010-04-12T08:22:00.003-05:00

Chicago area artists and art lovers are lucky to have the International Quilt Festival at the Donald Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL every Spring. This year's show starts Thursday, April 15 with preview night, then continues Friday, April 16 through Sunday, April 18.

This year, there are 61 hands-on classes with expertise level ranging from beginning to advanced. There are lectures, special exhibits, "Make-It University" and many vendors for all your fiber-related needs. And of course, there are the enchanting exhibits! Visitors can view traditional quilts and contemporary art quilts and everything in between.

I do not have work in the show this year; the piece shown above, "Bridge I: Turbulent at Times" was shown in last year's exhibit.

More info including a full class catalog and schedule of events can be found on the IQF website, http://www.quilts.com/. So put on your most comfortable walking shoes and prepare for an enlightening and inspiring day (or weekend) at 2010 IQF. Be sure to visit the SAQA booth while you're there and meet some FAC artists.

climbing out of the rut

2010-04-05T17:05:00.003-05:00

I've been in kind of a rut art-wise lately. Got several pieces in process, don't know where to go next with any of them. So I'm trying to stir things up in hopes of finding my way out of these doldrums. Here's some of the things I'm doing:

1. Signing up for a course to learn something new--like this silk paper making course at the Fine Line Art Center in St. Charles, Illinois. How will I use silk paper in my work? Maybe I won't, but I'll probably come out with some new ideas.

2. Teach myself new tricks, using some of the books I've accumulated. Like deconstructed silk screen printing, using Rayna Gilman's book. That is producing pieces of fabric that I will be using further.

3. Looking at other artist's work. A good place to start is the list of other FAC members' blogs in the side panel of this blog. I'm not saying I'll steal their ideas, but they might spark a notion of my own.

4. Clean house. OK, this is a last resort. But focusing on something completely not-art has been known to shake some thoughts around in my head.

5. Take a walk. Spring is springing here in the Midwest, and nature is a major inspiration to me.

One or more of these ideas will do the trick for me, I'm sure--they have in the past. Maybe they'll work for you, too.

Studio: From Concept to Reality - Part 1

2010-03-28T06:08:00.003-05:00

For years I have dreamed of having a studio just like the one recently left behind only bigger, so that I could accommodate ALL my studio furniture, supplies and design wall in the same functional space. In just a few more weeks that dream will be reality.

How did this happen? It took a cataclysmic event. On April 9, 2008 my husband, Dana, was told that the corporation he has been employed by for over 36 years would be closing his facility at the end of 2008. He was given the choice of relocating or seeking a new job. He is as vested and intrigued by his job as I am by being an art quilter. It was an easy decision. We opted to relocate to Appleton, WI.

What about me? To make the move more palatable Dana told me that finding a home with a studio would be our top priority. This is a simple statement but nearly a Herculean task. My prior space was 15’ x 13’. We calculated that I would need at least 15’ x 20’ so that I could bring all my current furniture and work stations plus add a second sewing table for a George sewing machine. My new studio would need natural light and a tranquil view. This is something that my old studio excelled at.

It took 17 months but we found the perfect studio.

This is what it looked like on the MLS listing. The space was used mostly for trophy display and family TV viewing.

The windows on the left contain a slider out to a small brick patio. Then there were the bonus features. There is a small bedroom on the left, with windows overlooking a lake, which I will use for my business office. In the rear is the laundry, which will double as a wet studio. The room exceeded my expectations in size. It is 30’ x 40’. The view is breathtaking. Those picture windows overlook Little Lake Butte des Morts.

Even with the prior owners trophies and furnishings gone the room wasn’t ready to be used as a studio. The first steps were to remove the tired carpet, take down the knotty pine paneling and add significantly more overhead lighting with “natural” light bulbs.

The studio is currently a work in progress.

This is the point where I question my sanity. It is how I feel about my artwork, where my emotions follow a very predictable trajectory from start to finish. I begin at euphoria. I can’t believe my genius to come up with such a brilliant concept. Somewhere into the process things tend to bog down and frustration and disappointment take over. Next comes problem solving, which often takes me in new directions. The result is a piece that I am satisfied but not thrilled with. What often surprises me is how several years later pieces that felt adequate when I finished them seem to take on a new life and feel much stronger.

Will my studio follow the same emotional trajectory as my artwork? To find out whether the transformation meets my expectations come back on May 9^th for my follow-up blog entry.

2010-03-14T05:15:00.002-05:00

Thread-u-cation
One of the many tools in a quilter's arsenal is surface embellishing with thread. My favorite method is hand-embroidery with my hand-dyed pearl cotton threads on fused art quilts. Hand stitching brings the artwork to life and adds tiny details to the quilt surface that you can't get with fabric alone.

Each Thursday of the week I describe a new embroidery stitch on my personal blog, Artfabrik. Thread-u-cation Thursdays shows examples of embroidery stitches on small art quilts and how to make them. Simple stitches from running to French knots are applied just through the batting and top layers of the fused quilt. Embroidery threads I use vary in size from heavy (Size 3 for couching) to very fine (Size 12). It is amazing how each added thread launches the quilt surface from flat to fabulous!

True to Type

2010-03-05T07:35:00.004-06:00

I was first exposed to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in the mid-1980s. Beyond thinking that my personality “type” determination was interesting, I didn’t give it much thought.

My second exposure to the MBTI was as part of a graduate program where all students were required to be “typed.” Despite lots of talk about the various types being “different” rather than inferior or superior, discussions related to the types betrayed a clear bias:

“Extroversion” was considered to be more effective than “Introversion”
“Sensing” was deemed a more desirable quality than “Intuition”
“Thinking” was valued more highly than “Feeling”
“Perceiving” was more acceptable than “Judging”

As an introverted intuitive strongly oriented toward feeling and judging (INFJ), I often felt under attack as somehow “less than” those whose personalities entitled them to a more acceptable combination of letters. No small wonder that, upon completion of the program, I was more than happy to leave the MBTI “alphabet” behind.

Fast forward a decade or so to Colorado, where I was privileged to be part of a circle of incredibly gifted professional women – one of whom happened to be a Myers-Briggs “expert.” I confess that I was challenged not to become irritated with her eagerness to make frequent “type observations” about group members and how we interacted with each other.

I received an email last week from this “expert,” and – wouldn’t you know? – it included an attachment about “living as an introvert.” After giving serious consideration to deleting the attachment out of pure petulance, my curiosity finally got the best of me. I opened it. I read it. And I’m glad that I did.

The article was by Nancy Okerlund, owner of Introvert Energy, a life-coaching service geared specifically to introverts (http://www.introvertenergy.com/). It was fascinating to learn from Okerlund’s article that researchers have actually discovered physiological differences between introverts and extroverts, differences that impact the personality characteristics of introverts and extroverts.

Okerlund explains, for example, that the dominant pathway of blood flow in the brains of introverts is longer and more complex than is the dominant pathway of extroverts. What’s more, the key brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) that travels on those pathways is also different – acetylcholine for introverts and dopamine for extroverts. And finally, introverts and extroverts use different sides of the autonomic nervous system – introverts predominantly use the parasympathetic or “put on the brakes” system, while extroverts use the sympathetic or “give it the gas” system (which means that introverts have more blood flowing to the front of the brain, while extroverts have more blood flowing to the back).

It’s never occurred to me that this stuff has anything to do with my artistic process but, in reading Okerlund’s article, I am realizing that it almost certainly does. My process for conceiving and envisioning a work or series is lengthy and thorough; sometimes I will spend weeks (and occasionally months) immersed in the development of a design concept and envisioning how to execute it. No matter how strong my resolve to work “fast and free,” I seem always to end up working slowly and carefully. As much as I long to occasionally create light-hearted pieces, I consistently gravitate toward the creation of work that is laced with deep spiritual themes and emotional connections. I am disoriented in environments that are noisy, chaotic, or populated with other people (which is why I have such a hard time in classroom settings). And, as much as I enjoy getting together with other artists, those associations deplete my energy and propel me back to the solitude of my studio.

Okerlund’s article and website left me several gifts. One is the perspective that introversion is not a plague but a gift. Another is the realization that, regardless of the particularities of our personalities, each of us is responsible for making the most of whatever gifts have been entrusted to us. A third is a resolve to become what Okerlund describes as a “conscious introvert” – one who honors my introversion and brings intention to how it shapes my life and my art.

Linda Witte Henke
http://www.lindahenke.com

Seeing Red

2010-02-21T14:28:00.026-06:00

February is a very blah time of year for me. It feels as though it's been winter for years. Everything is leached of color, or the same color, sort of grey/brown, nearly invisible. Ugh! And spring, unfortunately, is a long way off.

A Garden of Sorts 37x25" 2002

What to do. . . ? See Red!

Red Creation 33x35" 2004

Looking at hot colors (which includes the hot side of cool colors like cobalt and "electric" blue or lime green) gives my eyes and psyche the vacation they need when a warm and sunny vacation is out of the question. So I get out my fabrics and play. I put together reds, pinks and oranges; reds and purples; red, purple and blue. Great chunks of one color, slivers and slices of another. How about the zing! of some sun yellow? Or the spice of a magenta or coral? Or the sizzle of a really intense turquoise? This isn't the time for subtlety. I want to see bright, saturated color that gives me goosebumps, the kind I can taste. My studio floor is an ocean of color, awash with stripes, dots, florals and plaids, batiks and hand dyes. My personal tropical paradise. It's getting hot in here!

Welcome Home 21x19" 2007

Ahh, yes, now I feel better!

Focus on Fiber Retreat

2010-02-15T13:19:00.003-06:00

Outside my window the snow is swirling but four weeks from today my view will be from a studio at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach Florida where I will be attending my third Focus on Fiber Retreat. SAQA member, Mary McBride has organized this annual gathering of fiber artists. Several studios are available for painting, dyeing, printmaking, batik, rug hooking, quilting, etc. During the retreat there are no formal classes but artists sometimes give informal demonstrations and there is a lot of sharing throughout the day. Accommodations are on-site and all the meals are prepared by wonderful chef Sue. Optional activities include a short yoga class before lunch and "free dance" before happy hour. After dinner we return to the studio for more sharing and conversation.

This year, workshops will be offered the week after the retreat. I will be teaching a 3 day art doll workshop March 22-24. Workshop details are on my blog.

Each year I return from Focus on Fiber renewed and energized from spending time with friends new & old. I have newly dyed fabrics, new insights, and a sharper focus. If this is what you think you need, I recommend you check into Focus on Fiber for an unique experience.

Recycled Leather

2010-02-11T15:19:00.008-06:00

People that know me, know that I love to recycle, reuse, repurpose and redo items of furniture, my art quilts, etc. I really enjoy a creative challenge. I know that a lot of my colleagues also enjoy the same type of challenge. One of my latest challenges was an old coat.
Sometimes things are just to good to just throw away. I had an old leather coat that had a bad rip that couldn't be repaired, and I didn't just want to toss it. Instead I cut some of it into a couple of nice size pieces, soaked them in warm water until totally saturated, and then I squeezed out the excess water and bound each piece with string. I let each piece totally dry and then I cut away the string to see if each piece had retained its shape, 'they did'.

One piece I left alone except to embellish with some fun fiber, and the other one I burnish with a little acrylic paint and added painted bamboo sticks, and button. Once I completed the leather pieces I had to have a way of displaying them so I used two stretched canvases that I already had, so I painted them and attached the leather sculptured fabric. Voila, I think they turned out pretty good. Like Shelley Brucar said, 'it's always exciting to learn something new'.

MIXED MEDIA

2010-02-07T11:15:00.003-06:00

Last week I took a wonderful workshop with Mary Hettmansperger. We were working with metals which is totally new for me, and it's always exciting to learn something new! Mary creates jewelry and mixed media art quilts, has a great sense of humor, and is a very giving teacher.

During the workshop, I experimented with various metals, heating them to soften and bring out color, and hammering them to give texture and work-harden. As a result, I added some metals to the first pieces in my "Ancient Messages/Modern Messages" series, one shown above.

Midwest Meditation

2010-02-01T17:05:00.002-06:00

I love doing landscapes. Laura has put together a great venue for our show "Midwest Mediation" and I thought I would share one of the quilts I have entered in this show.
Illinois Landscape is 20"x 30"
I love driving through our landscape here in the Midwest, I am always fascinated by the rolling fields and the trees on the horizon.

2010-01-24T05:41:00.002-06:00

Prairie Lights #3

Midwest Meditations

As we sink further into winter days, I long for the warmth of summer and the beautiful light that glows from the sky in the evening. My quilt, Prairie Lights #3, is a reminder of that calm twilight that settles over the farm lands of Illinois.

In September of this year, this quilt will be part of Midwest Meditations, an exhibit of art quilts at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum in Bloomingdale, IL. Members of the Fiber Arts Coalition will show work inspired by the environment, the people, and the feeling of abundance at the center of the country. Whether crossing a corn field or a city block, their art absorbs and reflects the heartland of America.

Seeing Art

2010-01-18T10:31:00.003-06:00

On Edge, detail, by Regina Benson

Sometimes it is a good thing to just study other people's art, to hear them talk about their process, hear where they get their inspiration.

I did just that this past Saturday. I attended an artist's talk by Regina Benson at Beloit College in Beloit, WI. She spent a lot of time explaining the basics of how she colors her cloth (or discolors--she does a lot of discharge work) and how she structures her 3 dimensional pieces. Regina was very open to questions, knowledgeable about the science behind what she does--which is quite refreshing to this trained scientist--and I came away understanding how she works.

Not that I could go and make a Regina Benson knockoff now--even if I wanted to, which I don't. The spaces between the explanations contain lots of experiments and experience--she was in no danger of giving away the bank. Letting someone know how to do what you do doesn't mean that they then can, or will, do what you do. Whatever they do will be different.

I love her pieces, which stand out from the pack--innovative, glowing. But what I will take away from the lecture is her sense of the importance of understanding the science behind the method, a challenge to just try some idea, and one thing she said--that to her, the 'quilting' lines aren't about holding layers together, they're the same as a drawn line in a piece of art--they have to be there for an artistic purpose.

And that's why I seek out other artists.

I WOULD RATHER BE IN THE STUDIO!

2010-01-16T15:25:00.004-06:00

Artists: How would you like to sell more art?
If you could use some fresh and practical ideas for marketing your art, check this out:
Alyson B. Stanfield, author of “I’d Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion,” is coming to Wisconsin in early March to help us get a groove on our marketing.
I’D RATHER BE IN THE STUDIO
A NO-EXCUSES ART MARKETING WORKSHOP FOR ALL ARTISTS!
March 9-10, 2010
Siena Center, Racine, WI
**Sign up by February 12 and get a bonus gift from Alyson!

During these two days, you’ll learn
• How to write a better artist statement that connects with your audience
• How to organize and expand your mailing list
• The tragic mistakes artists make on websites and blogs (and how to
fix them)
• Email secrets that produce results
• How to increase traffic to your website and blog
• How to build your online presence with Facebook and Twitter without
becoming a slave to your computer
And it’s only $100! Alyson says this is a crazy low price, so you should
probably grab it while you can. Two full days of ideas, examples, and motivation to help you get your art out of the studio and in front of people who can see it and buy it.
AND, you’re going to leave with an action plan.

Get the details and register (by February 12 to get the bonus!)
Help us fill the room by sharing this information with other
artists. We’re already at 2/3 capacity! The accommodations at the Siena Center are a down right bargain too, so this is an amazing opportunity to fit our tight recession budgets, too.

New Book

2010-01-15T12:16:00.003-06:00

My new book has arrived!!
If you would your very own copy you can go to my website at
FrieStyle.com and order an artist signed copy.
Create a rainbow of color from just 4 basic dyes in Fabric To Dye For.

Step by step instructions for everything from preparing your work to mixing the dyes

Easy to follow charts

Dye formulas using standard measurements like cups and spoonfuls

Tired of going to the fabric store only to discover the colors you need aren't in stock? Now you can make your own colors?

5 fusible projects to make from your dyed fabrics.

A new voice- Astrid Hilger Bennett

2010-01-13T21:03:00.009-06:00

Mica -handpainted, monoprinted fabrics
36”w x 48”h art quilt, 2009

I'm one of the new voices in the Fiber Artists Coalition blog. My name is Astrid Hilger Bennett. I've been an artist since college, although when I was a sophomore at the College of Wooster, taking my first drawing class, I went to my instructor Sufi Ahmad on my second day there and said that I should probably drop out because I could not draw. Seems that many of my cohorts had had better high school art classes. He laughed and shooed me back. My high school art teacher Mr Fox loved to talk politics, —politics was the name of the day during the late 1960s, and so it was really left to me to teach myself art. I was taken by batik, projected a New York Times photo of some desperately poor Biafran child onto a piece of fabric, and proceeded to draw it in wax. Then dye it with Rit dyes. With all the sewing I did, the rest is history.

Memory in Winter: Landscape Handpainting, screenprinted fabrics 48”w x 34”h art quilt, 2009

During my last semester in college, which by then had moved on to Indiana University where I was a BFA student in printmaking, I discovered textile printing. Not that I enjoyed the assignments of rubber stamp printing of tiling designs (this is like the tile patterns you used to see on floors, and is a fundamental principle of good silk screen repeats) — it was waaaaay too confining. Only later did I understand how useful the concept of modular design would be. It was 1975; I was used to drawing landscapes or still lifes, balanced compositions, no modules. But I was intrigued enough to want to create the surfaces on which I printed, so my next stop for many years was weaving and assorted cousins- spinning, ikat, you name it. Along the way, I discovered the beauty of traditional quilts. Jonathan Holstein's seminal American Quilt exhibition had opened the eyes of ordinary Americans to the possibility that quilts and women's work could be something artistic.

Maybe I'll fill in the gaps in another post, for I've just finished watching PBS Independent Lens' documentary, Young at Heart, a wonderful piece about a chorus of 70 and 80-year-olds in Northhampton, MA, and their truly genius conductor. I want to sing instead of write.

So, fast forward to now. I make painterly art quilts, —abstract in that they look like paintings. I use only my own fabrics that I paint, print or dye. The fabric starts out as white cotton broadcloth from Testfabrics. I buy dyes from Pro Chemical and Dharma trading. (See, the printmaker lives on in this.) I machine quilt pieces that have large whole-cloth sections, with additional piecing to support the overall design concept. My stitching reinforces the design. People sometimes think they are appliqued. I choose thread colors to support the design as well. I also use my own fabrics for the backing fabrics on these pieces. Sometimes I start with white fabric for the drop cloth portion as well- the sloppy dyed drop cloth becomes an interesting backing once it is painted on several times.

Flavor: Mango
Handpainted, monorpinted fabrics, 42”h x 44”w, 2008

I have spent 15 years managing Iowa Artisans Gallery and still do marketing for this 25year old retail sales gallery. That means I have more time for studio work and exhibitions, which led me to the Fiber Artists Coalition. We're all Midwestern art quilters, and that's fun. I'm also on the Board of the Surface Design Association, an international organization devoted to the patterning and coloring of textiles. I serve as the Director of Representatives.

I look forward to posting images of works in progress and new pieces in future. In the meantime, I also include a few images of works created in 2009. Look for a piece about my studio work in the February-March edition of Quilting Arts. Until next time, take time to create something-- and sing!

The New Year

2010-01-02T15:28:00.002-06:00

Hope everyone has been enjoying fine weather, health and the joys of the season. Here in Michigan we have about 6 inches of snow-not much by our standards-and about 20 degrees. I spent much of last week in the Chicago area with family and learning the finer points of snow-resist dyeing of fabric. I see this in my future for a couple projects that I have on the books.
Many of you may recall that this time last year I was implementing quality and process control strategies in my studio. It has been an exciting year that has led to many improvements and much better business practices for me. I suppose that is the silver lining of an economic downturn. For, while I had very little custom business to complete during the year, I had extensive opportunities to work on my speculative art work and implement process management. I do not believe it too dramatic to say that it has changed my life. I am still struggling with a few of the parts of the implementation, but overall it has been a wonderful and successful year of quality.

New Show Opening

2009-12-28T15:19:00.003-06:00

The fiber work of FAC member BJ Parady and fellow artist Ann Miller Titus will be featured in a gallery show at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, Illinois from January 6-February 12, 2010.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 8, from 5:30-8:00pm.

Much of the work will feature fabric printed using the disperse transfer dye method, an indirect way of getting color onto white cloth. The work is then hand or machine stitched, framed, mounted, or left to hang like art quilts.

Fine Line is a great friend to fiber arts. They offer many classes for aspiring fiber artists, including dyeing, weaving, and spinning.

Come and join us at the reception, or stop by during the show.

Open Studios

2009-12-21T17:52:00.005-06:00

Four years ago I held my first "Open Studio." I sent out about 100 postcards saying when the open house would be and promised good food, good talk and good art. I decided I'd be happy if 5-10 people came. I was pleased and astonished that almost 40 people came, looked at my work, listened to me talk about it, ate, drank and were merry. It was a very fun event.

The fourth annual "Clairan's Open Studio" occurred a few weeks ago. About 100 people attended. The format is still pretty much the same although my list has grown to about 250 on email, and shrunk to about 60 by postcard. However, the whole event has become just a bit more professional as time has gone on. I no longer drape my work over chairs and pile it on the dining room table, but hang it throughout the downstairs; this year I featured the series Windows into Time. Price lists are available as you come in the door. A notebook collects email addresses. I sell notecards I make from images of my work, and have portfolios of my work available to look at, as well as all the publications my work has been in during the past couple of years. Everyone is welcome to take postcards of my work which have my website printed on the back. Every year different people show up (as well as the regulars of course, bless them!) and every year friends bring friends I don't know, or send people they know will enjoy my work. It's a pleasure to meet these artlovers and to talk to everyone about what I do and why I do it.

At least twice during the Open Studio I lead a group upstairs to my actual studio which I have cleaned up and use to display recently completed pieces, work in progress, and work still in the design process. This allows me to talk about many aspects of my work. Of course I want to sell my work, and the open studio format helps me to do so as well as simply publicizing it. But one of the most useful aspects of the events for me is the studio talk. Artists work largely in isolation. Of course we talk to one another, in person or online. But rarely do we have to opportunity to really talk to a group of people about how we are inspired to do what we do, what techniques we have learned and how they have an impact on what we can express, etc. I have found that people are truly interested in learning about these processes that are often completely unknown to them. And the more I can articulate what I am compelled by, the deeper my understanding of my own work becomes.

ART CRITIQUE

2009-12-08T08:08:00.005-06:00

I participated in a quilt critique session last night with Sandra Sider and asked for feedback on the above piece in progress. This cloth has been dyed, overdyed and screened. The branches in the foreground are currently paper and will eventually be converted to fabric. They are in the "view and let-the-inspiration-come" stage.

Sandra and other participants offered helpful feedback. One suggestion was the addition of more dark branches on the left side to give the viewer a gateway into the work. Another suggestion was the enlargement of some lettering so it can be read. A suggestion on another artist's work was to change the orientation by turning it 90 degrees to the right. I liked this idea and will use it in the future to view works in progress from a different context.

Hearing feedback on my work as well as the work of other artists furthers the creative process for me by introducing new perspectives and inspiration. I highly recommend it.

Living Inside a Snowglobe

2009-12-05T12:28:00.003-06:00

The change of the seasons always marks a chance for review and for renewal. Here above the 45th parallel it seems like winter often begins in October. This year autumn lingered through November. We didn’t see snow until this month. When I look out the studio window I feel like I’m living in a snow globe As much as I love spring, summer and fall I have to admit that winter has its advantages. No garden to tend, no kayak beckoning, no mushrooms to hunt. While I still get outdoors for a bit of snowshoeing I find I have a lot more time to spend in the studio. Right now I spending more of it making coil baskets, and wine bags for Christmas presents than I am making art but this kind of non-demanding sewing gives me time to contemplate the next works in my series. I will be the featured artist this summer at our local art center so I have a lot of new work that I need to finish before July. I’m keeping my journal and sketchbook handy to jot down my ideas. The list is growing and I’m excited about the direction the series is taking. Still, the presents need to be finished

Creative work consists of 5 stages:, Saturation, Incubation, Illumination, Verification. Incubation can be the frustrating stage and I find I can’t force the process., Having a lovely view, good music and presents to finish provides seems to be right where I need to be this week.

Featured Artist!

2009-12-02T14:34:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,
Please take a moment if you have the time, to go to http://www.saqa.com/galleries/AOM.aspx
Pat Gould of New Mexico, and I are the Featured Artists on the SAQA Web site for the month of December.
I know an honor like this is not to be taken lightly, so I promise to get back to anyone who contacts me about it, as soon as possible. You know, between my gig on Good Morning America, ticker tape parade, interview with NPR, and of course my White House invitation (no, I'm not crashing-I really have an invite...see...)
Have a great day!
Cheryl Dineen Ferrin

A Change 'Gonna' Come

2009-11-26T17:10:00.005-06:00

The end of 2009 is near, its November and I am reflecting over the months that have passed and I am quite thankful for my many blessings. Although I did not achieve all of my goals for this year, I am very pleased with what I have achieved. I am also thankful because I was honored by my peers with a Visionary award in May of this year as well as being inducted into the Hall of Fame in October, at Southern IL. University at Edwardsville for my art, which is so near and dear to me.

I have been examining and re-examining the direction of my fabric art, I want to move into a different realm of it, but a little unsure of exactly what it is that I want to do. I wonder if other artist struggle with this same dilemma, I am very sure that they do. As the years have passed I have changed in my appearance, my attitude, my health, etc. Even some of my motivations are not the same, so why shouldn't the direction of my art change. What am I afraid of, I have to please only myself, not focus on whether or not others will like what I do, I can tell my stories in a new and interesting way, change should not be scary, but embraced.

I Am What I Am....

2009-11-07T10:17:00.006-06:00

I am what I am…
I am a creative being who enjoy the entire process of creativity. I enjoy the whole thought process that takes place whereby I get a hint or clue that could become a potential project, sometimes I doodle, other times I just hold on to a thought. Then there’s the incubation period where it is all coming together in my thoughts. During that thought process I wind and rewind the idea over and over in my head and then there is illumination, and this is where the light bulb comes on and it has all been worked out in my head. But to get it from my head to my hands is not always the easiest. Sometimes I stumble onto a different creative path once I physically begin creating. But that is okay, creating is like life, we start our day with specific plans in mind, but something or someone pulls us off task or in a different direction. I learned early in my creative world to go with the flow, just let things unfold, and to trust my instincts.
I learned to listen to my own inner voice and when I am busy creating it is like time stands still, and my soul soars. I am truly a ‘soul’ that has been royally blessed, I have never wanted to be anything more than what I am and that is an artist. I love revamping, recycling, and reusing things that I have or I find or I am given, I love trying to find ways of using much of what I have on hand. I especially love working with individuals who want to explore their own creativity and to help them find a direction that is suitable for them.

Life gives us many challenges and we have to find our way through those challenges. Presently my husband is ill and has been for a while. I try to create around his medical needs, and thank I God daily for my gift of being an artist.

Above is an image called 'Village Gate', it started as a doodle of a tear drop and as I worked with it I thought of the stories my husband shared with me about his time in Africa, (he is a former Peace Corps Director of 4 Countries--this was before me, LOL.) I also was able to draw from my own experiences of visiting Dakar, Senegal, West Africa in the early 90's. and the village scene was born. I am able to draw from my emotions and experiences, good, bad or indifferent. I am what I am and I thank GOD for it.

13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

2009-11-01T18:48:00.006-06:00

This Friday, a new FAC exhibit debuts in Belleville, Illinois. Here are the details of the opening reception and the month long exhibit:

For inspiration, we used Wallace Stevens' poem, 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. Each artist interpreted the poem on her own, the results are as varied as the artists themselves.

This exhibit will be travelling to other venues, if you miss it in Belleville, maybe you can catch it elsewhere. We'll let you know.