Million Dollar View

My workshop for Art Quilt Tahoe is located in a brilliant building with a huge space to contain 20 participants. The view is indeed spectacular, but the snow was the surprise. It is almost winter, of course, and it's Nevada, but I was surprised nonetheless
 

Western New York

One of my last walks for a while until I return from the West Coast offers the color I crave. No, I don't need an entire hillside, just one magnificent maple will do. I'll see you on the other side of the states.
 

Pillows To Go

Here's my rough draft for how to display these five pillows. There is a holiday sale (early?) at Studio 402 at the Anderson Alley building. Best time to go is during their First Friday night on November 6. I won't be there, just my pillows. Now you know what else I've been up to!
 

Ready for the Suitcase

This whole cloth print (that I snagged from my webstore) is quilted and faced, ready to pop into the suitcase for Art Quilt Tahoe. I was asked to design a T-shirt for the retreat, and this was the image I used. The finished quilt will be auctioned for scholarships for AQT. So, if you're there, bid on it!
 

Linen Sets

Two pieces of linen, each about 18" square, were paired. I love this one because of the changing color, and the high contrast. I'm secretly hoping no one will get this one, it's my fav. These are not yet available to anyone except those in a workshop with Ariane Zurcher.

Linen for Ariane

Ariane Zurcher teaches improvisational needlework. She asked me to print sets of two linen squares for her upcoming class. These are the large pieces before I cut them apart and paired them together. You'd need to be registered in her class to purchase this, but maybe I'll do more after Thanksgiving. 
 

Another Take on Two

Jeanne Marklin and her quilt here at the Schweinfurth's Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibit. We were lucky to have dinner together, and she said that she used the exercise from my Take Two class to influence how she put this work together. It's got a TON of piecing, and beautifully made. Very refreshing -- a delight.
 

Picking Favorites

I love to ask others what they would choose to own from all the pieces in the exhibit. Astrid Hilger Bennett's work always strikes me as joyful and full or life. So, I'd choose hers, the one in the middle, to own. Since it is made as a functional work, I'd use it as well.
 

Choice Award

 The opening of Quilts=Art=Quilts at the Schweinfurth today was a treat to visit. My work Bondi Beach received a Jurors Award. Nice to be recognized, and thank you to the jurors Karen Shultz and Jane Dunnewold.

Get Ready, Part 1

Since everyone has to label their fabric before coming to class at Art Quilt Tahoe and the Pacific Northwest Art School, that means I must as well. So, I've got my tyvek labels ready to sew on the corner of my raw fabric. After sewing them on, I'll soda-soak the fabric, dry, and pack the away.
 

Off She Goes

A detail of the work Oregon Rain is here, and the piece is bundled up and shipped off today. It's heading to the Iowa Quilt Museum. Now I've got a week to tackle the rest of my list. Which is growing by the day. Oh, well.
 

Full Moon

Until I upgrade my camera, any round thing will be my moon. My althea is finished blooming for the year, and I will look for it to reappear next late summer. It's just outside my kitchen window and holds the faint pink color that I love. It's a love that continues, but needs its rest.
 

Oregon Rain

New Baby measuring in at 6 feet tall and 8 1/2 feet wide is pretty much finished. I'll give it a good press and ball it up to ship out Thursday. The exhibit is at the Iowa Quilt Museum. It really does remind me of that Oregon landscape, all wonderful colors and textures from another world. 
 

Start With Dark

A detail of printed fabric shows how starting with dark print color allows the piece to have a light value. Because the motif is spaced, thin lined, and open there is a chance for the light background stay at the light end of the value scale. This is the class for Coupeville at PNWAS November 16 - 20.

Make It Reunion

Often, a class reunites for a look back at work done after a class. This is a quick study I make for Make It and Break It. And I swear I'll put it together one of these days. There is a great depth in this little study for me, and though not large in scale, it has a great draw. Reunion is tomorrow.
 

Facing is Finished

I brought the work with me on my travels, and now the only remaining part is the sleeve, a signature, a good pressing, and photography. Not much, considering. I'm keen to have this in the box and on the way to its exhibition. I've other things I've got to get to!
 

Meet Ducks

October is the last chance to enjoy warmth outdoors. November travels will be soon enough, so I'm taking this break to get in all October will afford.
 

It's Binding Time Again

Tool, tips, words of wisdom. That's me. I'm a low tech person, and this plastic tupperware has been around a dozen years. It holds all my junk for hand sewing. The tray holds all the parts and slides along with the stuff collected. I figure each side is an hour, add two more for the sleeve. I'm in the home stretch.
 

Whilst Looking

Gathering ideas for the next big thing? No, just taking a quick walk amid the collectables to consider inputting random things,  recollecting memorabilia, and clearing my thoughts by bombarding with clutter. I'll start printing soon, and these new/old colors and shapes may emerge, or not.
 

Mountains to Climb

It certainly seemed that I had a summit to climb. And from the look of the threads, I conquered that task. At nightfall the quilt was back on the frame, and I might just get finished with the quilting tomorrow. 
 

Stay the Course

I've no idea what John Adams' words would be, but what his body language is saying is that removing stitches from that longarm mistake is no fun at all. I'm back at it tonight, after about 5 hours into it. More to do tomorrow before I can return it to the machine and finish. 

 

Type Case

A lot of my graphic knowledge was learned in high school printing class. We were an odd bunch of students, but I gleaned typography, photography, printing, layout, history, and graphics. I loved school, and this must be why. I also learned what "upper case" meant.
 

Reality

Often, show photos edit out the room's interruptions. In reality, there are conduits, pillars, wall dings and the like. I've other settings with pristine museum quality installations, but this is reality. Oddly, when viewing, all the extraneous bits disappear. Must be the art is that intriguing. The view from where I sat.
 

Local Color

An invitational show of all media is always welcome. There is a Second Saturday open house October 9, and I'll be there around 1:30 to 3:00 if you want to visit Studio 402 of the Anderson Alley studios on Anderson Street in Rochester. 
 

Follow the Path

Hours to set up, and hours in the quilting, the back of the roll shows just how messed up the stitch is. Much distress, then a call to Nick, and the words he spoke: "Follow the thread path" fixed it all. What an error; tomorrow is rip out and redo. Such is life!
 

Top Together

The sliding doors are the standard 6'8" so you have an idea of how wide this is -- a little over 8'.  I've finished the top, and now I'm on to the quilting. That alone is a chore. 
 

Museum Hotel Exhibit

Though my two Cincinnati days were full, I did get to see 21c Museum Hotel where there is a great temporary exhibition on Identity. It's full of textile works, one being this enormous Ebony Patterson piece. She's used photo tapestries and embellishments. 

 

Ohio, Kentucky, Parts Between

A fine group of 12+ gathered for Line, Shape, Setting this weekend. We'd call it a retreat, but as one noted "we worked hard". This was a rare moment where we removed our masks and could see smiles- something I miss. I think the Contemporary Quilt and Fiber Artists had fun, even masked. I did. Thanks CQAFA!
 

Waiting for Me

This Oregon Rain piece is emerging as a landscape, so I'm not going to fight that composition. My goal is to get this finished in the week ahead. We'll see if the fate will allow.
 

Line, Shape, Setting

I'm off in Cincinnati for a live Line, Shape, Setting class. This shirt from Bend, Oregon is all about what we're talking about. All but the three dimensional form. It's a great place to be, and hot to boot!
 

Cut Out Wizard

Fellow artist Judy Gohringer never ceases exploring. Her painted and then cut out paper (here) floats above a painted orange background. Against the light it glows. Made me wish I had the graphic free-form skills that she has -- bold, loose, moving.