Class with Kate Themel Part II

After the post from our first session in Kate Themel's class, I thought I'd share some pictures from yesterday's workshop. We all improved our free-motion quilting skills. In fact, it was a new skill to some.

Kate explaining the process for the day.

 Kate demonstrating the method.

 MaryLyn doing her first free-motion quilting.

Very impressive indeed.

 Diane totally engrossed in her work.

 Carol hard at work stitching.

 Alice working on a practice piece in order to hone her skills.

 Barb contemplating the next step.

 Betty Warner doing a smaller piece before tackling a large one with many magnolias.

 Gina, Janine, and Robin.

Ruth Anne trying to work around the tension issues of her machine.

It was fun to be working together on a lovely project. We all jumped at the chance to take a class with Kate. 

Preview of SAQA/CT's "Local Color"

Our group was over the moon when the acceptances of SAQA/CT's were released by the jurors for Local Color!  Eight of us received the 'fat envelope'!!

Gail Kotowski's Metropolis

I have images of four:  

My Town Green

Barb Adams' Winter Marsh

This group entry (Diane Wright, Gail Kotowski, Barb Adams, Linda Zimmerman, Yvette Howard and Robin Wolek) was especially fun for us.  We love working on group projects: Whoever can, participates.  We always know that life gets in the way for us all, so it's usually 6-8 members who are available at any one time.  This time it was 6.

Hartford's Colt Dome

We had decided that we wanted to find a 'ultra' iconic image.  After not hearing from the Colt Dome Trustees for permission to use their online image, I decided to do the Little Red Hen thing and do it myself.  Well, myself with my husband David, the designated photographer.  While I was the designated driver, and he the photographer, we picked a clear day and made many 'passes' on I91 to capture images of the Hartford skyline that included the Colt Dome.  It was at times like this that you wish you had a helicopter.

Carol Ludington, and Ruth Anne Olson  also had entries accepted.  What fun!

2011 Sisters' Extravaganza

As you may remember, the Sisters' annually host a day of all things 'art-quilty'. This year in a departure from our norm we shifted from the comfy hospitality of our Yvette Howard's home to a commercial venue. No surprise here: it was a quilt shop(!) Vivian Lazich, owner of Sew Inspired in Simsbury CT invited us to her studio-classroom space. Granted, it was a huge hardship on us all to HAVE to relocate to a quilt shop. LOL.

Vivian went further. Having just returned from Spring Quilt Market she was a fount of information about the newest techniques, books, fabric lines etc. Whetting our appetite. She also demonstrated several really interesting products and techniques...decolourant, paints, adhesives...boggling some brains I can tell you. Thank goodness for note taking, otherwise it would have been a total sensory overload by the end of the day.

Of course, none of our gatherings is complete without Show and Tell. Always a feature! This year was no exception.

The first photo, with it's maker and frequent Sisters' guest Betty Warner hiding behind it, is her piece about the Liberty Bell which is soon to be shipped to an exhibit in Philadelphia. It honors the 9 slaves of George Washington who were not recognized during their lifetime.

Second photo is Sister in Cloth member Ruth Anne Olson with her most recent piece...still under development..featuring some of her beautiful hand painted fabric.

The whole day was a happy mixture of old friends, inspiring work, interesting new ideas and techniques, tasty food from neighboring restaurant AND piles of new fabrics. AND the sun shown for the first time in days. Gosh, life is good...especially for an art quilter.

And to add icing to the cake Vivian asked us to repeat the event next year! Really makes a girl smile.

Double Take: Photo and Fiber

DOUBLE TAKE: PHOTO & FIBER

February 2 - June 24 at the Gallery @ Haskins, Haskins Labs, Yale University

Opening Reception: Thursday March, 5-7pm

The Gallery @ Haskins

300 George Street Suite 9

New Haven CT

Hours: W-F 10-5

The exhibit includes original photographs by Rosemary DeLucco-Alpert paired with the art quilts by fiber art group Sisters in Cloth. Each of the group's members created a piece 18"x24" and an 8" detail.

Participating Members:

Barbara Coleman Adams

Janine Anderson-Bays

Debra Beth Bento

Vivika Hensen DeNegre

Yvette Howard

Evelyn Judson

Gail Kotowski

Carol Ludington

Ruth Anne Olson

Marie Kadlec Shepherd

Robin Wolek

Martha Wolfe

Diane Wright

Linda Zimmerman

Picture above is Purple and White Iris, Ruth Anne Olson's interpretation of Rosemary DeLucco-Alpert's photograph of the same title.

The group is happy to announce that the exhibit has been asked to travel to The Guilford Free Library in Guilford, CT during the month of July.

Conn Text: Word(s) Challenge Revealed

“Conn Text” Challenge

We created a challenge open to all current and former members of Sisters in Cloth, aka Gone to Pieces, or aka Newcomer’s Quilting.

Parameters:

Our challenge is “word”. It can be interpreted to be a word, text; it can be inspiration drawn from a poem, literature, whatever inspires you by the word “word”.

1. Each piece will be three attached layers, 20” in width and up to, but no larger than, 48” in height.

2. Each piece will be faced (not bound).

3. Each participant is responsible for affixing her piece to black stretcher bars.

4. Each piece will contain at least one letter or character.

5. The work may be of mixed media, but should contain fabric.

6. Drop dead deadline is June 11, 2010

These were the instructions and yesterday was the reveal day which didn't start out all that

auspicious. I had a power failure at my house and, at the last minute, had to find another meeting place. We all congregated at a local tea shop.

The top photo is Yvette's Connections, a playful work using Jean Ray Laurie's color-form figures.

Next is Ruth Anne's sublime sunset with her quote embroidered on the top. fiberartbyruthanne.blogspot.com

Third, in an almost completed state, is Linda Z's (and I should have written down her quote...duh) zimmermandezigns.blogspot.com

These three are

followed by pieces in a decidedly more serious tone.

Barb's (not quite finished) piece is a scene from her daily walks from her house to the nearby beach where many of the residences have no trespassing signs of various types.

The signs are yet to be attached.

Gail's Justice is a montage of the men in her family (and herself) who served The Law along with photographs of landmark decisions. Her grandfather was a well known defense attorney, her brother a forensic scientist, and her father a court officer. (Gail is also an attorney). artandfiber.com

For some reason unknown to me I can only post six photos...the others disappear. SOOoooo...I will post Martha's and Evelyn's on the next post. Stay tuned. They are among the "heavily meaningful".

Two (2!) Sisters' Work in Faculty Exhibit

The Faculty Exhibit at the Guilford Art Center (www.guilfordartcenter.org) opened with a very well attended reception on Friday night. The Center has been, since its inception, an education center for all media. It has long been known for its weaving, metal-smithing, pottery and sculpture. Early on it was home to mixed media excellence.

Two of our Sisters in Cloth members are currently on the faculty: Ruth Anne Olson (http://fiberartbyruthanne.blogspot.com) and Linda Zimmerman (http://zimmermandezigns.blogspot.com). They are pictured here with Linda in the green scarf and Ruth Anne pointing out another artist's work.

As you can see it was a great turn out. At least two pieces were sold which is always cause for celebration. And more importantly the faculty was showcased, offering the viewing public a peek at the quality of education available at the Center.

The opening was a must for me, as I had been asked to hang the exhibit, and I couldn't pass up the chance to be a "fly on the wall" and listen for comments, particularly from the artists, on how the installation "worked".

The Faculty Exhibit, showcasing all media, will be on view until April 10.