Oh, what a night!

The Sisters did it again!  We had a wonderful time sponsoring the opening of Local Color at the Guilford Art Center.  It is the finale for this traveling exhibit...we will be welcoming home 'our' Hartford's Colt Dome at our next SAQA/CT meeting at the end of March.  Several of our members have pieces included:  Barb Adams, Ruth Anne Olson, Linda Zimmerman, Robin Wolek, Yvette Howard, Gail Kotowski, Carol Ludington and Diane Wright (me)

Six of us used one of my photos of the Hartford icon to create 20" pieces. All the same and all very different.

Each venue that Local Color has visited has been different (Western State CT U in Danbury, Legislative Office Bldg in Hartford and Slater Museum of Art in Norwich) and each time the work relates to each other differently.  Very interesting how that is.  Truth be told:  this was my personal favorite.  GAC's gallery is very intimate...and the pieces sing under their lights.

Hartford's Colt Dome

Rita Hannafin with Storm Tossed Memories

The Hits Just Keep on Comin'

First, the postman brought a wonderful surprise with this most recent issue of Quilting Arts' Gifts.  Wow!  Four of our Sisters' had projects featured:  Barb Adams, Deb Bento, Vivika DeNegre, and Carol Ludington.  They all had been quiet about their participation and surprised us all.  Each offered a project that  we all consider their 'own' to be sure.  In our group, Barb has always described her many trip in terms of her gorgeous journals.  Deb's notepad holders have been one of her most sought-after items in the Guilford Art Center's Gift Shop.  Carol Ludington has been a dyer of note...and local instructor...for ages.  Her trademark (IMHO) is her crystal clear ice dyed fabrics.  And, Vivika...gosh, where would I begin?!

  THEN, Gifts was followed shortly by the Oct/Nov 2012 Quilting Arts issue.  Lynn Krawczyk interviewed four quilt groups from across the county...Sisters in Cloth among them...on how to start your own fiber art group.  A subject near and dear to my heart.

The opening photograph shows seven of the twelve members at one of our regular meetings...a critical mass, per usual, but hardly ever a full complement.  Carol Ludington (see above), Liz Shore, Robin Wolek, Debbie Bento (see above), me, Janine Anderson-Bays and Marie Shepherd.  One of the cool parts of this is that the photo represents the total twelve years that we have been in existence.  Liz, Robin, Deb, Janine and I were there in the beginning when we were first formed from the Guilford Newcomers' Club.  (interestingly, Liz had dropped out a few years ago to return to employment and has just recently re-joined the group).  Carol and Marie joined later as the group morphed from Newcomers' to wider membership.

This photo was taken at one of the installations of Double Take, our exhibit that traveled to several venues around the area.  It was a collaborative effort, joining our work with that of photographer Rosemary Delucco Alpert.  This page features Yvette Howard (another one of the Newcomers) and Deb, along with a childhood friend of hers, Debbie Kouzoukian, enjoying the opening reception.

The last photo in the article is that of Linda Zimmerman's wonderful interpretation of one of Alpert's photographs, Pink Hydrangea.

I am so proud of my friends' successes in their journeys as artists.  It has been such a wonderful meandering, joyful trip!

Melanie Testa visits "The Sisters"

Melanie Testa grew up in our town. She has family here. When we caught word that she might be coming to town we jumped at the chance to meet her.

As luck would have it she was free (after a visit with her parents) to spend a day teaching us how to batik with soy wax as the resist.

It was one of the first truly warm sunny days of spring and we were all ecstatic to be in the studio with Melanie. The co-director of the Guilford Art Center was very accommodating in making a room available to us with very short notice. Thank you, Maureen!

And, Thank You, Melanie for agreeing to meet with us and, literally, going the extra mile for us in lugging the soy wax on the train from NYC when our order did not arrive. That's dedication!

You can see more of Melanie's work (including her new book) on her website: melanietesta.com

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.

SAQA Transformations: Hanging the Show

Last Friday after weeks of scattered meetings when we barely had a handful of attendees, four Sisters and a few "Husbands of Sisters" hung the SAQA show, Transformations, at the Guilford Art Center. What an experience! The quilts were wrapped in rolls and packed expertly in two large metal "coffins". Each roll was a treasure of textiles which were individually stunning and collectively arresting. The pieces had to be unwrapped, inspected, loged into the show and then hung. It was our first experience in hanging a show of such magnitude and it was a learning experience for all involved.

Tonight will be the opening reception and we anticipate that it will be very well attended. More photos to come!

Rayna Gillman Visits the Sisters

All day long while it rained cats and dogs, the Sisters and friends toiled at the Guilford Art Center under the tutelage of Rayna Gillman. We've employed her for the weekend to teach us her creative ways of salvaging uninspired fabric by gelatin printing and silk screening. Pictured is Robin Wolek, carefully applying rubber bands to a block of gelatin. You can see her family crest of four squares which she made multiple times in different colors. We expect to see some interesting surface design techniques used in future quilts!