IQA Quilts - Water Inspired

A number of quilts were inspired by water including two that I saw with realistic 3D elements. The above photos are from Holly S. Altman's Tidal Pool: After the Storm. Is it not surprising  that Altman has marine biologist training. I loved the needle lace foam on the shell and the little sea urchins. This was another with an irregular edge that breaks the grid presentation.

Really enjoyed this piece by Linda Steele, called Natural Wonders. Loved the use of a border that framed the piece like an old oil painting, and the careful use of color and imagery to convey the water over the lower left starfish and the rocks on the lower right. This is a large piece, with wonderful dimensionality and depth conveyed with careful choices for sky, background land, stone arch and foreground. Steele really understands ways to convey depth and dimensionality. And then she has added exquisite little details in the foreground to catch the eye and delight the close up viewer. If you have a chance to see this piece in person, check it out carefully.

Carla Stehr created this delight, Moonglow Anemones with an irregular edge. She used organza quite effectively to convey the translucence of the anemone legs.

Pat Durbin created this lovely piece, called Beside the Still Waters, with great depth and intriguing foreground. This was another artwork with small pieced squares to give lots of visual interest.

This photo shows the lovely thread-painted trees on the right side. Her selection of quilting stitches for sky and water is well chosen.

More quilts of interest in my next post.

Let me know, are you bored with seeing an exhibition that is a couple of weeks old at this time?

Thanks for reading.

Nancy

IQA Trends - New to Me

This was the first year I had been to IQA Houston in many years, but I saw several trends that may not be new to others but were to me.

The artist name is Naoko Takeshita. She called the quilt "Green Message"

 
I loved the muted palette, the exquisite hand embroidered clover flowers and the wonderful quilting. The texture is wonderful. It is hard to see, but this was one of the quilts with muted, patterned background fabrics. They add a real richness to the piece.

This is another of the muted backgrounds. The artist used a small stripe for the background. Wonderful hand applique work. This is another quilt where I do not have records of the quilter's name.

Loved this piece, called Tulip Fire by Susan Stewart, with its lovely textures, the embroidery, the exquisite quilting and the textures. Notice the pin tucks in the center of the top photo. This is another with a muted stripe for the background.

Another trend I saw was pictorial quilts with small pieced elements to add interest and depth to the imagery. In the top photo look at the interest added between tree trunks with pieced elements, also in the path, and the front vegetation. Sizes of pieces reminded me of the "watercolor" quilts of a decade or more ago, but in a new presentation.

I have a couple more IQA groups of photos to add, so let me know if your find them of interest.

Thanks for reading,

Nancy

More Quilts from Houston- African American Exhibition

The exhibition of contemporary African American quilts was delightful with lots of variety, from abstract to photo realism.  Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi curated the exhibition: A New Legacy Revealed: African American Quilts. Dr. Mazloomi assembled some very well known artists for the exhibition and some who were lesser known to me at least.

Here are a few photos of some of the work. Just a taste to whet the appetite.

The first three pieces all have some aspect where they break the traditional rectangular presentation. The first piece is by Carolyn Crump called Mae's Dance. The dancing figures are really captured and they break free of the grid to really enhance the feeling of the dance. Great presentation choice.

The second piece by Marlene Linton O"Bryant-Seabrook titled Dizzy: Bopped Out of South Carolina is another that breaks the grid presentation. The well known artist from South Carolina used the outline of the state to underscore the message of the title.

The third piece uses just the feet of the young girl to break from the grid. This charming piece is by Alice Beasley titled All My Roads Lead Back to You. This is based on a photograph of the artist's mother and grandfather. Great use of value and I love the darkened wall shadows behind the girl to make her stand out.

This interesting collage includes a dress that has been appliqued to the background. It is by Marion Coleman titled Downtown. Before the malls all ladies dressed up to go shopping downtown and that included not only a dress but gloves as well.

This stunning piece is by Juanita Yeager titled Franciscan Rose (Rose of Sharon). The composition is lovely but the quilting blew me away. In the second photo, look at the variety of detail added to the background with her quilting. And in the third photograph, look at the wonderful use of color to add the details to the center of the flower. Love the shadow on the rose. Great dimensionality.

The piece below is also by Juanita Yeager titled Hibiscus Syriacus (Rose of Sharon).  Yeager combines the tradition of quilting with the tradition of botanical art.

This is just a small taste of the quilts in this exhibition. Hopefully this is a traveling exhibition and can be seen by other audiences. It certainly deserves to be.

Please let me know if you are finding this series on IQA interesting. I have some more photos to share.

Nancy

Seasonal Palette Catalog and My Piece

The Seasonal Palette exhibition was stunning at IQA - Houston. The 37 selected artists were given the challenge of creating an artwork that represented a specific season at a specific size: 78" x 32". The individual quilts can be seen on the SAQA website in the quilts for sale section.

The curators did a magnificent job in selecting which quilt to be next to which quilt to make an elegant flow from one season to another. The quilts were placed on hard panels that elegantly framed each piece and that were placed in a square with openings on two opposite sides. As you came in from the entrance, the flow of quilts began to the right with spring quilts, that flowed gently into summer quilts. At the opposite entryway, the fall quilts began and then merged into the winter quilts.

For various reasons, including a bad knee, one of the best things to me was the center of the room. Four benches were placed, each facing a different season. In the center of the room was a large draped table with the journals that each of the artists made of their processes. These were spell binding. They were so intriguing with photos and samples of the fabrics and even samples of some of the processes used, that I tried to read them all, but did not quite make it. From what I understand, the journals are being scanned and will be available as an e-book.

Winter Robins' Feast

I had a piece in the winter season, and was thrilled to be in such august company. Every quilt was stunning. And the variety was wonderful which made the job of the curators even more important in getting a highly cohesive exhibition. I blogged on my process earlier, you can see my embroidery work on this blog.

The catalog is hard cover and is worthy of the exhibition. Each quilt is presented full size and with a detail. At the back of the book are photographs of the processes used on a number of the quilts. It is a great buy at $20 and available in the SAQA bookstore.http://www.saqa.com/store.php?cat=36

You can see all the quilts in small icons on the same page. 

Let me know if you want to know more about IQA Festival. Feedback helps me know that I am not talking only to myself!

Nancy

IQA Photos of Blue Ribbon Prize Winners

I have almost come back down to earth from the 2012 IQA show. There were stunning exhibitions, took lots of photos that I will share.

Here are some of my favorites from the prize winners in the IQA juried and judged exhibition.

 This was the Best of Show. I could never get close enough to get the artist's name or the name of the quilt. Exquisite piecing, quilting and lots of crystals. Even the back was stunning.

You are sure to see the photo published along with name of artist and quilt. *** America, Let it Shine by Sherry Reynolds.

Loved this portrait called Make You Happy by Brigit Aubeso Bell-Lloch. I am in awe of her portrayal of hair.


















My Inner Raven is by Cat Larrea. I hope you can see the many colors in the ravens feathers. This was the top prize for miniatures.

Colorstrips #1 in by Lynda MH Faires.

The name really captures it. My eyes fairly dance across the surface of this color study.

This was another of the big money prize winners. This lovely piece is by Ruth Powers. I think it actually sold at the show. If not this one, another of Ruth's wonderful pieces in the show did sell. Lucky buyer!

There were lots more wonderful quilts and I will post more photos tomorrow.

Please let me know if you enjoyed these. Feedback helps me feel that I am not just talking to myself!

Nancy

Push Jewelry Give Away Announcement

DeLane,

You are the winner of the book: Push Jewelry. Congratulations, is is a delight. Just need your address.

Nancy

Push Print - book Review and Give Away

Push Print is another of the exquisite little books on craft medium published by Lark Crafts. While print is not a form that I am knowledgeable about, the book is stunning.

The letterpress team made up of brothers Jamie and Keith Berger have selected over 30 contemporary print artists to feature in the book. Innovative work with letterpress, screen-printing, xylography, lithography, etching and multimedia and digital approaches push the limits of printing. 

While not versed in this craft form, I found the book very interesting. Anyone knowledgeable about print making is likely to thoroughly enjoy this little jewel in the Push series. 

If you are interested in owning this book, leave a comment on this blog -- look for the comment icon just below this post - with a way to contact you. I will be randomly selected someone to get this book in the mail (USA readers only, sorry) by mid November. Check back to see if you are the one selected.

Nancy