Snow, Birds and New Work

Snow in trees in our back yard
Like much of the east, we had another snow last night. We awoke to sun on the soft snow in the tree tops. Beautiful.


Kinglet in the feeder
The birds are hungry. This little red-crowned kinglet has been at our feeder for over a month. When he left, chickadees and female bluebirds came by to feed. Before getting remarried, I was a hard core birder travelling across the US from the Dry Tortugas off Florida to Attu Alaska to see new birds. The enjoyment of them is still there, even though I have retired from the hunt. Hope this is not too much digression from quilting.



Cardinal in the holly with berries - poor photographer
I loved the red cardinal and the touches of red berries scattered across the holly. Shame that I am such a poor photographer. Can't figure out how to get the color distortion out. Take a look at what my DH can do with the same camera and from the same window.


Cardinal in holly tree
My DH took this photo. Isn't it luscious? How did he get the great shot with great color and mine look like they were made in the 1920s with a pin hole camera? Enjoy this one.

While we were doing demonstrations at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens last weekend, I worked on the piece below. It has not been quilted. Will share it when it is finished. It is a small piece that I could transport for the demo easily.

Holly Berries

Keep on Quilting

Nancy

Orchids: Sensuality Stitched Installed

Planning the layout on the floor

Here is Susan Brubaker Knapp viewing one option for hanging the show. This was our first time to see all the work and it was wonderful.



PJ on the Step Ladder

PJ Howard was the official ladder climber for hanging the pieces. She was amazingly patient as the rest of us made changes as we saw the work on the wall.
The upper center piece is her work, note the orchid on the tightrope, too funny!!



PJ on the Ladder with Cindy

Cindy Klemmer is the Education Director of the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens and is responsible for bringing in the exhibition.
When the smaller ladder was insufficient, Cindy got PJ a taller one.




Susan with Last Minute Finish Work

Several of us had a few last minute details to finish and worked while the installation was in progress.

Debbie Langsam Working on her Hanging System

Note the small photos on the back of the sleeve. Each of these photos provide bits of imagery that Debbie uses in creating her photoimagery pieces. Check http://fiberartoptions.blogspot.com for a detail of her exquiste work.
I not only love her work, but check out the agility of those knees. Ah, to be young again. What I would give to be able to bend like that!!

Our First Viewer

Even before the work was fully up, we had viewers stopping by to comment and check out the work. People were amazed at the variety and that art could come from the quilt tradition.

The purple-pink pieces are by Susan. Working from her photos, she has painted the designs on fabric before wonderful machine quilting for emphasis.

To the upper right of Susan's work is Grace Howe's Tribute to Gene. Check out the word in the top background of this piece. A couple of the pieces bring chuckles to observors. Grace and PJ let their wonderful senses of humor show in their work.

The Variety is Substantial

While the exhibition has the common theme of orchids and common sizes to all the work, the techniques and imagery are very different. This photo shows a bit of the variety. The two pieces to the left are by Janet A Lasher who used a shibori technique on Japanese paper, adhered the paper to a cradle board and then covered the work with layers of wax. it is an encaustic process.

The top middle piece by Linda Stegall is a photo image that was printed on fabric and then quilted with great detail. Another piece by Linda is the top right piece. Here she used Photoshop to transform the image and printed it on fabric. Then she printed orchid photos on fabric and appliqued them to the top before quilting it.

The lower middle piece is mine, and is my current process, working with an initial photograph for inspiration, I created stencils that I used to ink the design to the Heide Stoll-Weber hand-dyed fabric, before extensive hand guided machine quilting and some hand embroidery for details.

The bottom right piece by Debbie Langsam is an abstract of the aerial roots of the orchid on silk dupioni. What luscious colors!!

The panel in the middle contains the gorgeous portraits of the artists, our names, and a small detail photo of our work to help viewers connect the artists and their art.

How Many Quilters Does it Take to Hang a Quilt?

Here Grace, Susan and PJ consult on how far apart the work needs to be in order to get the title cards positioned.

In addition to the 24 by 36 inch pieces in the main hall, we each created a small 18 by 12 inch piece inspired by two photos of the same orchid. Once again the variety is enormous. The panel in the center shows the photographs we worked from.

Finishing Up

PJ is doing some final work on the titles. It took awhile to do, but we were all thrilled with the work and how it looked at Stowe. Now if the weather holds we will be doing artist walk throughs and demonstations tomorrow and Sunday from 12 - 4. Hope to see you there.

Keep Quilting

Nancy

Whew! Finally Finished Quilt #4

Orchid Rhythms: Petals

Working under deadlines is something I keep promising myself to give up - for the year, for Lent, for any excuse at all. Somehow I sucker myself into them. While the events can be challenging, they are certainly invigorating. So I am REALLY invigorated at this time.

I can't wait to see all 28 fiber art pieces assembled together at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens this coming Thursday. We hang the exhibition on Thursday with the opening weekend Saturday and Sunday. From 12 - 4 PM each day we will be doing demonstrations, walk throughs and talks.

Orchid Rhythms: Buds

Here are some previews of several of the works. The assembled group of work by all seven members should be wonderful. I am really proud to have work with these great artists.

Orchid Rhythms: Stems and Leaves

These are details. Hope you like them. And we hope that lots of friends of orchids, fiber art, quilts, and ours will help us launch this collection.

Orchid Rhythms: Bud

To say I am finished is a bit of an exaggeration, I need to add labels, make the foam board hanger and sign each piece. But given the lousy weather, I should have time to do so before Thursday morning.

Happy quilting,

Nancy

PJ Howard - Fun with Creativity

PJ Howard in Orange Ski Cap
My friend and fellow member of Fiber Art Options, has a great sense of humor, it comes out in every thing she does. Love this photo of her, it really captures that spirit. Recently I bought a couple pieces of her work, one for me and one for a friend. I am so delighted with them that I wanted to share them with my friends.

Serene

I fell in love with this piece and purchased it before PJ could put it in the Denver Art Crawl.
The vase is recycled paper and gel. She has done a superb piece of art in a small piece about 10" by 8". Notice how she has moved the green in the vase around both with fabric and stitches. She has obtained a great deal of depth with the fabric choices, overlapping, and changing fabric sizes. She has repetition with color and mass, but keeps the viewer interested with a change in size for every piece of fabric. The round beads and the swervey green machine embroidery stitched leaves are a nice contrast to all the straight edges. Good study in art. I love it every time my eyes light on it.


Three Hearts

My friend Andy fell in love with this at the Annual Denver Art Crawl. Made for easy shopping for me. PJ has used a multitude of red fabrics and notice how she has moved the black and red print around to keep the eye moving. The three hearts are made from recycled paper and beads. I love the additional heart on the red wire she used to hang the piece. She has used built in machine decorative stitches to quilt the piece and add additional texture and details. Even small work can be a nice piece of art.



Blue and Green Angel
This tiny piece is chuck full of recycles. Note the body of the angel and the button face. PJ loves to work with plaids and has used one for the background. This tiny piece won big prizes at the last CQG show.



Baby Quilt
Now this is a baby quilt to stimulate the little sucker. Somehow I see the dear little one playing and giving high fives more than sleeping.


Blue Kite
Can you see the flying kites on this one? Two of them are stitched on. Love the pieced background in the irregular shape.

White Pin
PJ also makes jewelry generally from recycled papers, and other found objects. Love this one, with the threads and what looks to be a mobe pearl.
Hope you enjoy these pieces by my friend PJ as much as I do.

Keep Quilting
Nancy

Elizabeth's Poem on Taupe

Elizabeth Miller and her new taupe fabrics - photo by Grace Howes

Elizabeth Miller was one of my friends who attended the fabric party on Monday. Elizabeth, who has a fabulous stash and creates wonderful bed quilts that span the line between fine craft and art, focused her collection of my fabrics on shades of taupe. I spotted this great photo of her on Grace Howes blog http://www.barnyardchatter.wordpress.com
and Grace generously shared it with me.

Today I received a poem from her inspired by her new fabrics and our weeks of rain, mist and fog.

And with Elizabeth's permission. Here is the poem.

Winter’s Rainbow

By
Elizabeth T. Miller

With those who see the World in Black and White
And those who only think in tones of Gray,

I tend to disagree.
I love a Rainbow World.

Now, in this Winter of my Artist’s life,
Some cataracts have moved across my eyes.

Yet, still I clearly see
A Rainbow through the Clouds.

For, nestled in this misty fog lives Hope
And Winter’s other name is surely Taupe.

All hues in Taupe I see.
It’s Winter’s gift to me.

Until the surgeon robs me of my haze,
I’ll love this Winter
Rainbow
World of
Taupe.

Enjoy, and Keep Quilting

Nancy

How to Have a Great Time and Reduce Your Stash

Several of the 12 drawers of fabric we went through

Today 5 fabric loving friends came over to help me work on my stash. We measured it and folded it in preparations for selling. Lots of laughter and sharing as the day went on.

My DH fixed us lunch -- chicken, fresh asparagus, vegetable bird nests, and ice cream and biscotti for dessert. Yum.

He topped it off with a tin of his home made chocolates that are to die for.

Everyone got a 5 yard personally selected bundle of fabrics to take home for their efforts. And then they commenced to buying. When they left about 55 yards of fabric walked out the door. YEAAAA!

Another of the 12 drawers

And the best part was that I got to clear out 3 drawers of fabrics I will never use, and we all had a great time. Everyone has volunteered to come back for another Fun Fabric Follies day again.

Two of the beautiful EMPTY drawers

Several of the folks were worried that I was going to regret getting rid of so much beautiful fabric, until I took them for a tour of my studio. We had not touched any of the 6 bins and full closet of fabrics that are in my studio. And each of the bins holds 3 times the fabric of any of the drawers.

We made a great start and set a process for helping me clean house of way too much fabric that I will never use. Next I am going to put it in 1 gallon bags and sell it by the bag. Actually, I will probably invite others to fill the bags for themselves for a flat price per bag.
What a great time. Three empty drawers. Decluttering seems much less overwhelming now. Thanks, dear fabric friends.

Keep quilting,

Nancy

Art To Go - 3 Gallery Openings Tonight

Rhododendron Seed Pods

Going to put on the track shoes tonight!! With three gallery receptions where my work will be on display, I will be moving around town.

The Charlotte Art League has an annual small art sale for its members to sell work no larger than 14 inches framed. I completed this piece and matted and framed it in an 16'' x 14'' frame.

This is my first time at this venture. Will be interesting to see how it goes. The entry prices were good: $10 for 4 pieces and $2 for each additional piece up to 8. If any are sold, the artist can replace them at no additional charge.


Pine Cone

Pine Cone was framed up to be 16'' wide, but the chair of the show indicated that she was not going to be measuring. This is a study for a larger piece that I will do later.

Burford Holly

This little piece has been used in photos by me for awhile, but I had not finished it. This was also matted and framed to sell. I also framed up several photos that I had photoshopped, printed on fabric, and hand embroidered. They will be a bit less.

This is a year for checking out the local art groups to see which one I want to have a long term relationship with. I entered two pieces from my Seed Play series in the Guild of Charlotte Artists December juried show with some trepidation. Both got in. The Guild is more of the fine art group, painters, sculpture, photography, so I had been hesitant to even try entering any work with them. But when the folks who took in the work saw my pieces, their reactions were very reassuring.

Get this, we delivered the actually work between 10 -11 am for the jurying and were notified before 3 if we needed to pick up any rejected pieces. The art world sure works differently than the quilt world.

My three winter pieces will also be at Ciel Gallery next door to the Charlotte Art League.

And before hitting the gallery crawl, I will enter 2 pieces in the Mint Hill Arts first juried show. Since they will have a fiber show in January, they may not be as interested in having any in December. But nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I am encouraged about the reception of my work in the traditional art world and think lots of other quilters and fiber artists should venture out.

Keep Quilting

Nancy