Five Fiber Friends' Invitation

Yesterday the five of us met at FairHaven Woods Furniture in New Haven to install our collection under the curatorial eye of River Gallery Director Kate Parenteau.

The Gallery showcases artists' work in home settings with gorgeous furnishings, many one of a kind.

Our reception will be Sunday, August 3, 2-4pm.  Come!  It is a wonderful venue.

Represented: Kate, Diane C., Trish and me

Our 'logo' l-r Trish Hodge, Kate Themel, me
Lower Mickey Lawler and Diane Cadrain

Another vignette: Mickey, me and Diane C

Kate P giving me the 'big picture'

Kate, Diane C and me

Kate, Trish and Mickey

About Last Night

Judy Ross' Freak October Snow Storm with admirers

Local Color's Opening Reception at the Guilford Art Center last night was a terrific event!!  Oh, my.  Great food and drink provided by art quilt group Sisters in Cloth, music by local musician and Sister husband John Page, and a beautifully installed exhibit.  Everyone was sorry for the evening to end.

  And then there are those of us who are also sorry that this is the final installation for our Local Color.  It will be on display until March 16 when all the artwork will be returned to the artists.  Bittersweet.

Kate Themel surprising me with hard copy of Local Color

Tom Themel, Kate Themel with Ruth Anne Olson.  Kate's Blood Iris on wall

Mary Lyn and John Page

Christina Blais in front of Lottie the Lobster

Identity in Fiber

Yesterday I volunteered to help Kate Themel, SAQA/CT co-rep AND curator of Identity in Fiber, the exhibit that was installed by the very capable team at Windsor Art Center. Images on the postcard that the Center produced for the event are details of work by Judith Plotner, Mary Ellen Latino, Eileen Lauterborn, Gail Kotowski, Martha Wolfe and me.

I was so impressed with their team! We took about two hours deciding where each of the pieces would be shown to their best advantage....and while we tidied, said our good-byes, the team had two whole sections hung.

The Center is hosting an Opening Reception next Saturday, Jan 22, 5-7pm....complete with live music, and catered by Lilly's Soul Food Restaurant! A not-to-be missed event!

As a post-script: I had to dawdle putting on my coat and gloves long enough to get a quick snap of the team hanging my piece Family Ties which will hang next to a big, glorious piece by Karen Loprete. I can hardly wait to see the "finished product" next Saturday....fingers crossed for NO SNOW.

How happy am I?!!

This is my self portrait and the image I usually use when I post on blog-o-sphere.

Then there's an earlier iteration.

Now that I have the opportunity to serve as the SAQA/CT Co-Representative (with our fearless leader Kate Themal http://www.katethemel.com), I'm told that a real portrait is appropriate. I'd estimate that 75% of our CT membership would know me on sight. Just in case there is someone out there who would like to put a face with a name, here's the real deal.

I'm delighted to be in the position to work with Kate to promote art quilting in general and SAQA specifically in our little but, oh, so productive state. I look forward to meeting all of the CT members. You can always contact me via email, dwrite@mac.com.

Looking forward to our next Regional Meeting!

Sisters In Cloth Extravaganza!

My very first blog post.  How happy am I?  I don't want to count the years that developing a website has been one of my New Year's goals.  However, a blog has only been on the goal list for a year...so there's progress.

The art quilt group that I belong to, Sisters in Cloth, annually hosts an intimate winter gathering that we call an Extravaganza.  And in the interest of honesty, it's a concept and title that I brought with me when we were transferred to CT from FL.  One of my FL groups (Gone to Pieces) had a long tradition of a similar annual event.  When I was bereft of quilting buddies, I formed a quilt group from the local Newcomer's Club.  Since 2000 we have morphed into our own art quilt group of thirteen...and holding.  We meet weekly in members homes and have become Sisters in Cloth.  We are always on the hunt for new venues for our work....local libraries, restaurants, clubs...

Back on subject.  Saturday was our fourth annual Extravaganza.  The day was cold and sunny outside and warm and sunny inside.  I'm posting two of the pics I snapped during our Show and Tell...one of the highlights of the event.  Kate Themal (one of our invitees and co-rep for SAQA) is showing three of her wonderful leaf creations.  I'd seen them on-line before...but they are even better up close and personal!  The other pic is my buddy Vivika Denegre displaying two of her works inspired by a local glass artist's work (Barbara Kerwin-Shulman).  The two of them along with a weaver are preparing for a three person show in May.

The day began with coffee and...whilst everyone gathered.  This year everyone brought two nine patches for a charity quilt.  Usually our group asks for an original block that we exchange amongst ourselves, but this year charity seemed more appropriate.  

Trish and Owen Hodge who are Batik Tambal gave an informative talk about their travels and textile collecting in Indonesia and Syria.  Of course they had exquisite panels and batiks that we freely looted and plundered.  They weren't the only vendors:  Laura Wasilowski (ARTFABRIK) and Roni McCullough-Sheppar (Sunny Bunny) sent boxes packed with delicious hand dyes!  Our own Ruth Anne Olson offered her hand painted and dispersed fabric.  Nearby fiber artist Karen Loprete brought her work (and incredible pet portraits!) for us to buy and wonder at.  Dorothy Meyer, a local beader brought work.  Oh, you just know the 22 attending were atwitter! Just think, everything that makes a quilt artist's heart beat strong:  good friends, good food, great show and tell, vendors and a mini-workshop by our own Vivika and Barb Adams!  Boy, it doesn't get better than that!

I don't know how frequently I'll post.  Despite the "core dump" you've just slogged through, I worry that I have nothing to say.  Hmmm, maybe I can get over that worry.