Back from Turkey. Back from Houston. Back to Work.

Our tour and home-hosting in Turkey was AMAZING!!  We took hundreds (thousands?) of photos.  And, we renewed our friendships and made new ones during our cultural exchange in Izmir.  I can't tell you how warm and welcoming our stay was.  Such hospitality!  Oh, and the food!!

Within two days of our return, I was off to the Houston Quilt Fest with four of our Sisters in Cloth group (we met up with another Sister member Carol Ludington, who had work juried into a special exhibit)

My participation in the SAQA Benefit Auction bookended my trips.  Before I left I won Lorraine Dena Kpo's "Against the Odds" in the online auction.  Later while I was in Houston I saw Norma Schlager's "SW#4, Greening Up" displayed there and 

was demanding that I take it home.  I could do no less.  How lucky am I, anyway!?!

Norma Schalger's "SW#4 Greening Up"

Larraine Dena Kpo's "Against the Odds"

And that brings my collection to eleven.  L-R: Row 1: Cathy Smith, Cathy Smith, Holly Altman,
Row 2: Vivien Zepf, Cathy Smith, Sandy Gregg, Row 3: Debbie Bein, Lutgard Gerber-Billiau and Ali George, Row 4: Norma Schalger and Larraine Dena Kpo.

Hmmm....I really NEED one more ;^)

SAQA Auction Wins

I have decided to enjoy my SAQA wins from the past while watching this year's Auction, waiting to bid on another.  On the top:  L_R Debbie Bein, Sandy Gregg, Lutgard Gerber-Billiau, Vivian Zeff, Cathy Whall Smith, Ali George, Holly Altman, Cathy Whall Smith, Dijanne Cevaal, Vivika DeNegre, Cathy Whall Smith, Janine Anderson-Bays, Dijanne Cevaal, Vivika DeNegre, Louise Schwab and Laura Cater Woods.  Inspiring!

Tomorrow! SAQA's Benefit Auction

Hello, Sunshine!

Tomorrow SAQA's Benefit Auction begins at 2pm Eastern.  Click on the link to read how the auction works.  I always try to 'win' a piece.  There were a couple of years I was unsuccessful :^(

But I have persevered!  I figured out that I have been participating in the Benefit Auction for seven years now and I have a very nice collection :^)  It is such a satisfying way to support SAQA:  first making a 12" square piece AND then 'winning' other artists' work.

At this point my Auction collection includes work by Cathy Smith CT, Sandy Gregg MA, Debbie Bein NY, Vivien Zepf NY, and Lutgard Gerber-Billiau Belgium.  Now I will be trolling the pages again this year very stealthily....join me!!

To Lowell and Back

It really was not a big logical leap to plan to meet old friends for dinner in Lowell when it happened to be the weekend of the Lowell Quilt Festival and the Opening Reception at the Brush Gallery's 'Tangled in Blue' exhibit.  DH and I drove to Lowell early enough to check into our hotel, see the quilt festival (purchase a few necessaries), get to the Brush's always wonderful Opening, AND meet our friends at our favorite restaurant!

DH took pics whilst I meandered, looking at beautiful work and bumping into friends.  I hope you enjoy some of his photos.  

3 Cohesive Pieces: Brenda J. Jones

3 Cohesive Pieces:  Lee Sproull

3 Cohesive Pieces:  Sharon Monahan top. mine bottom

Lowell Quilt Festival:  Alice Means

Lowell Quilt Festival:  Alison Dea Bolt

Lowell Quilt Festival: Beatriz Grayson

Tangled Up in Blue @ Brush Gallery: Carol Vinick&mine

Tangled Up in Blue @ Brush Gallery: Gwyned Trefethen

Tangled Up in Blue @ Brush Gallery: one of Judy Ross'

Tangled Up in Blue @ Brush Gallery:Lisa Corson

Tangled Up in Blue @ Brush Gallery: Sandy Gregg

SAQA Auction Collection

Without intent, initially, I've started a nice collection of very interesting 12" square art quilts.  This past week at the SAQA booth in Houston at the International Quilt Festival I became the proud owner of two (!) new pieces.

Joining four others that I 'won' in previous SAQA Benefit Auctions, are Cathy Smith's Twins with Matching Hats, from her marshmallow hay bale series, and Vivien Zepf's Chilean Chair Whimsey.  I feel SO lucky to have such a wonderful sampling of art from five very talented fiber artists!

Twins With Matching Hats/Cathy Smith

Chilean Chair Whimsey/ Vivien Zepf

Happy Anniversary #2/Lutgard Gerber-Billiau

Collections #3/Debbie Bein

Leaf Litter/ Sandy Gregg

Waiting for Roasting/ Cathy Smith

Another SAQA Auction "win"!

Yeah!! I have been able to add Sandy Gregg, another of my favorite artists, to my growing collection of art quilts. This one is titled "Leaf Litter 9".

Okay, I have this huge collection of my own work...but that's clearly not a good thing. I need to find appreciative homes for them.

In the mean time, I can't think of anything that is more fun: collecting artwork, especially that of friends. That's a bonus.

Thank you, Sandy, for supporting SAQA's annual 12" square fundraiser.

Quilt Festival...The Brush...The Whistler

In my neck of the woods "Quilt Festival", "Brush" and "Whistler" used in the same sentence can reference only one thing: the New England Quilt Museum's Quilt Festival in Lowell MA. It concluded yesterday.

Note: In this photo my work "Diaspora" is on left and "Dusk" on right at The Whistler.

My Sister in Cloth buddy Yvette Howard and I drove up on Thursday so we would be there when it opened and not miss a thing in the chock-o-block events that traditionally pack this weekend.

I can truthfully say we were both disappointed. The Museum downsized the number of vendors to the outskirts of one floor of the auditorium where the exhibit has been featured since it moved from the much larger, more modern Tsongas Coliseum.

We usually "win" some treasure at their annual auction on Thurs evening, but they discontinued that. They also discontinued having classes during the event, which is a shame as I think it brings in more people and introduces more people to teachers' work (a win-win from my point of view).

The museum also had different hours from the quilt festival (10-6) itself. The museum closed at 4pm (except for Gallery Night on Fri)...so you could take the shuttle there and cool your heels until the next one came along. We saw scores (okay...10-25) waiting disappointedly. We walked everywhere, not caring what the shuttle was up to.

Enough of the downside! To quote Lucy (of Peanuts fame): I want ups, ups and more ups!

So here I am reflected in the window of The Brush gallery taking a photo of my work (boats on r). The exhibit is terrific! Geri Condon's piece is great...just to the left as you enter...to the right is Betty Busby's two wonderful undersea pieces. OH...I was nearby when Betty's Garibaldi

sold...I was so excited for her I impulsively gave the buyer a big hug and took her pic to send to Betty. How lame is that?

Everyone...okay, an exaggeration..lots of quilt artists were there. SAQA/MA regional meeting was in the morning on Saturday and both the Brush and the Whistler hosted opening that afternoon.
Pictured here (l-r) are Karen Bettencourt, Rayna Gillman (aka the best blogger who posted all three days...go read her comments) and Norma Schlager at The Whistler House Art Museum's opening, standing in front of Bev Fine's work (one of my favorites there). Rayna and I shared quarters...she connected with and introduced us to several local artists (lots of fun!! as you can imagine)

I missed taking photos of so many friends that I really enjoyed catching up with. Had dinner with Sandy Gregg...her work at The Brush is gorgeous.

So. Net Net. While disappointing, Lowell is still an art quilter's destination. One just doesn't need to get there during the Festival. Fortunately the exhibits that are so wonderful are up all month. So, next year, my buddy (s) and I will stop in Lowell, see both venues, make sure we have lunch at LaBoniche (our favorite restaurant), stop into Western Avenue galleries to see what Friends of Fiber/Linda Dunn/Tatja Cottrell/et al are up to and travel on to the Mancuso show which is always in August.

Visitor from Down Under

This past March when we were visiting Australia, at the suggestion of Boston buddy Sandy Gregg, I had the pleasure to meet Geri Barr, art quilter and teacher, from Port Melbourne . She mentioned that she would be teaching this month in the Boston area and I invited her to stop over for a couple of days on her way through.

Monday she met several of the Sisters

in Cloth and some other art quilt buddies for a Show and Tell. It was quite a morning. Very inspiring for us all.

Today was her last day and we crammed in as much as we could before meeting her train bound for Boston. She happened to mention Patrick Doughtery last night....who knew that she would know about him? More serendipity...one of his installations is in nearby Old Lyme (of Lyme disease fame...the soccer team is called the Ticks...little dry New England humor there).

After she left I was still feeling inspired....good, except the work that demanded to be finished is this baby quilt I'm making for the Guilford Art Center's annual fundraiser. I'm happy to be supporting the Center...but itching to get on to new work.