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

I'm not going anywhere....but

My art quilts will be on the road this summer!

Our SAQA/CT regional traveling exhibit Local Color will be installed at The Legislative Office Building in Hartford CT July 1-31.  That includes my Thimble Island Abstract and Town Green.

Just juried into Art Quilts Lowell at the Brush Gallery in Lowell MA Aug 8-Sept 7 is Top End Archipelago

Earlier Sentinel was juried into Sacred Threads and since has also been chosen to travel to Omaha NE to the Sunderland Gallery for an 8 week exhibit Sept 15- Nov 10

Next up, one of my as yet unselected pieces, will travel to Kagoshima Japan as part of "My Favorite Season" exhibit during the 12th Annual Friendship Quilt Show in Kagoshima, Nov 22-24.  This exhibit was organized and supported by Jen O'Brien of Sew Craft.

And for reasons beyond my IT abilities, blogger doesn't want to load any more images.  And I'm too darn busy to worry about it...back to the studio!

Town Green Abstract

Top End Archipelago

Sentinel

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.

Accepted! August will be BIG.

I am SO jazzed. I got the "fat" email from The Brush Gallery in Lowell MA for Art Quilts Lowell 2011.

I love the Brush. It is an artists' coop that is a wonderful place to exhibit and to shop.

This year I almost did not even enter. The theme seemed so broad and, frankly, I only had one piece that I had confidence in...and that piece had been rejected too many times to count. I know, I know...the jurying process can be fickle. It all depends on the juror and the other entries.

Well, finally, Boats at Slack Tide found an arena in which it could "play nicely with it's neighbors".

I have always liked this piece. Once when it was exhibited locally a woman offered me 2/3 of the asking price and tried to purchase it by going around the dealer. Not a nice thing to do. And, not something someone who formerly made her living as an agent for other people was going to sit still for. Instead I gave it to my son in North Carolina. He's a graphic designer who LOVES it. It should be where it's appreciated.

I phoned him last night to tell him to ship it back ASAP. He wasn't totally thrilled. He is a teeny bit afraid someone will persuade me to sell it. Silly boy.

This piece started with the beautiful hand dyed background that I certainly did not want to see cut up. "Boats" is entirely pieced. The whole time I chanted WWRD under my breath. (What would Ruth Do?) Referring, of course, to one of my art quilt heros, Ruth McDowell.

I just discovered that another SAQA/CT colleague was also accepted. Norma Schlager.

So, again, I'm in fabulous company.

Earlier this spring, I was able to book a hotel room for the Lowell Quilt Fest, hosted by the New England Quilt Museum. Now I'm really glad that I did. I will be able to attend both Artists' Receptions...The Brush for "Boats" and The Whistler for "Diaspora" and "Dusk".

This weekend is such a wonderful time. The whole town is involved in it. It's an opportunity to have good food, good art, good shopping and catch up with old and new friends....gosh, it really doesn't get better this.

ART QUILTS LOWELL 2011: The Sea
An exhibition of the finest art quilts in Canada and the United States. This year the theme is "The Sea".

Opening Reception: Saturday, August 13, 3 - 5 pm, during the Lowell Quilt Festival.

Exhibition Entry Deadline: June 15, 2011

Juror: Gerald Roy, Member, Executive Board, National Quilt Museum, Paducah, KY; Chair, Acquisitions Committee; Member, of National Advisory Board, Administrator, Quilt Appraisal Certification Program - American Quilters Society, Paducah, KY; Acquisitions Board: New England Quilt Museum, Lowell, MA.

Two Opening Weekend ;^)

Friday night the Guilford Art Center hosted an Artists' Reception for their juried show "Poser".

POSER
May 13 – June 26

A group exhibit open to art works in all media that explore various notions of posing for an image, as it relates to artist, subject, and/or viewer.

I'm caught here with my mouth open (surprise) chatting with my friend Alice Chittenden, a quilt maker and a master potter.

Saturday we drove to Lowell MA for the afternoon Artists' Reception of The Brush Gallery's "For the Birds". Again, a very well attended event.

May 7 - June 18, 2011
FOR THE BIRDS
(Part of the Art of Nature Exhibition Series)

Juror: David Allen Sibley; well-known author, illustrator and ornithologist

Organized by Eileen Byrne

Artists' Reception: May 14, 2011, 2 - 4 pm

A collaboration with the Massachusetts Audubon Society to focus attention on birds and their habitats and to raise funds for the volunteers who care for injured birds until they are able to be returned to the wild.

Instead of posting another photo of me with my mouth open, I thought it might be more interesting to see my work from outside the gallery's front window. Pictured here is LeDanseur by BJ Comerford (L), a wonderfully playful oil on canvas and on the back wall (R) is my piece "Red Wing Chorus: Ode to Charley Harper".

One of the things I appreciate most about both of these exhibits is that both are mixed media. While there were just a few fiber pieces in the Guilford exhibit, the Brush was loaded. It is understandable. Lowell is home of the New England Quilt Museum, a big biennial quilt show, a host of fiber artists AND the former base of 10 fabric mills! You can almost taste fabric in the air.

Now...it's also May 15 and reveal day for Fiberactions newest challenge "Embellish".

Not just for the birds

When I made this Redwing Chorus: Ode to Charley Harper, it wasn't just because I love birds. No, it was also because I always loved the work of Charley Harper.

I made this piece in 2008, shortly after I read in the New York Times that he had passed away. Re-visiting his artwork brought to mind all the times his work made me smile. All the cards I'd bought and sent to friends for birthdays, anniversaries or just plain "cheer up"...or chirp up...see, you smiled.

This is one of my "bird works" that I entered into The Brush Gallery's For the Birds exhibition (May 7-June 18). And I just found out that it was accepted!! Oh, boy, I love to visit The Brush and Lowell! There is SO much going on.

Quiltscapes at The Whistler

Quiltscapes at The Whistler

Lowell MA has really become one of the hot spots for quilts, and, from my view point art quilts in particular. Not only is there a very respectable turn out of antique,traditional and contemporary quilts for the annual Lowell Quilt Festival, many, many venues throughout the town host exhibits and activities for quiltmakers and artists of all ilks. Most notably, The Whistler House Museum of Art and The Brush Gallery jury wonderful art quilt shows every year. Their artists' receptions are "must attends".

I was thrilled to have a piece juried into The Whistler this year! Mine is the upper left piece in the photograph below. I was particularly pleased to be in such good company! It doesn't get much better than this;^)

(psst: that last one on the right is Laura Wasilowski's)

One of my other favorite stops in Lowell, where I manage to spend many hours, is the Western Avenue Studios. The once empty huge factory is now home studio space to 250 (I think) artists of all media, and coming soon, a cafe. Thank goodness, as next time I'll be able to find sustenance so I can stay longer.