Where's Waldo?

Actually, the cat's name is Tate.

We travelled to Florida to visit our grandchildren/south. We're no fools: we plan our visits in the winter. This year we missed two snow storms.

We meandered down attending a fiftieth wedding anniversary in Cumberland MD, an Aboriginal Art exhibit in Charlottesville VA (www.virginia.edu/kluge-ruhe), and friends and rels along the way.

One of our favorite stops is with my friend Martha Wolfe (http://thepinkganeshji.blogspot.com). I got lucky this year and was able to meet some of her art quilt buddies. Show and tell is always a treat. I shot this pic of some of her stash...the cat's cubby is about five feet off the floor.

We're on our way home tomorrow...weather permitting. Weather here is nice but north of us more snow is predicted. Unfortunately we can't linger longer. We're braving the elements and heading home.

Guest Exhibit in New Gallery

The Guilford Art Center has closed its shop and re-opened the space as The ShopSPACE Gallery. For a lot of reasons...the economy being one of them I'm sure...this space will now be dedicated to regional artists' work. The Gallery Committee juries applicants' work for six week exhibitions throughout the year. The first reception is this Sunday, Feb. 7. For more info http://www.guilfordartcenter.org.

The ShopSPACE Gallery complements the existing Mill Gallery which is a larger, more formal space that hosts larger exhibits...like the recent SAQA Transformations.

In a space high above the entry to the Mill Gallery is this "Boats at Slack Tide". I think I am the only person I know that really likes it (if I do say so myself). I don't want to count the number of times it has been rejected by juried shows. It is a totally pieced work...only "we" can appreciate that. Hand dyes and some batik. Machine stitched.

Oh, well.

This last photo is "Mountains of my Youth". Very simple. Japanese fabrics largely. Hand stitched.

Did I mention that the space

I'm assigned is the entry to the building? Hence, some odd hanging space: over the transom, over a window, over the guest registry. At least it's the first thing visitors see. I like that.

First 2010 piece out of my studio!

Granted, I started it in December but it's done now. I used every little bit of the beautiful Hanamomen fabric that I had purchased years ago and the remaining bit of purple print cotton paired with the gold silk. I think my stash was telling me something.

Titled "Family Roots", it is 36" x 45" and continues my series of stylized kimono shaped artwork.

The piece includes piecing, applique, broderie perse applique, hand stitching and machine stitching.

First Fiberactions Challenge: Initiative

The Challenge is based on a member's suggestions of a word. A piece 16" x 20" is to be created within two months. After posting on the group's blog and individual's blogs the challenge begins again with anothew member offering another word challenge. Our first challenge was "Initiative".

My work, "Spunk" is based on a free-association of synonyms for Initiative: dynamism, energy, originality, vigor, spunk, longing, love, passion, action.

The working title for this piece was "Primordial" going for the origin in "originality"...the first assertive foot forward in taking the initiative.

The idea germinated from several leftover parts of a long completed New York Beauty. Rearranged they reminded me of preying plants from the Jurassic Age. They were each completed as small quilt-lets, hand stitched, beaded

and bound with rick rack. The background is heavily machine and hand quilted, stitched with seed stitches. The piece is bordered on three sides and bound on the fourth. Several larger beads were added last.

Gee's Bend Celebration in Hartford

Art quilts are just about everywhere!

Community Health Services (CHS) in Hartford CT is sponsoring “Community Threads”, a City-wide celebration of quilts and fiber art, to coincide with the Hartford Stage’s musical production “Gee’s Bend”.

Now through February 28th, 2010

Nearly a hundred quilts have been loaned to public venues around the city. Antique bedding and historical quilts can be seen along side contemporary art quilts; work by Gee’s Bend quilters and Connecticut fiber artists lend inspiration to “first-timers” working on Hartford’s community quilts" Kate Themel, SAQA CT blog Read more at http://saqact.blogspot.com

Many from art quilt buddies around the state, including Sisters in Cloth members Linda Zimmerman (zimmermandezigns.blogspot.com), Gail Kotowski (www.artandfiber.com), Vivika DeNegre (www.vdenegre.blogspot.com) and me :^).

Check out what the media has to say at: Helen Ubiñas of The Hartford Courant: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/courant-columnists/hc-ubinas-quilts1227.art.artdec27-col,0,6014267.column

Nancy Schoeffler, also of The Hartford Courant: http://www.courant.com/features/home-garden/hc-home-quilts-0108.artjan08,0,641796.story

Phrase for the year, perhaps

Work in Progress: that may be my phrase for the new year. I've been thinking about my word for 2010 along with many of my compatriots on the two group blogs that I regularly read (saqa and quiltart). A single word has not had sticking power. The phrase "Work in Progress" is so appropriate. It says everything from what is always happening in my studio to my personal development. It's been true for decades.

Pictured here is a detail of "Family Roots" (see last post for initial photo)...still a work in progress. Mostly hand work at this point.

Followed by a quick pic of my new work in progress.

Work in Progress. Nuff said.

Work in Progress

This will be a stylized kimono shape in the end...at the end of 2009 I'm reflecting (still). This time about family.

This shape became one of my personal motifs some years ago to honor my connection to Japan where I spent my teen years, where my youngest son has lived since 1990 and where my sister Masako was born.

The first time I used this shape was for "Family Treasures".


















Both the new piece, tentatively titled "Family Roots" and "Family Treasures" are small, roughly 30" x 30". ("Masako Goes to Africa" posted on October 9 is too.) "Yukata Blues", however, is huge: 58" X 60".

Back to the reason for the post: end of the year work and reflecting about the past....at the same I'm time looking to the future and contemplating goals and resolutions. Of course, part of the reflecting is looking at this year's goals and resolutions and assessing how that went. Hard to believe that "website", "getting better organized" AND "keeping better records" are STILL on the list...for year three. Yikes!

By the way, I'm ALWAYS open to constructive criticism and would welcome comments regarding my work in progress. Honestly!