Love This Painting

I was in Marquette MI on Monday. I went to see the Michigan Quilt Art Invitational at the Peter White Public Library. I stumbled upon the Marquette Arts and Culture Center's exhibit in the library as well. I fell in love with this acrylic painting by artist Donna DeLoughary. I tried to find a website/blog for Donna but was unsuccessful. In my own work, my favorite sublect is the portrait and this painting just caught my attention. I love the bright colors and the contrast of the white background. I will continue to search out Donna because I want to tell her I love her painting

Meanwhile I checked out the MQAI exhibit. The theme was "Italy" and there were Tuscan, Venetian, Vatican, and italian cuisine quilts. The two photos are of my favorites.

The photos don't do them justice. The quilt on the left has amazing feather design machine quilting and fun sequins. The quilt on the right was embellished with all kinds of religious trinkets, symbols and crazy quilt embroidery. It was a fun day to enjoy some art whether it's an art quilt or a painting!!

Keepsake Quilting 2007 Revisited

In the fall of 2007 I entered this quilt The Woman With Red Lips" in the Keepsake Quilting "Black, White and Red" Challenge. All participants purchased the same 6 fabrics and were challenged to make a quilt 30"x30". I had never done this challenge thing before and it was the first quilt I mailed off. I received 2nd place out of over 100 entries which was wonderful!!! This shop/business has in their rules 1st and 2nd place become their property for traveling exhibits. I went to a local quilt show in Escanaba MI today knowing the Keepsake Quilting traveling exhibit would be on display. All week I prayed my quilt would be there and I was so happy to see it displayed!! It was like an old friend I have been missing and got to see again. This quilt represents the turning point of my journey to enter regional and national quilt shows and step outside the box. I have several photos of this quilt but to see it again made my day!! I have decided to make another one for myself to replace the one I saw today. I have the original face pattern but plan to tweek it because I can (no rules) and I prefer scrappy quilts to using only 6 fabrics. I will make this quilt the same size and colors.

Pat Bishop

Pat Bishop from Appleton Wisconsin spoke at my local quilt guild, Northwoods Quilts, last evening, Oct. 12, 2009. I know her from when I lived in Appleton and noticed she was excelling in the art quilt qorld. I was impressed with one of her quilts at the Quilt Expo in Madison last year and another quilt at the Appleton Art Center. Her work features nature themes, lots of thread painting and she is currently exploring abstract art quilts. My camera was being stupid and I do not have a photo to share with you. Pat has a quilting blog. www.patbishop.blogspot.com to check out. She is doing lectures for area quilt groups. Check out her beautiful quilts and her informational lectures. Go Pat!!

Can one quilt w/o being a packrat????

I'm hooked a new T.V. show on A & E called "Hoarders". It shows people with hoarders disorder. They have so much stuff they are ofter court ordered to remove their "stuff" or they will be evicted or their children will be removed from the home. It gets me thinking about my quilting. There is a standard joke among quilters that the one with the most fabrics wins!! Also if you are a quilter who embellishs your quilts, don't you need a supply of frou frou and bling?? And I have to have the varigated thread in every color!! I am fairly tidy because I have a small area in my studio and my significant other is a minimalist. So after watching "Hoarders" week after week, I decided to go through my fabric totes and downsize my stash. We all make fabric purchases that later we shake our heads at. I intend to donate this fabric to my local quilt guild The Northwoods Quilters. There is a group of ambitious women who make many quilts for charity and they can use the fabric. I figured my leftovers would be better served than at a thrift store. It was a good feng shui moment!