Michigan Quilt Artist Invitatonal at Spies Library in Menominee MI

The 2011-2012 Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational themed "Art of the Kitchen" has traveled through Lower Michigan since Sept. 2011 and now my city, Menominee, has this awesome exhibit this April and May 2012 at Spies Public Library Gallery during normal library hours.  The exhibit is free to the public.There are 48 art quilts sized 20" x 24" either vertical or horizontal and I have photographed a few of my favorites. The first one is fun because it reminds me of Andy Warhol and pop art from the 1960s and 1970s.

This piece by Mary Andrews, one of the two creators and curators of MQAI, is awesome because I love rick rack, aprons and it reminds me of June Cleaver from "Leave it to Beaver!"

This quilt by Robbie Payne is great because she has mastered beading and there are LOTS of tiny sead beads in this piece!!

 I love this quilt because of the colors, the detailed appliques and the leaves protruding beyond the edges of the quilt. It is inspired by a kitchen wallpaper border.

This quilt is fun to me because it reminds me of a 1960s kitchen ! Love the colors and the background fabrics!!

This quilt is a seven layer salad and it puts a smile on my face because the artist used green pom poms for the peas and there are individual pieces of "cheese" scattered around the quilt. Very creative!!

And last I have included my piece because I had so much fun making it and exploring the difference between 1940s and 1950s kitchen appliances, fashions, hair etc. I love pin up girls and liked the '50s pastels with the black/white accents.

All the art quilts are very creative and amasing how 48 artists can interpret a theme in such a diverse way. check it out if you are in the area!!

South of the Border Exhibit at Spies Library

Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational 2010 themed "South of the Border" is on display at Spies Public Library Gallery, Menominee MI currently until Friday December 30, 2011 during library hours. This is a group of art quilters from both Upper and Lower Michigan that create a 20" x 24" themed wall hanging of their choice and the exhibit travels throughout the state and is free of charge to view.This years theme is "South of the Border" and of the 30 quilts displayed I am teasing you with 7 of the beautiful quilts. The warm tropical flavor of the exhibit is just in time for the midwest cold weather approaching!! Check it out if you are able. As a quilter I am amazed by the wonderful techniques especially the outer edges and bindings or lack of a binding!!This blue and white quilt has such awesome contrast

 and the tile wall looks so real!!

 What can I say-this quilt has all the colors of Mexico and South America!!

 This piece got my attention because it wasn't bright and it created a calmness in me when I viewed it!!

 This quilt has my favorite-circles in it and I love the fabric fringy lower edge!! What a great idea!!

 This chihauhau quilt is called "Border Patrol" and has me laughing since I love the movie "Beverly Hills Chihauhau" and thought of the talking chihauhaus!!

 This blue and orange wall hanging is by my blog friend Robbie Payne and needs to be seen up close since her detail work is mind blowing. You rock Robbie!!

This piece has lots of chenille which gives oodles of texture and very colorful!!

I hope you are teased and tempted and have the chance to see this colorful, happy and creative art quilt exhibit!!

Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational

The photos I have added today are of the Art of Nature traveling art quilt exhibit created by the Michigan Quilt Art Invitational. This is a group of Michigan fiber artists formed by Mary Andrews and Marti Calhoun 15 years ago. There are 60 quilts in the exhibit all sized 20" x 24" either vertically or horizontally. The artists are juried into the group based on their body of artwork. Each year a theme is chosen such as Italy, space travel/astronomy, south of the border and this exhibits theme of nature. The exhibit travels across the state of Michigan and I wanted it in Upper Michigan besides Marquette since I feel we are occationally overlooked as being part of Michigan! This exhibit, of about 30 pieces, is in Menominee, MI, where I live, at Spies Public Library Gallery. The exhibit is on display until December 30, 2010. If you are in the area check it out during normal library hours and there is no fee to view the display. For more information on Michigan Quilt Art Invitationl go to http://www.maryandrewsartquilts.com/.

Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational

I was invited to join the Michigan Quilt Artists Invitational last fall. It is a group of fiber artists from Upper and Lower Michigan curated by Mary Andrew and Marty Calchoun. Each year there is a theme such as Italy, nature, space and sky etc. The 2011 theme is "South of the Border" and the exhibit begins this Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 in Flint MI. I live many miles from lower Michigan and will not be attending the opening reception which is sad to me. My piece is called "Frida" and I love Frida Kahlo's artwork. I chose warm tropical "mexican" colors for the background. It is embellished with fabric paint, a pendant of a cross which appeared vintagey and it was made into Frida's earring. I also have rickrack and black beads sewn around the outside on the border. I rewatched the move about her in which Salma Hayek played her to experience her life and her art. The dove in the upper lefthand corner represents the nickname her husband had for her. I have this piece up for sale as it travels through Michigan in 2010-2011. My daughter, Jordana, loved it so much I made a similar one in her apartment colors.

Jordana's FRIDA Quilt

Jordana liked the wall hanging I made for the upcoming Michigan Quilt Art Invitational of Frida Kahlo. She just moved across town in Green Bay and is redecoratingand she asked if I would make her a similar quilt in different colors. I have used mostly batiks and the "Frida" name stayed the same. I stitched on black silk leaves and flowers and have buttons in the center of each flower. There is some fabric paint to give Frida brown eyes and an actual earring pierced through the fabric to resemble Frida's big earrings. I will see Jordana tomorrow and give it to her.

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!!