Demonstrating Art Quilting Techniques

Demonstrating Art Quilting Techniques at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum 

This last Sunday, I was at the Texas State History Museum with a few friends demonstrating art quilting techniques. But really, we mostly did surface design. This lovely poster greeted our visitors as they entered the foyer. I was delighted! It had a full view of my quilt, Building UP on it, the color is fabulous!! AND, after the demonstrations were over, I got to keep this lovely sign! Then a bit closer to our classrooms, more signs telling what we are doing. Sherri McCauley is posing with me next to our sign. She showed visitors how to make stamps and use fabric paint on fabric. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of Connie Hudson. She was demonstrating painting on fabric too, in a different style. We also strolled by the museum store on our way in. They have a number of my quilts for sale. These three are hanging from the ceiling and look fantastic. They are, Winter to Spring, A Few of My Favorite Things, and Synchronized Swimming. Here are a few of my smaller quilts in the Little House Series. Two of these have sold already! Awesome!! A proud new owner of my Little House quilt. Not sure who is happier! Here I am, in the classroom, demonstrating deconstructed screen printing. I had a blast playing with this technique, and even more fun trying to explain it to my visitors. The next shot is a photo of a screen I did earlier in the week. The print paste has a bit of dye added to it, then it is globbed onto the screen to dry. Next you 'pull' through the screen some fresh print paste with a dye of a contrasting color and it slowly dissolves and prints the design you had put on previously. Each run dissolves more and more making the image slowly fade away. It's really fun, and you get some rather interesting results.

Come See Me!

Come See Me! 

at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum November 22, 1-3 pm. In conjunction with the opening of A Legacy of Quilts, the Joyce Gross Collection, I will be demonstrating art quilting techniques along with a few of my friends. I will also have my recent first place winning quilt, Building UP, on display while I am there. And, if you miss me, stop by the Gift Shop. A number of my quilts will be for sale there!! Hooray! Kathy York: deconstructed screen printing Connie Hudson: fabric painting Frances Holliday Alford: machine quilting Sherri Lipman McCauley: fabric painting, abstract constructions

On the Quilt Scene Houston 2009

On the Quilt Scene Houston 2009

A total surprise to me, but my quilt, Winter to Spring, is in the new magazine by Pokey and her crew at Interweave, International Quilt Festival Quilt Scene! Here I am at the Quilting Arts booth holding up a copy of the cover and another copy turned to page 67 with my quilt. Proudly, my mom is taking the photo of me!! I didn't get what this magazine was about until I opened the cover and peaked inside. It is packed with eye candy of beautiful prize winning quilts and wonderful interesting projects and stories. Rather expensive at $15/copy, I thought it was worth every penny! What follows, is a few random snapshots of my experience of the Quilt Scene. It is a fun and overwhelming experience and impossible to capture the entire essence. Here I am standing in front of my first place winning quilt, Building UP. My daughter was with me and snapped the photo for me. She was beaming with excitement. Next, I found Judy Perez and we walked around a bit. Here she is in front of her prize winning quilt, Moon Garden. It garnered an Honorable Mention, and it is even more wonderful in person than in the photo, and it looks pretty darn good in the photo. Kudos to you, Judy! Ah, then off to search for my favorite singing fusers, Laura Wasilowski, and Frieda Anderson. In my eyes, their booth wins most colorful, and therefore, most beautiful! And their cheerful and friendly personalities welcome visitors in with gusto! Next, hanging out with old friends and on the prowl for dinner. Here we are, Nina Perez and Rachel Parris, Frances Holliday Alford, myself and Julie Upshaw, and Vickie Hallmark. I am posing with one of Vickie's new fabulous jewelry locket pendant with a wonderful little bird. Her design work always appeals to me! Next is a series of photos because I am fascinated with taking pictures of people taking pictures. It's like a mathematical iteration. First up, Pokey Bolton. Bet you didn't know that she likes to jump on the bed to take her photos! Next, Misty fuse Iris Karp. Gone are the days of looking through the view finder. Last, we have Jamie Fingal. I am not exactly sure why she is bending over so far, but she is shooting a table full of people with spoons on their noses. I get to that later! I may have failed to mention by this time on Saturday night, I had a horrible cold. I was using every medication known to man trying to feel better. It is understandable then, even at a crowded table why Iris would want to sit so far away. I didn't take it personally. :) Next, I don't know how this started or why, but it really doesn't matter. What I do know is that it was fun and funny and contagious. We were all balancing spoons on our noses, though I didn't get photos of everyone....you get the general idea. Maybe it had something to do with being in the Wine Room? No, wait, I think they call it the Glass Room? Here's a picture of Jamie when she is not taking pictures or balancing a spoon on her nose! She is really quite lovely! Next, just some more photos around the table at dinner that night. Sadly, I did not get photos of everyone. I think I missed Leslie Jenison and Susie Monday. I blame it on my cold. Included are Judy Perez, myself with Rachel again, and Melly Mells Testa, Frances Holliday Alford Last, it has been quite a long time since my children were in Houston with me. This year I was graced by the presence of my daughter on Friday, and both children on Sunday. We played in the park and swam in the pool on the top floor of the Hilton, actually, they swam, I watched, sniffling from a bench. That part didn't go the way I expected, but they seemed to have a good time! This is the first year that I have been in Houston that I did not take photos of the quilt exhibits. Sorry that I don't have that to share with you. I didn't get to see most of the exhibits until Sunday, and by then I was really tired, and also sick. I am humbled and inspired by the beauty in these wonderful quilts! I tried to drink in the experience of being with the quilts, and I let go of trying to capture their images. And though it is the quilts draw us together, I find that reconnecting with friends at the show is the most meaningful for me.