On our way!

On our way!
Both of my entries were accepted to Tactile Architecture debuting in Houston, TX at the International Quilt Festival! and they are, drum roll please.......Central Park and our group project Artists' Village!!

I am so happy for several reasons.  One is that I had made another 3D quilt called Little Fish in a Big City.  It is in Quilt National '09 which is still touring.  One of the venues for the collection that my quilt was traveling in was for Houston this year.  Something happened.  I don't know what, but it is no longer slated to come to Houston.  I am so disappointed, I really wanted this quilt to be seen in Houston.  So, it is especially wonderful, that the sequel, Central Park, is going to Houston!  And, even better, the theme of this quilt...the dense population of downtown areas and the need for green space is replicated at the George Brown Convention Center, located in downtown Houston around a lovely, lovely park!  Perfect!

The second reason is that since inviting 16 artists to make our artists' village I have been on pins and needles worried about finding a venue for it.  Tactile Architecture seemed the perfect venue and was my first choice.  But our village was an unusual entry, because it is large, 3D and is a collaborative project.  But I like LARGE, and I love 3D (it is art that looks different as you move around and view it from different angles), and I crave and am hugely rewarded by collaborative projects.  This is just PERFECT!

Growing up in a Hot House

Growing up in a Hot House
My house is a reflection of daily life with kids and menopause.  The inside of the house is soft and cozy, with kid photos and upholstered bolsters for lounging, and ephemera attached to the walls with mod podge.  The chimney is the conduit to provide a path for getting the excess heat out of the house.  It falls droopy on the scorched roof and at times flies through the air in the light up neon tubing and flashing (like a hot flash!).  My dream is that the structure of our family, like this house, is strong enough to protect the cherished ones, to support them with love and understanding, and to withstand all that comes our way.

 Construction of my house...
I cut out shapes for the sides and the roof.  I fused white fabric to cover the front, and some deconstructed screen printed fabric on the insides of the front and back panels.  Then I fused the hand-dyed colored squares to the outside.  I quilted heavily and satin stitched the flowers on the sides.  Next I carefully cut with an exacto knife to make an opening for the window in the back and the door on the front.  I also crafted a chimney for the inside and knotched a hole in the roof panel.
 I seamed together some lava panels for the roof with batting between the layers.  Then I turned the pieces right side out, and heavily quilted those as well.  I fused the chimney in place with red organza and glued photos and other treasures to the inside with mod podge.  I also fused a red organza panel to the back side to represent the chimney and added the text "menopause, hot flash!.  I stuffed the chimney with the power supply and driver for the neon cables and cut a notch on the outside back wall for the switch, so that it can be turned on from the outside.  Last step was joining all the pieces by hand using a whip stitch.  A labor of love.

Last but not least, my vision is that my house doesn't stand alone, but in a community of people, wonderful supportive people. Here is my house in the village.  You can see the list of participating artists and links to their websites here.

Artist Village Project- Sneak Peek

Artist Village Project- Sneak Peek

I have been inspired by so many people.  And I have been supported by many great friends.  I couldn't do it alone, be an artist that is.  With this in mind, I came up with a collaborative project to include a number of old friends and some new friends. We are taking 3D to new extremes! And while I am not ready to show the entire project yet, I wanted to give you a sneak peak of my part.  

This is the inside of my front door and one of the side walls.  I am blessed with a daughter who is constantly leaving me notes.  This time she sent the note with a gift wrapped in plain newsprint and tape.  Inside?  A 3 of hearts on her kitty card.  Too cute for words.  It warms my heart!  Sweet, sweet, sweet. 

More later when we get the village assembled, and hopefully, a blog tour!