Nobody will stop you from creating.

“Nobody will stop you from creating. Do it tonight. Do it tomorrow. That is the way to make your soul grow - whether there is a market for it or not! The kick of creation is the act of creating, not anything that happens afterward. I would tell all of you watching this screen: Before you go to bed, write a four line poem. Make it as good as you can. Don’t show it to anybody. Put it where nobody will find it. And you will discover that you have your reward.”

Kurt Vonnegut 

After

“It is a joy to walk in the bare woods,
The moonlight is not broken by the heavy leaves.
The leaves are down, and touching the soaked earth,
Giving off the odor that partridges love.”

Robert Bly, III from “Solitude Late at Night in The Woods”

Quilt Visions 2012

Contemporary Quilt Artists from Around the World at Visions Art Museum

 Artists from around the globe will be at Visions Art Museum on October 20^th for the premier of Quilt Visions 2012: Brainstorms the latest edition of an international biennial competition that has drawn crowds since 1987.

Three esteemed jurors were challenged to select an exhibition that represents outstanding design and technique from 390 entries. They have selected 40 outstanding works of art from 17 states and five foreign countries created in the last two years.   The knowledgeable jurors were Kate Lenkowsky, author of the award-winning book, Contemporary Quilt Art: An Introduction and Guide; Jane Przybysz, former executive director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, currently executive director of the McKissick Museum of the University of South Carolina, Columbia; and Kent Williams an award winning contemporary quilter whose work has appeared in numerous juried exhibitions including previous Quilt Visions biennials.

This year the 12^th Quilt Visions exhibition will be presented for the first time at the Visions Art Museum: Contemporary Quilts + Textiles at Liberty Station in San Diego, California. From the opening weekend festivities beginning October 20^th to the close on February 17^th, Visions Art Museum will welcome thousands of visitors from around the world and throughout the U.S.

First Light

A 100-page color catalog of the exhibition will be available for sale in the Visions Store.

                                                                                                                                    

Visions Art Museum: Contemporary Quilts + Textiles is located at 2825 Dewey Road in Liberty Station, San Diego, California. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $5, children age 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Visions Art Museum members enjoy year-round complimentary admission.

For more information visit the website, www.visionsartmuseum.org or call 619-546-4872

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Update!
Several Folks have sent me pix as I could not attend the opening!
Thanks! and especially Lura and Valerie!

(not sure why there is a ruler above mine though)

The Flannel Shirt

 I actually got a chance to sit down at my sewing machine for an hour today. I'm in the midst of building a home, so I haven't had much of a chance of late.

I was wearing one of my Dad’s old flannel shirts. Great for this time of year. Easy to get out of for this time of life!

I was trying to steer a piece of work though the machine to free quilt. So, I laid my left arm down on the piece to stabilize it. The flannel sleeve acted just like a flannel design board, firmly holding the piece in place as I quilted. Wow! It made the quilting process so much easier!

Thought you'd like to know!

Quilt National 2012

This is one of three of my newest works that didn't make the cut for Quilt National. This was my favorite.

Depicts a pile of rocks collaged digitally with a journal page. Printed on pre-treated digital canvas. Stitched with several colors of thread for design emphasis. Cut apart & tied with a type of bookbinding knot. Edges finished with paint.

The Rocks are Smiling

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This is my tribute to love of nature, to bring awareness to our 21^st problem of the environmental crisis. Our tender earth needs our help. Industrial farming is reducing the varieties of food. Varieties created over centuries. Pesticides are contributing to disease. Our reliance on petroleum based products, oil, plastics and Styrofoam, are killing us. When we will take action?

 When the earth remembers?

ART QUILTS YEAR XVII: Integrating A Paradox

In Boats They Fled

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We are who we are

We are who we are at the moment. Change is, hopefully, is inevitable. Past mistakes can't be redone but the future is constantly made. Therein lies my hope.

“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.” - Alan Cohen 

“Inner beauty, too, needs occasionally to be told it is beautiful.” - Robert Brault

Making a DVD- Textured Photos

After flying to Denver, I found a shuttle and was whisked off to Loveland.

I arrived the day before the shoot so I would be rested. Excited, nervous but rested.

I practiced and practiced so I was ready. I had lots of steps outs, ideas and techniques to show.

*I have to add, my MO is to stuff as much as I can into a workshop- same here. The DVD explains the process of printing on lightweight molding paste to add texture, interest and lots of fun to digital fiber. It is long but, well, thats good- right!
Looking calm (below)- not!

* a quote from the blog post below- "I discovered Wen and her innovative, cool experiments a couple of years ago. When I get frustrated or bored with my work, I just ask myself : "What would Wen do?" She is the best! I use my digital camera or a scanner to make images of my work. The college where I teach (Paul Smith's in New York State's Adirondack mountains) has a couple of great large scanners if I have a larger piece. I'm also working with a friend who aspires to do professional photography."
*nice blog post here

The staff was very helpful and patient. This photo show how the camera will pick up what I'm showing on the computer. I love this stuff!

*the DVD can be found here