Day 3: FB Art Challenge

This is about my 3rd Day of the Art Challenge currently circulating on FaceBook. I was nominated by Pam Biswas.   Thank you Pam!  For this third day of the 5-day challenge, I am sharing three pieces that appeared in contests and shows, including one award winner.

This first quilt, "My Favorite Presidents", was made in 2003 for a competition held at Quilt Impressions, a quilt shop in Stafford (which has closed). 

 

The challenge was to make a quilt using the fabric with images of Washington, D.C. sites during cherry blossom season: the White House, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials and the Congressional building.    I combined the fabric (the blue squares in my quilt) with seven of my favorite Presidents of the United States: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton. 

The seven President blocks were all made by using patterns from Presidential Redwork: A Stitch in Time (click here for a link to Amazon).  After tracing the portraits, I used crayons and archival safe pigment pens to give the Presidents a little more color.  The Presidential Seal was included.

 

This quilt is the closest to a neutral monochromatic quilt that I have made ...  (however, on my "quilt bucket list" is a plan to create a beige-cream quilt).  My Presidential quilt won first place in the store's challenge, though it was really a Viewer's Choice award.  Customers in the shop could place votes per each can of food they brought and donated to the store's food drive (I confess - I may have brought a large bag or two of donations!  Did I buy my first place?)

The next piece is simply known as "Texas" and was featured on the program cover for the Texas Museum of Fiber Arts 2008 exhibit, held in Austin, Texas.  Here it is as it appeared in the show.

Texas is a locker-hooked rug made with 100% cotton fibers in an original design of the state of Texas.  It first appeared in the second Fiber Art show held at the Copper Shade Tree Gallery in Round Top, Texas in February, 2008.  My Beyond the Borders art quilt group were the featured artists in the first two fiber art shows at Copper Shade Tree Gallery.  The fiber art show is a February tradition now, and features fiber artists from across the state of Texas.  My rug, Texas was purchased during the show, but not before Carol Ikard of the Texas Museum of Fiber Arts admired it.  

Carol contacted me, requesting permission to use my Texas rug on her program cover, and she also tracked down the new owner and received permission to borrow the quilt for the exhibit. 

Such validation that someone admires your work when they want it to share with others and also want to feature it!  Here I am at the show's opening.

This last piece is a small, beaded piece that I named "DNA Gone Wild!" and is now also in a private collection.  DNA Gone Wild appeared in a Beyond the Borders show held in the Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts in October/November 2008.  This was quite a year for our Art Quilt group!

Here is the description that accompanied my piece:

Everyone has studied the double helix shape of DNA in a science class somewhere - in this piece, DNA Gone Wild!, the double helix has spun apart (or perhaps tighter), until the spiraling ladder configuration has reformatted into a single strand with multiple arms spinning out from a single core.  This new form is preparing to venture into a brave new world.

Materials used include: batik cotton fabrics, fibers, beading and buttons.  The size is 4" x 6".

It sold at the show (Wow! It is exciting to sell your precious hand-made art!)

 

I am including one more piece.  "Cooler Days Ahead" which features beading and hand embroidery on a mono-printed background fabric.  This 4" x 6" postcard appeared in the January 2009 show curated by Susan Lenz called  Cyber Fyber.  Click here to learn more about that show.

I nominate Patricia Marek to join this 5-day Art Challenge by posting three photos a day of her artwork, and nominating another artist to carry the challenge ever forward. I look forward to seeing your lovely art!

Susan's work

Tuesday before the opening of the 2014 International Quilt Festival, I visited the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) with a friend visiting from Chicago.  I was delighted to spy a quilt in the current exhibit CraftTexas 2014 that is a creation of a local friend of mine. 

Moon Drunk is an original work by Susan Fletcher King.

Susan used fabric, dye, thread, ink, and batting to create moonlight scene, stitching this piece in 2012.  (note: CraftTexas 2014 is open through December 24, 2014 at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft located at 4848 Main St, 77002.  Be sure to see it.)


Thursday was the first chance I had to view special exhibits at the huge festival.  Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison co-curated an exhibit titled Reflections (sponsored by Havel's Sewing, presented by the Dinner at Eight Artists).  It's description in the program reads: "A mirror image. A response to a thought or word. A memory. What glints back at us as we gaze upon the water? The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it. What will your reflection reveal about you?" Susan has a piece in this exhibit too.

The Parable of the Dragon and the Sheep by Susan Fletcher King

Susan explains her Reflection piece with this statement:  "Do you choose to stand out, be bold, and make a statement?  Or do you choose to be part of a flock, merely a reflection of your surroundings.  Every day the choice is yours."   She was inspired by a photograph of a South African Blue-headed Agama Lizard.

Then on Saturday as I was admiring the many quilts in the International Quilt Association's judged show, I spied a third quilt by Susan.

 

The Visitor by Susan Fletcher King

"Little miracles happen very occasionally, and if we are lucky, we might be in the right place at the right time to witness one.  Here, this heron is stepping from his world into ours, giving us a moment to always remember." reads Susan's statement.  Materials she used include prepared-for-dyeing (PDF) fabric, Tsukineko All-Purpose inks, acrylic paints, cotton batting, commercial fabric backing, numerous and various threads. Her original design was inspired by a photograph supplied by Thomas Wrublewski.  

All three quilts measure 24" x 60" in size.  All three quilts feature original designs that Susan drew, painted, inked, fused raw-edge applique pieces, stitched with many various threads and machine quilted.  To see more of her work, visit her website:

http://susanfletcherking.com/

Susan's work is also shown and sold through Copper Shade Tree Gallery in Round Top, Texas:

http://coppershadetree.com/

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

My friend Susan Fletcher King will be returning to the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft in June as one of their Artists in Residence.  The artists' studio doors are open and visitors are welcome to pop in for a chat and to see what they are creating.

I can hardly wait to visit Susan there in her new studio.   Be sure to drop by and visit her too.  Tell her that I sent you! 

A Texas Call ...

Craft Texas has opened it's 2012 Call for Art ... This Call culminates into a Fall Show, CraftTexas 2012, at the Houston Contemporary Craft Center (HCCC).  This is the seventh year for this special exhibit which features the best of Contemporary Craft made in Texas.  Featured artists, artisans and craftsmen hail from across our grand state and specialize in a diversity of materials including fiber, wood, glass, metal, clay, recyled/found objects and more.  Click here for more information about the exhibit and application process or go to http://www.crafthouston.org to see learn more about HCCC.

Applications are made through CaFE, CallForEntry.org, a website that specializes in Calls for Art (this is the first time I've ever heard of it -- but then I rarely apply these days ...).   Now just because I'm not applying, doesn't mean you shouldn't!  Go for it! (but you must live in Texas .... so move here, if necessary!)

Felted Bowl

The Sixth annual Houston-area Empty Bowls event is tomorrow. 

This year, I crocheted a bowl and then felted it.

Here is a bottom-side up view.

I made two -- and kept meaning to add embellishments of some sort, but ran out of time this year.  Be sure to come tomorrow and support the Houston Food Bank by enjoying a bowl of soup and selecting a bowl to keep as your special momento.

Empty Bowls 2010

This Saturday, May 22, is the Sixth Annual Empty Bowls event at the Houston Contemporary Craft Center.   As in the past two years, I have made a fiber-art bowl to donate to this worthy cause and I've encouraged my fellow art quilters and fiber artists to do the same.

If you have a bowl to donate -- they started collecting them last week and will be glad to accept yours too!  Just drop it by HCCC before Saturday or click here for more details.

If you are in or near Houston, be sure to stop to browse the wonderful selection of bowls and stay for a tasty lunch consisting of a bowl of soup (naturally!) and your choice of one lovely bowl to keep.  Minimum donation is $25.00, although they have a select group of upgraded bowls (these are fabulous!).  Come in the afternoon and look for me or my boys as we will be there volunteering.

Unique Centerpieces

The Texas Federation of Fiber Artists began their biennial conference this past week-end with the opening of Celebrating Our Creative Spirit, an exhibit of their work at the Houston Contemporary Craft Center (HCCC). Fiber enthusiasts came from across the state: from far (Alpine) and wide (the Rio Grande Valley) and from Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and surrounding smaller towns for this show and to mingle with their fellow fiber artists at the biennial conference.

During the conference, at each of Saturday's meals, table centerpieces featured colorful necklaces. Curiously each had a small number nearby. We were told that everyone would receive one of their table's necklaces as a keepsake of the day. We learned that trading was allowed, but perhaps more interesting was to see artists scouting out centerpieces before sitting down at the next two meals. I do not think that I was the only one to do this, or am I mistaken?


Breakfast featured funky necklaces made of clothespins, bobbins, paintbottles, etc.

This is my new treasure, and yes, the whistle really works. The assorted doo-dads include luggage keys, buttons, needle case, paper clips and more. This necklace reminds me of the old game show Let's Make a Deal. Remember when Monty Hall would challenge the audience to come up with something crazy from their pockets or purses?


Lunch featured fun necklaces.

This one is long and brightly colored (and lightweight when compared to my first). I must have traded three or four times before I ended up with this necklace. I saw that it is easiest to trade with the closer table-mates. As soon as that first trade happens, everyone comments on which necklaces they like, leading to the next trade. It was quite entertaining. I am pleased to own this necklace, even though I liked the ones I traded away. Perhaps the fun was in making the trade?


The evening banquet necklaces were fancy and quite simply, fantastic!

I fell instantly in love with the one that I originally drew, so I traded with no one. The knot is wonderful and appeals to the scout leader that lives within me. To learn who made each my three necklaces is now my goal ... perhaps I will find out at our next HAFA meeting which is this week (yea! I can hardly wait.)

These centerpieces were a wonderfully fun, unique decorating idea. First - the necklaces made colorful centerpieces, yet each was different from every other one. Second - giving away the necklaces before the meal's end provided an easy ice-breaker. You met everyone at your table to admire the necklace they received. Third - all the necklaces made wonderful keepsakes of this great conference.


Kudos to the Houston Area of Fiber Artists (HAFA) who organized this biennial conference. Kudos to Iva Jensen and her fabulous team who spent many hours making necklaces as well as planning the many activities of the week-end.

Save the date now:
The next Texas Federation of Fiber Artists Conference will be co-hosted by
San Antonio Fiber Artists (SAFA)
&
Austin Fiber Artists (AFA)

February 24-26, 2012
Kerrville, Texas

Empty Bowls 2009

Above is a curious peek at the first of four bowls that I will be delivering this Saturday to the 2009 Empty Bowls event in Houston. This is the second year that my Beyond the Borders (BTB) Art Quilt group has contributed bowls to this annual fundraiser benefiting the Houston Food Bank.

If you are in or near Houston this Saturday, March 21, please drop by the Houston Contemporary Craft Center (HCCC) and the Lawndale Art Center to view the thousands of bowls donated by local artisans to this worthy cause. If you find one (or more) that call to you, a mere $25.00 allows you to take it home. To celebrate your purchase, you will be given a tasty bowl of soup (in a different bowl!) for your lunch. There will be live music and a variety of craft demonstrations taking place too.

Now to see how wonderfully creative my BTB friends are ...

Here is Connie Fahrion's bowl, the one I've been teasing you with. It is a delicately sweet bowl.

She named it "Earth, Wind and Fire"

A look at the bottom ...
and the colorful sides ....
changing with the different angles.

Janice McKeehan created two bowls for this worthy event. This one is made using felt as the stabilizer, assorted cotton greens, beading, light and petite stamped designs (one has to look close to see them) and lots of quilting to hold the layers together.

The sides overlap, held in place with a lovely beaded embellishment.

The base is signed and dated, naturally.

The back stands tall, taller still if you unfold the cuff.

This is a great bowl ... I wonder who will select it this Saturday?

Janice made this second bowl to donate as well. I am sure you will agree it is a fabulous and unique floral bowl.

I just love it!

Each of the petals and leaves are wired, giving them the natural wavy look. They can be re-shaped if needed or desired.

An underneath view ...

Looking into the heart of the flower to see its beaded center.

Now for my 2009 Empty Bowl donation....

(may I have a drum roll, please?)

First, a view of the inside -- a simple, spotted green ready to be filled with your favorite what-nots.

Next, a view of the outside -- layers of yarns, fibers, tulle and netting, possibly a stray candy wrapper or two as well.

It has a well-loved, shabby-chic look, or are my rose-colored glasses blinding me?

Can you believe the diversity of these four bowls? Think -- these are by just three artists. Imagine the thousands of other bowls that will be there on Saturday! With ceramic and clay bowls in the majority, without a doubt, there will be an extremely wide range of all kinds of bowls ... including bowls crafted with wood, paper, felted wool and other fiber creations (including these four -- Thank you Janice and Connie!)

Please come to HCCC and Lawndale (side by side on Main Street) this Saturday, March 21, 2009 between 11:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. I will be volunteering in the morning with my boys and my friend Tammy. Make a $25.00 minimum donation and enjoy a tasty lunch of soup, listen to entertaining live music, watch various craft demos taking place, shop for the bowl of your choice and support the Houston Food Bank!

Click here to view last year's BTB bowls.

Click here to find an Empty Bowls event near you.

BTB show extended

Our Beyond the Borders "Unifying Threads" exhibit at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft has been extended one more week. It will be in place through December 28. If you are in the area, be sure to come see it!

The HCCC gift shop has many unique hand-crafted items that may finish up the last of your holiday shopping too.

Unifying Threads

I'm pleased to announce that my Beyond the Borders Art Quilt group (BTB) will be the featured artists in an upcoming exhibit at the Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts!

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"Unifying Threads"
Fabric, Fiber and Thread

Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts
4848 Main St. - Houston, Texas
In the Museum District

October 26 - December 21, 2008
Opening 6:00-8:00 pm, Friday, October 24


featuring these Beyond the Borders quilt & fiber artists:

Elizabeth Broussard - Susan Byrne - Elaine Connelly
Nancy B. Dickey - Connie Fahrion - Susan Fletcher King
Mary Ann Littlejohn - Linda Teddlie Minton
Sara Sissenwein - Jo Sweet - Catherine Winter

Excerpt from the HCCC October mid-month newsletter:
Unifying Threads showcases beautiful art quilts by the contemporary art-quilt group, Beyond the Borders. The Houston-area group has been meeting for over nine years on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Quilt ‘N’ Sew in Katy, Texas. Their goal is to embrace creativity, while coloring outside the lines of traditional quilting. Juried by HCCC’s Curator of Fine Craft, Gwynne Rukenbrod, the show includes 24 pieces, ranging from large-scale traditional-style quilts to postcard-sized quilt collages that demonstrate a wide variety of themes and techniques.


Please come to our show Unifying Threads while you are in town for the International Quilt Market and Festival. HCCC is in the museum district, not far from downtown. You will be glad that you did!