another Art Call: Blurred Boundaries - Mixed Media

Since I've posted an earlier art call, thought I'd add this one too --
the 2009 Exhibit of Blurred Boundaries, Mixed Media Fiber Art

Entry deadline WAS June 20, 2009

NOW EXTENDED to June 28, 2009

Theme: The definition of Fiber Art has evolved greatly over the past few years, opening up a new range of possibilities to artists working in various disciplines. Fiber artists are incorporating more mediums into their work, creating unique art that reaches across previously defined boundaries. Artists from other mediums are discovering the infinite possibilities that fiber can offer, also creating hybrids that are eye catching and moving. Blurred Boundaries seeks these arttworks for a week long exhibition honoring the ingenuity of mixed media fiber art.

A quick rundown on the exhibit:

Juror: Virginia Spiegel

Curator: Lynn Krawczyk

* Mixed media fiber art exhibit - work must contain a minimum of 25% fiber in order to qualify for the exhibit - otherwise anything goes!

* The exhibit will run in conjunction with the fabulous and exciting Fabrications Retreat in Kalamazoo, Michigan from August 30 - September 4, 2009. The exhibit will also be open to the public.

* Open to U.S. residents only.

* 2D and 3D work accepted.

* Work may be for sale (a very low 15% commission fee), there will be a $100 People's Choice Award and everyone who is in the exhibit will receive a small package of mixed media goodies for use in future work.

* Submission of images is done entirely online (no need to mail CDs!), the entry form is filled out online (less paper to print!) and you have the option of paying the $25 entry fee by either Paypal or personal check. Enter up to 3 pieces.


The full guidelines can be downloaded as a PDF at the exhibit's website here:
http://www.fabricationsretreat.com/exhibit.html

Call for Texas Fiber Art

Here is this year's information for the annual Fiber in February show at the Copper Shade Tree gallery in Round Top, Texas. I invite any and all Texas fiber artists to apply! Read on for further details ....

"The Art in Fiber"

February 5 - March 7, 2010

Copper Shade Tree - Fine Craft Gallery
206 E. Mill St.
Round Top, Texas
info@coppershadetree.com
www.coppershadetree.com

Copper Shade Tree is a fine craft gallery located in Round Top, Texas. Our small town is a tourist attraction for visitors from around the world. The gallery focus is the Texas artist. Currently, there are nearly 80 artists represented in the gallery, with two-thirds of them live within 150 miles of Round Top, of which we consider to be local art.

Once again, it's time to prepare for our February Fiber Show. This will be the fourth year to host this popular event. Each year we've expanded the show to include more areas of Texas. The 2009 show included 18 fiber artists with a total of 102 art quilts displayed in the gallery and 114 art quilts displayed on our website. For 2010, our intent is to include a smaller quantity of pieces, but not necessarily the number of artists.

As some of you know, we continuously change the look of the gallery. We want our customers to feel as though they are walking into a different gallery each time they visit. This also helps them get a different perspective of each piece of art. Our gallery is a tool that helps educate the public about fine craft in Texas.

The new approach for 2010 is to exhibit Fiber Wall Art. Our definition of Fiber Wall Art is: art quilt, thread painting, weaving, etc. that is framed (without glass), or applied to painted canvas, or fabric covered canvas, etc. Art quilts may use the traditional hanging method with sleeve and stick.

The requirements for the 2010 show include a total of four (4) Fiber Wall Art pieces:
* One (1) 10" x 10" fiber art on 12" x 12" x 1-1/2" painted canvas (your choice of color) with the theme - "American Landscape".
* Three (3) Fiber Wall Art pieces: Maximum size 4' wide x 5' long and the Minimum size is 8" x 10". (Size is limited due to space restrictions; however, you are encouraged to submit different sizes to show your diverse creativity)
* Either mail or hand-deliver one (1) finished piece of artwork for the jury process.
* Each piece of artwork will be your original design.
* Each piece of artwork will be created exclusively for "The Art in Fiber" exhibit (Work cannot have been exhibited in any other show or competition)
* $20 application fee (non-refundable) Payable to: Copper Shade Tree
* Must be a Texas resident
* Consignment fee of any sold work. (65/35% ...the gallery retains 35% of sell price.

Copper Shade Tree reserves the right to reject any piece of art at the time of delivery.

Marketing and food for the Opening Reception will be provided by Copper Shade Tree.

Important Dates and Timeline:

September 1, 2009 Deadline for submitting your Artist resume that includes your personal information, accomplishments, awards, etc. and one (1) finished artwork for the jury process.

September 9, 2009 Copper Shade Tree will notify the individual artists of the jury results. These artists will then have their individual pieces selected in January for the show. Once selected, further detailed information will be distributed.

December 1, 2009 Deadline to deliver the "American Landscape" artwork. A hardcover book is being planned for this series.

January 19 - 22, 2010 The artists who have been selected for the show will bring their finished pieces to the Copper Shade Tree for selection. An appointment will be set with each artist during these dates.

A long absence & books!

I've been away for ages and ages and am missing my blogging and art friends! It is now summer, former jobs and obligations are complete (or my portion is on summer-hold), and my health is on the mend (minor bout with pneumonia this spring was quite an interference, but mandated a slow-down which I enjoyed by reading reading and reading some more!)

Have you read any great books lately? If so, post the title/author in the comments as I'm always looking for another great book to get lost in.

I have recently read:
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows.
Set in England in post WWII, the entire plot (including stories during & post German-Occupation, and a book club) is told entirely through letters, letters to and from various characters in this novel. It is totally fascinating! Read more about this book by clicking here.

2. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
Set in Renaissance Florence just as the Medici family was losing their command of the city-state, this tells an intriguing story of a young woman who yearns to be an artist. The Amazon link is here.

3. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews
For a lighter read, this is the eighth in a series of enjoyable murder mysteries featuring Meg Langslow. The first in the series, Murder with Peacocks, won several acclaimed mystery awards. Click here for more on this author and her books.

4. The Quilter's Homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini
I am just beginning this book from the Elm Creek Quilts series. It continues the story of Elizabeth Nelson, the Bergstrom cousin who married in Pennsylvania then moved to Southern California. I have always enjoyed how Chiaverini weaves quilt making into her stories of living, and am behind on her latest additions to this series. Her website is here.


Hmmm, what ever shall I read next?

West U Art-Night Quilt

One of the best things about our elementary school are the Extra-Curricular Nights sponsored by our PTO. I jumped in our Kindergarten year to help with Art Night (There is also International, Math, & Science Nights). Art Night is geared specifically toward our Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders and features both demonstrations and make-n-take projects.

The theme that year, 2004, focused on artists & craftsmen. A Potter was throwing clay on a wheel and children received their own lump of clay to mold and shape. A Jewelry artist had a display of her creations and assisted the kids in making their own beaded bracelets. A local Portrait Painter taught children how to draw a person or a dog (most chose to draw the dog, naturally). There were several others as well (but they've slipped from my memory). I was the Quilter and brought several of my quilts to share. My station had not one but two quilt-design related activities.

My first activity was for the children to experience the joy of designing a quilt block using two basic shapes. These new quilters had a large variety of fabric squares and triangles (all pre-cut from my stash) and a few sample "classic" nine-patch blocks to get them started. To keep it a short-easy-to-do project, they simply used glue stick to fasten their design onto a piece of cardstock. It was fun to watch the kids (& the non-quiting parents) agonize over color options, block arrangement &/or basic design. While many made one block and moved on to the next activity quickly, a large number asked to make two lingering long past the allotted time.

My second project was not a make-n-take one, but rather to make a block to be used in a quilt for the next school auction. The children were to draw something colorful on the prepared blocks. My idea had been to make three separate quilts for the next year's school auction, one for each of the grade levels attending Art Night. In actuality, three quilts were not made for two reasons: many wanted to keep their colorfully drawn designs and those leaving theirs as instructed forgot to sign their name &/or grade on the freezer paper back. I did have enough to make a nice twin size quilt. Here are a few photos of the top before it was quilted.

This is the top left corner. Sharpies of all colors were the tools provided. Word of caution: be sure to be in a well-ventilated room when working with this many participants as multiple Sharpies open at once is quite fragrant!

This is the top right corner. I love the colorful kid-face-print fabric used for the borders. It has all the colors of the Sharpies and fabrics used in the quilt blocks and sashings.

Here are six blocks from the center of the quilt. Each block was bordered on two sides (right and lower sides) with different bright fabrics that coordinated with the block itself and with the border print. An additional row along the top and left sides completed the framed-block sashing look.

Here is the finished quilt before going to Mike Walton of Astro Quilting for his masterful work (oh to have time, money and space to be my own long-armer! maybe one day ....)

This is the lower right corner. The label appears on the front to finish the quilt to be 10 rows of 7 blocks apiece. Isn't it nice when the math works out so easily?

The quilt was sold in the school auction, bringing in a hefty amount for the PTO coffers that year. I will have to get a photo of the finished quilt to add to this post .... one day. Two years later I became the Chair of Art Night -- but that's a story to tell another day ....

A Place to Bark

"Home" is the theme for the 2009 Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit, supporting Bernie Berlin's "A Place to Bark". This is an annual exhibit curated by Lynn Krawczyk. Below are Lynn's words describing the exhibit with links to further details and entry information. Read on:

Breaking Traditions has become a community effort, helping to support the fundraising projects of fellow fiber/mixed media artists.

The 2009 exhibit will benefit Bernie Berlin's dog rescure, A Place to Bark. In honor of Bernie's efforts to find orphaned and abused dogs permanent loving homes, the theme for the 2009 exhibit is "Home."

The exhibit features 12"x12" art quilts. Participants for the 2009 show will express those things, memories or emotions that define home to them. This is an open call exhibit, everyone is encourage to participate. Prizes are donated for those in the exhibit and an Exhibit Favorite is chosen.

Guidelines and entry form can be found here.

Prize information can be found here.

Would you like to help? Find out ways you can here.

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This is a wonderful opportunity for everyone -- as it is an Open Call exhibit, with prizes handed out as well! What have you got to lose? Along with 92 other artists, I participated in last year's exhibit "With One Voice" which raised over $1,000 for the American Cancer Society, last year's designated charity.

I will join this annual fun again this year as I plan to make a new quilt for the new show. Won't you join me?

One of my favorite quilts

I love the challenge of making quilts as a collaborative effort, especially when the quilt is meant as a gift to someone special. This is one of my favorite quilts, because it was a gift from the hearts of many to one recipient, to honor her for her years in teaching. It uses artwork made by non-quilters (in this case - children) which is a fun collaboration (try it sometime!). But this quilt is not the first group quilt nor the first quilt featuring children's art that I have made. The first such quilt was one created especially for Grandma Shirley Burkom in honor of her retirement as the Director of the Becker Early Childhood Center, where my children attended preschool. It just so happens that she retired the very year that my boys were graduating from PreK. (Grandma Shirley, I need to get a new photo of your quilt to add here!). I went on to make a quilt for one of my sons' Kindergarten teachers, a wedding gift from the class (Kari, I'm way over due for a visit to you & would love a photo of your quilt to put here!). I even made a quilt for the WUE school auction one year. It featured many many blocks of kid-art in bright colors (third photo, this time needed from Melinda Mogas. Please Melinda?).

But enough of other quilts that I don't have photos of ... The quilt that I am featuring now was initially blogged about it nearly a year ago, shortly after its completion. I removed the blog post almost immediately after posting it, as the quilt was meant to be a surprise and there was a great fear that the surprise would be discovered too early! So I am happy to feature my original post about this lovely quilt that has been given to Reverend Jan Imig, from the many school children at First Methodist Church.

** ** ** ** **

What do you give someone to honor her for the years of caring and dedication she has given to your religious school program? My friend Sandy Faison had a great idea: make a quilt filled with art by the children. Jan Imig -- I hope you know how loved you are! Here is your quilt, made by the school children at First Methodist Church, and with Sandy's inspiration and organization:



Sandy chose a biblical theme -- very appropriate considering the reason behind the quilt. Each age/grade level worked on a different block. Here is the beginning, the First day of Creation by the Two-year-old class:



The second day, representing Sky and Water, is by the Three-year-old class:



The third block is the Third day of Creation, art by the Preschool class:



The fourth block, the 4th day of Creation, is by the Kindergarten class:



The fifth day of Creation has art by the First Graders at First Methodist.



The sixth day of Creation features art by the Second grade class:



The seventh block, the 7th day of Creation, has the honor of representing all the children that do not have their own block on this quilt: families with children who have already passed through the classes at First Methodist and families with young children who have yet to start their journey here.



Once the seven days of creation were used, Sandy selected three more biblical stories for the 3 additional classes. The eighth block represents the story of Noah with artwork by the Third grade class:



The ninth block, the Nativity, is by the Fourth grade class:



The tenth and last block is Jesus and the Disciples by the Fifth grade class:



All the artwork above was transfered to fabric by Original Works, the original art-based fundraiser celebrating children's creativity since 1989. For more information, here is a link to their website: www.originalworks.com/

The biggest struggle with making this quilt was deciding on a lay-out for the 10 blocks. Ten blocks seperates easily into 2 rows of 5 blocks each, but would you want a wide and squatty quilt to hang on the wall? Or how about a tall and skinny quilt? After much pondering and playing with ideas on paper and in my head, I came up with the above layout. I like how this keeps the seven Days of Creation together. Next, choosing fabrics and border-widths. After assembling the blocks and borders into a quilt top, quilting is added, unique patterns to complement the individual blocks. The finishing steps are to add binding and a label .... The quilt was completed and delivered to Sandy on Saturday evening, Aug 24th. In fact it is being presented to Reverend Jan Imig during the "Welcome Back" program at First Methodist Church-Downtown Houston on Sunday, August 25, 2008. [Note: I believe the actual presentation happened on a different day, a tad later than the original plan.]

By the way, this was my 3rd completed UFO Olympic piece during last summer's UFO Olympic games that I participated in (just couldn't blog about it until AFTER the quilt had been given to Jan!

Bloggers Quilt Festival

In honor of the Quilt Festival happening in Chicago, April 17 to 24, Amy of Park City Girl blog came up with a fun new idea ... She is hosting the First Annual Bloggers Quilt Festival!

Click here to read details about this event .