Why do we quilt??

Nancy G Cook, fiber artist, http://nancygcook.blogspot.com
brought up the subject, why do we quilt rather than just paint on canvas, for those of us who paint and then quilt fabric? I have been thinking about that as I work on my current piece. For me, the answer is, I just LOVE the process. My usual projects encompass a process that I love to do: take the photo, paint the picture, enhance it with thread! There is no part of this that I don't enjoy, so this makes me very blessed. Photo to fiber, that's my thing!

Could This Be Art ???

I'm continuing to work on my, Masterpiece," excuse the pun! The tools of the trade may have changed, but the concept is still trying to get through. It is taking shape in my mind. Now we'll see how it takes shape in fabric!

Painting From the Masters

On quilt art, they often discuss doing art from other people's pictures or doing art that may look like another's work. I usually skim these posts and delete, because I basicly work from my own digital photos. Last year, while at the Lowell Quilt Festival in Massachusetts, I went to visit one of the smaller galleries, The Whistler. I loved that little gallery and thought that this year I would try to do a piece that I could enter there. Well, this year, they have a required theme, Reinterpreting the Masters, and that didn't interest me. I don't want to reinterpret anything, I just want to do my own work. But, this little desire to make something to enter at the Whistler has nagged at me, and I have been going to try a quilt with irises from my garden pictures, so can I try an iris quilt for the Whistler? Of course I've waited late on this project, because I am still quilting my Palm Beach quilt, and I generally work on one thing at a time.

To make a long story short.......which I can never do, if you know me......I set up my easel in the living room on Wednesday evening. While I watched the NBA playoffs, I painted my version of Van Gogh's irises. I may add paint, I may add fabric, I will do thread painting. Anyway, it may turn into nothing, but it's what was in my head on this subject, so thought I'd try it. What do you think? Have I taken this assignment too literally? I looked at the picture and kind of painted my version onto cloth.

Enries in Local Art Show

Yesterday, I dropped three quilts to the Exteter, NH, Buds and Blooms art show, which opens tomorrow, at the Exeter Town Hall Gallery. I debate with myself about doing these things. Do I really produce anything that anyone wants to see at an art show? There will be paintings and drawings, as well as work from area fiber artists, usually. For a long time, I was unaware that these little shows even existed in my area. What these events do for me, besides giving my work a little public expossure, is to give me personal encouragement. It makes me feel good to dress up a little and mingle with a small group of creative people. Like going to quilt shows, I feel these small gatherings validate the time and money I spend on my work, dare I say, "My art?"

I spend most of my time at home, alone, so this is my creative outlet. So tomorrow, I'll venture out briefly to be part of the little group and enjoy the imaginative work of others!

One of the quilts entered is my little quilt, Beach Birds. The other two were in earlier posts, Catching the Wind and Water Lily.

Another Show entry Sent

Well, the quilt with the ducks got entered into a show today! I never did post the entire picture of the finished quilt, because of talk on the quilt art list, about posting pictures of quilts on websites, which is prohibited by some shows. So I didn't really know what to do with the quilt when I finished it? I brought it to my art quilt group, SAFA, and my friends liked it. So, today I entered it in the upcoming Lowell Quilt Festival. I hope that it gets in! If so, my ducks will swim their way to Massachusetts! Quack, quack!!!

Camel Ride to Vermont

My quilt, Visiting Egypt, seen in earlier posts, was accepted into the Vermont Quilt Festival. Some of you know that the quilt was based on a photo of my friend's trip to Egypt, so my friend Michele will be riding that camel to Vermont in June.
I went to the Vermont show for the first time last year, and I was really impressed. I am very pleased to have a quilt in the show.