Innholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2022 i Quilting Arts Magazine

do you brake for “Open Studio” signs? Maybe you have been collecting studio inspiration for years as you drive by abandoned factories and dream of initiating an urban renewal project. Or you might fantasize about working in a space filled with light, room for a gallery shop, and close proximity to dozens of other creatives. That description fits many artists. However, making those dreams a reality takes years of dedication, hard work, expertise in everything from interior design to negotiation to grant writing, and a whole lot of good karma. Meet Jane Davila, a mixed-media and quilt artist whose new studio is a precious pearl within the shell of a once-abandoned three-story corset factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The background of the building was a big part of the appeal for Jane.…

i lost my creative mojo last October and I tried to find it by tidying up my studio. When I uncovered a pile of fat quarter quilt sandwiches from my virtual teaching demonstrations, I simply could not toss away all that stitched texture. I set them aside and continued to organize my various supplies. Later that evening, I awoke with a game plan to upcycle all those quilt sandwiches and play with my newly organized supplies throughout November—I called it 30 Days of heARTs Giving. This new, daily, creative project brought me joy as I revisited some of my favorite art quilting supplies and techniques already on hand to embellish one or more stitched heARTs each day—and to also create joy by sending these little fiber art pieces out into…

WE WERE INSPIRED BY MEL BEACH and her enthusiastic commitment to creating quilted hearts as an artistic venture—and an altruistic one as well. And it seems like so much fun! Guessing that this project may also inspire our readers, we thought it would be fun to host a challenge that is also a swap. You create a heart and send it to us—and we will send you a heart created by another artist participating in this challenge. An expression of kindness and art! This challenge will be a great opportunity for all involved to share their art with other readers in two ways: A selection of the hearts will be published in the Spring 2023 issue of QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE or online. Plus, all of the hearts will be distributed…

I AM A DREAMER AND A MEDITATOR so it is not unusual for creative ideas to percolate in my head for a while… like this one. It all started when I was finishing a dyeing session and had extra thickened dye. Usually, I throw these leftover dyes randomly on a piece of fabric; sometimes already painted or plain white. This time, however, I had a LOT of leftover dye. I asked myself a ‘what if’ question: Can I figure out a way to save this thickened dye and store it in a dry form for later use? Since the thickened dye was not activated—which means that no soda ash had been added—there might be a way to store it at room temperature without the need for refrigeration. Or what else…

In early July, we asked QUILTING ARTS readers a question on Facebook: How do you document or capture inspiration for your art quilts? A. I draw in a sketchbook. B. I take still photographs. C. I take video. D. All of the above! E. Other (please explain) Survey Says… Over 2 ⁄3—about 68%—of respondents said B; they take still photographs. “I love taking photos of angles and odd shapes. I like to catalog them for inspiration when working on a piece,” said Marianne Frasca-Troccoli. The next highest percentage of respondents—about 16%—said they use multiple techniques from the list and it was too difficult/impossible to choose just one! “D plus Pinterest,” said Sally Gould Wright. Next, at 11%, was A; they draw in a sketchbook—but one artist also said, “I like…

every artist hopes their work makes an impact on the viewer and leaves them with something memorable that transcends that first impression and keeps them engaged long after that first encounter. If you stand in front of a collection of Ann Houle’s recent quilts for more than just a fleeting moment, you’ll recognize that quality in her work. There is more to them than meets the eye. On the surface, their subject matter could be summarized in just one word: sports. This series captures athletes in action as they glide over the ice, push their own personal limits on the field, or excel on the court. However, that simplification doesn’t do them justice. Ann’s artistry is showcased by capturing the universal emotion of the moment that defines the game. “It’s…

IT WAS A GREAT HONOR and pleasure to be the juror of the SAQA Haven exhibition—and also a huge responsibility to select a group where each piece has its strong individual voice while still making a coherent whole. Each selection starts a dialogue between the entrant and the viewer as the artist interprets the theme. In this case, this was how each entry respond ed to the theme ‘Haven’—how it represent ed a safe place to heal, regroup, rest, or retreat; or how a place to create a haven for others in need was envisioned. I hope the collection is both representative and thought provoking in this way. It was a privilege to see so many great artworks and it was really difficult to narrow the 255 entries down to 40 exhibition pieces…

every odd-numbered year, I eagerly await the summer drive to The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio, to view some of the best contemporary, fine art quilts from around the world. It is always a thrill to see these incredible works of art up close. In 1979, fine-art quilt exhibitions did not exist. Three quilters—Nancy Crow, Françoise Barnes, and Virginia Randles—plus many others, were having their entries rejected from quilt shows for not being traditional ‘bed quilts.’ These women created Quilt National as a venue that recognized quilts were to be admired hanging on walls and not necessarily made for beds. 6' of Chaos 52½" × 35½" JILL KERTTULA CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE Purchase Prize sponsored by Aurifil Original photography, custom-printed fabric, non-traditional commercial fabric, yarn, batting; fabric…

is there ever such a thing as a truly creative idea? Several years ago, I decided to up my game and apply to some high profile, more competitive artist residency programs. I was not surprised and only a little disappointed when I was not selected. Then I began to question why a selection committee should determine my worthiness as an artist and decided I would design my own residency and have an amazing experience anyway! A year later I was astonished to learn another artist doing the same thing, renting a fishing cabin in Florida for a month each year to make art. Recently I came across a second artist creating her own residencies at various scientific institutions by persuading administrators of the value in promoting their scientific missions through…

“Cherries Jubilee” • 13" × 13½ " If you have been following my work, you may know that I loooove free-motion quilting and try to find opportunities to use it often. You may wonder why since lots of people shy away from it. The short answer is—I have been doing it for a long time. When I started quilting over 35 years ago, there were no options other than to quilt your own tops. So I learned. And in the process, I learned to absolutely love it.When the time came to make a new set of work to color with Derwent Inktense pencils, I had the idea to see how many different ways I could quilt the background to add textural interest. I started with straight lines to make it…

as a chapter of the pandemic seemed to close, we were all able to reflect on how we got through it. For many, our pets took center stage—in good ways (love those hugs!) and, well, less-good ways (‘Rover, get out of my Zoom call!’). There were so many quilty antics, we decided to have some fun and challenged our readers to create a 12" × 12" Pop Art-inspired quilt featuring their pet and its unique personality. The ‘pop-artier’ the better! Our readers sure love their pets and we knew this challenge would hit a note. And boy, did it! Dogs, cats, parrots, bunnies, chickens, and waaaay more visited our mailbox. As always, our readers showed us their best work and it was tough to decide between all of the wonderful…

INDIGO FABRIC PAINT KIT Brooklyn Haberdashery carries the most amazing products for fiber fanatics and hands-on handwork lovers. The kits, the tools, the practical objects are all beautiful and functional. This paint kit caught our eye as a different and welcome variation on the ancient art of indigo dyeing/painting. Perfect for the detail-oriented among us who want a bit more control than the frequently serendipitous pot of indigo dye, the revelation one can paint with indigo was huge. (Okay, it may be obvious to some but maybe not to all.) It contains everything but a paintbrush and natural-fiber fabric for you to get started—cotton and linen are recommended over silk and wool, however. My white canvas sneakers are calling out for a pop of blue! $36 • brooklynhaberdashery.com WINDSWEPT STONEHENGE…

there is nothing more exciting to an artist than a blank canvas—in my case, that’s a piece of white cloth. I decided to create background fabrics for my flamingo silhouette quilts by drawing letters and nonsense words. I mined my stash for a variety of paints and brushes—even sticks—to practice writing on the fabric. After all, I was drawing and lettering and needed some sort of ‘pencil.’ My goal was to create a bold pattern by covering the cloth with my own handwriting, but at the same time, refrain from it being too distracting. I planned to use this fabric as a background and did not want it to compete with the focal point of the final artwork. After a lot of experimentation, I came up with the technique I…