Pippa's Blog

Behind the Scenes at an Iconic Quilt Exhibition

2010-11-29T15:20:00Z

The world of art quilting is partially defined by traditions that have existed since its inception and stood the test of time. One of these notable events is the exhibition “Quilts=Art=Quilts,” a juried show held annually at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn, New York since 1981. This year, the exhibition features 96 quilts from 81 artists, and is on display until January 9th. I spoke with Executive Director Donna Lamb about this unique show, and how it has evolved over the years.

PE: The Schweinfurth has been hosting this exhibition for many years. Do you hold any other fiber arts or quilting events/exhibits?

DL: This is 30th year we’ve put on “Quilt=Art-Quilts.” Because of this exhibition, we’ve developed and expanded to offer some other fiber arts programs. We’ve realized over the years how popular quilting is, and we’ve been taking advantage of it. In 2003, we acquired the national conference “Quilting by the Lake,” a huge program that has put is in touch with many more quilters and teachers, and really expanded our reach in the field of quilting. From that, we’ve developed additional classes and workshops that we run at the art center, in surface design and other techniques.

PE: Who is drawn to this exhibition? Do you feel that it is primarily quilters or those interested in quilts specifically, or is it a wider audience?

DL: This is our most popular exhibit every year by far. And this past summer, we also had a Nancy Crow exhibition. Both of these exhibits drew art quilters and art quilting fans, but also people from all different backgrounds. And there’s an audience who has just come to look forward to it every year; people who aren’t making quilts, but who are appreciators.

PE: How has the exhibition changed over time?

DL: The show was originally called “Quilts = Arts = Quilts” because it came about at a time when people were just starting to become more creative with quilting, and just branching out from traditional quilts. So it has always been a venue for people experimenting and doing new things with quilt making. But it has also retained traditional elements.In the last few years, it’s become more of an art quilt exhibition, but our entry requirements don’t prohibit traditional quilts. I believe it is possible to have an innovative but traditional quilt, judged on design and line and composition. However, as we’ve become better known as an art quilting exhibition, that’s the kind of work we’re attracting.

We’ve also changed the entry requirements, and instead of jurying from actual quilts, we’re jurying from slides. This has opened up the exhibition to many more people around the country who don’t have to worry about the cost and hassle of shipping. It’s really increased the number of entries, and now we receive them from around the world. It has also moved the show toward a more professional level; the people entering are more knowedgeable about having high-quality photographs and images to submit.

PE: Tell us a bit about the events surrounding the exhibition.

DL: For the opening weekend, we had a reception and brunch. Throughout the show, we have a series of trunk shows where we invite regional artists to give talks about and show their work. These are always very popular.

PE: Is there anything else you’d like to share about this show?

DL: It’s always fascinating to see how the show changes over the years, and to see if we identify any new trends. I would say this exhibition is a really great sampling of what’s happening in contemporary quilt making today: pictorial quilts, sophisticated surface design, examples of amazing machine workmanship, piecing, etc. It’s a great survey, and always rewarding to see it unfold every year.

Quilts (from top to bottom)
“Crazed 6 Low Water,” by Kathleen Loomis
“Stacked Mummy bags,” by Pat Pauly

Fabric Store Spotlight: The Great American Quilt Factory

2010-11-18T18:33:00Z

Naturally, we quilters love a good fabric store. But a wonderful spot for procuring fabric can be so much more than a place to shop; truly special stores become a home away from home, a place of comfort and creative inspiration. So I’m pleased to introduce a new regular blog feature: a spotlight of a unique and inspiring quilt store. First up is The Great American Quilt Factory in Denver, Colorado, founded and owned by Lynda Milligan (at left in the photo) and Nancy Smith. Packed with gorgeous fabrics, as well as fresh ideas and friendly faces, this spot is a must-visit if you're in the area.

Let’s start at the beginning: why and when did you decide to open a fabric store?

Nancy: We opened in the store in 1981. Lynda had been part time clerk at another major quilt store. It had started as a summer job, but she loved it so much that she stayed. I had three young kids and found I loved hanging out at the store so we became friends. Then the desire emerged to start our own store. The store was about ½ a mile from where we are now for about six years, then we moved down the street and have been here for 24 years. When we opened the store, I had two young girls in school and a nine-month old baby, and Lynda had been married for many years and trying to get pregnant. Of course, the week before we opened, she found out she was pregnant! So we opened the store with two little girls, a baby, another baby on the way—and they all grew up in the store with their preschool down the street.

What do you think really sets your store apart from the masses?

Lynda: We’ve been really visible in the quilting community because we started our own pattern line in the early 1980s; we were getting requests for baby quilt patterns so we designed a pattern line called “Dream Spinner,” which eventually grew to over 200 different patterns, from quilts to stuffed teddy bears and all sorts of things. After that, we decided to start writing books. We’ve now published 77 books.

Nancy: In terms of market visibility, when we started doing patterns, we wanted quilting to be more of a household word. Selling our patterns in lots of different locations was great for making quilting more visible as there weren’t that many patterns out there at the time.

You have lots of events and classes. Are these important for building a sense of community around the store?

Nancy: Yes, these are definitely important to the store ethos. Event-driven things are a necessity. It’s entertainment; in order to get people into the store, you need some entertainment. Book stores have signings and even musicians singing, and quilt store owners have to do the same thing. We have blocks of the month, Saturday samples, and a lot of groups that come use our space. This social aspect is really important for brick and mortar stores these days.

Lynda: Another unique thing we do is on two Wednesdays a month, we have a group that comes in that they have guest teachers who teach some embellishment concept, then they come back and actually do a workshop on it.

Nancy: The group contains 20-30 people and it’s self-led so people just sign up to present on whatever you want. It’s been amazing and really interesting to see the wide range of things people do. I signed up for a journal cover class in December, and I’m going to make a cover that’s really a canvas for embellishing (I’m getting a lot of great inspiration from Quilting Arts). This group is just great fun.

Who comes to your store?

Lynda: We definitely get lots of quilters of all ages, including younger people in their 30s and 40s. Our beginning classes are almost always full, and our technique classes are really popular, too—more so than classes on specific projects.

How do you select your fabrics and other products?

Lynda: There was a time when there wasn’t so much fabric to choose from, so you could have a variety of everything in all different categories. Now there’s so much, we had to give up something to add another new fabric. We had Oriental fabrics but they didn’t sell very well, so we finally had to give them up and started putting the money into embellishments. Nancy took over that department as her project, and brought things in that she liked working with.

Nancy: We’ve done a good job in the embellishment area. Since we travel and teach quilting, we see a lot of quilt stores, and it seems we have a particularly strong collection of embellishments. You just have to have somebody who loves it. We have a lot of sample boards. For instance, a board showing 15 different ways to use Tyvek®: stitched, pleated, heated, etc. We’ve done this for many products; as long as we can generate ideas, we continue to sell.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your store?

Nancy: this is a welcoming place, a refuge. I remember on 9/11, we had people flock here as a place to come for reassurance. As people go through changes in their lives (which happens to a lot of our older costumers), this is a safe place to come. I think that quilt stores are really good for that and we do more than just sell fabric. People know your name and we try really hard to make our customers our friends. That’s very important to us.

Quilting a Story: A Quilting Arts Reader Challenge inspires a series

2010-11-15T20:30:00Z

Having studied French for many years, I’ve read The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, dozens of times. So Heather Reid’s entry for our “How Entertaining!” Reader Challenge, based on this charming story, naturally caught my eye. This quilt appeared in our August/September 2010 issue, but I recently visited Heather’s blog and discovered that she had made yet another quilt based on this story. Here, Heather shares a bit more about this piece, the innovative techniques it involved, and the reason for its creation.

“My first Little Prince themed art quilt was a creation for the reader challenge, but was also a gift for my grandmother for her 80^th Birthday, as this book is very sentimental to our family. Shortly after this art quilt was published in the challenge results, I was commissioned to create a much larger, similar-style art quilt for a first wedding anniversary gift. My new friend Jenny Gorenflo collaborated with me on the design of this new art quilt so she could present it to her husband, as they too share a love of this enchanting story.

“On this piece, I experimented with several different surface design techniques. I created the overall variegated blue background by using an Impressionistic art quilting technique, where little bits of chopped up fabrics, thread ‘trash,’ recycled clothing, old UFOs, and even ‘ugly’ fabrics (which can be transformed by being chopped up into smaller pieces) are combined and stitched in place. Once the variegated blue sky background was created, I began adding more celestial components to create an even more interesting scene for this quilt.

“Orbits and background planets were created using fussy-cut swirly motifs from Van Gogh's ‘Starry Nights’ themed commercial fabric. Extensive free-motion stitching was then painted with yellow, orange, and gold fabric dye, and over-stitched again with variegated threads to create a large swirly sun above the planet. The falling star is created using metallic over-stamped fabric cut into a star shape, then appliquéd and surface-embellished with gold and yellow Shiva^® Artist’s Paintstiks^®. To make this star even more special, I used a combination of even machine stitching and scattered, uneven straight stitching to outline it; the juxtaposition of these two types of stitches helps create even more surface detail and interest. Behind the star are trailing tendrils of metallic mesh, and a few hand-sewn twisted gold bugle beads.

“For the characters on this quilt, Jenny and I wanted to use a style which would be reminiscent of the original book’s illustrations, a whimsical, endearing style where the subjects appear to be hand drawn. The Little Prince is depicted in a pose where he is tending to his Rose. Layered pieces of fabrics were scrunched and appliquéd to create a three-dimensional draping effect, while black outline stitching helps to make him look as if he were drawn right onto the surface of the quilt. Because the rose’s appearance is significant in the story, I wanted to make a very special rose for this quilt. I created the bloom of the rose from a traditional ribbon-embroidery spider-web rose pattern, using extra-wide deep red silk ribbon. The foliage was created using pieces of vintage heirloom lace, hand-dyed with Dye-Na-Flow^® fabric dye, then cut into leaf shapes and appliquéd. Incorporating vintage textiles, especially family heirloom pieces, is a wonderful way to pass on memories and add sentimental value to a piece.

“It is my hope that Jenny and her husband will treasure their new art quilt through the years, and that it will serve as a constant reminder of their love for each other, and for their mutual enjoyment of this very special book. I've found through both of these Little Prince themed art quilts that the most meaningful pieces can be inspired by and created from pure love.”

Easy Patchwork Projects: Keep 'Em Coming!

2010-11-12T14:59:00Z

A couple weeks ago, I asked you all to send in your quick and easy, contemporary patchwork project submissions for our new publication, 101 Patchwork Projects. Let's just say, we were more than a little impressed by the wonderful ideas that we received! From quilts to coffee cup cuffs, your projects were fresh, inventive, and just what we had in mind. As a result, we're extending the deadline for submissions so those of you who haven't submitted still have a chance--and those of you who have? Go ahead and send more!

We are now accepting submissions through Sunday, November 28th, which gives you more than two weeks--plenty of time to whip up a few patchwork projects and send them our way. Why not take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday and spend some quality time at the sewing machine? All it takes is a day, an afternoon, or even just a couple hours. We want projects that are quick, easy, and fun to make!

For instance, this super simple patchwork key chain that took me approximately one hour to complete. I've been dragging it around since freshman year of college and, as you can see, it's a bit beat up (probably due to the excessive amount of keys I seem to accumulate). But no big deal, I may make myself another tomorrow morning and it'll be done before the coffee has finished brewing! That's the beauty of quick and easy patchwork.

So if you haven't yet, check out our submission guidelines and send us your patchwork projects!

Announcing the Kona Cotton Fat Quarter Winner!

2010-11-05T15:06:00Z

Last week, I asked you all what you love about patchwork in exchange for some fat quarters of my favorite Kona cottons. Thank you for all the wonderful responses! Clearly, the patchwork fever is upon as all.

The randomly selected winner is Karen Irvine (aka cariboo quilter)! Karen, please send me an email at peccles@interweave.com with your mailing address so I can send you your fabrics.

Thank you all again for sharing your fondness for patchwork and for your submissions to 101 Patchwork Projects. Have a great weekend!

A Top Art Quilter Talks Fabric, Fresh Quilting, and Festival!

2010-11-02T15:34:00Z

There are some artists whose work always puts a smile on your face. For me, this is the case with Malka Dubrawsky, whose vibrant and candy-colored fabrics and quilts are always cheerful, bright, and wonderfully whimsical. I'll take any excuse to chat with Malka about her fabric dyeing adventures, her bold and unusual fabric choices, and her latest quilting endeavors, but this interview was motivated by a couple very specific facts: Malka's new book, which will be available in December; and her Open Studios event at International Quilt Festival/Houston (stop by and see her this Friday, November 5th, from 3-5 pm).

One of the most notable things about your work is that you combine commercial fabrics and your own dyed or over-dyed fabrics. What are some of your favorite techniques for creating your own fabrics?

One of my favorite things to do to commercial fabric or un-dyed linen is to use a wax resist technique. I literally do that on a daily basis, either over-dyeing or taking color out. I’m very much a pattern person so I don’t create much representational imagery on my fabric. I like repeat patterns and big patterns.

You use such striking combinations of colors and pattern. How do you make decisions about combining fabrics? Where do you get your inspiration from?

When it comes to combining various fabrics, I use color as my guide more than the weight or feel of the fabric. And a lot of this work is really intuitive. I have a degree in printmaking from the University of Texas. While I was there, I learned a lot that still influences my work—especially the Bauhaus, from Josef Albers and his color field paintings to Anni Albers and her weavings. I still remember an exercise that we did back in my two-dimensional design class. We were given boxes of 40 pieces of paper in every color you can imagine, and had to create something from them. Thanks to this background, I think still about colors influencing each other and what that means. And sometimes I see an unusual combination in nature or somewhere else, and realize it actually looks quite good together.

A lot of my choices and the confidence I have in making them are based on the belief that you can’t really ruin a color—you just make it more or less bright based on where you place it. I really stand by the belief that there are a lot worse things that could happen than putting together two colors that don’t quite go. Worst case scenario: just take them apart!

You have a new book coming out with Interweave, Fresh Quilting: Fearless color, design, and inspiration. What’s the primary focus?

The book is really focused on celebrating color and all the choices that we have today when it comes to commercial fabrics—they’re amazing. There was a time when we didn’t have choices. Now we have an incredible array of them. Think of all the solids and prints that are now available in so many colors, some with just the slightest shade of difference between them. It’s a great time to be making stuff out of fabric. And when you put fabrics together, it shouldn’t cause anxiety. Hopefully you will develop a sense of adventure.

A lot of the projects in this book are things I wanted to make for a long, long time: ideas that I’ve carried around with me. It also contains a bit of what I’ve just started to working on, which is supersizing a single block and blowing it up to huge proportions. Basically, this book celebrates ideas I’ve had for ages, and the joy of putting fabrics together—it’s a celebratory experience.

What are you most looking forward to about International Quilt Festival/Houston, which starts tomorrow? I know you’ll be one of the Open Studios artists in the Make It University!™ with Cloth Paper Scissors® area on Friday, November 5th, 3-5 pm.

In my Open Studios I’ll definitely make one of the projects from my new book, or at least several blocks—but I hope I’m interrupted by visitors who want to chat! Festival is so fabulous and I drive down every year because I only live three hours away. I remember going while pregnant with my 16-year-old daughter so it’s been at least 16 years or more. But while the reasons I go have changed over the years—whether for the quilts, or the vendors, or my own events—I just love the energy and the fact that they can transform the entire George R. Brown Convention Center. I love that they need to reassign the Men’s rooms to Women’s!

You see really amazing stuff, especially in the vendor booths. There are folks who come from Africa and India. One time I bought an antique embroidered pillow cover. There’s always such an array of things to see and to touch. If you can come, you should come.

What new ideas have you exploring lately? Where do you think your quilting will go from here?

As I said, I definitely have lots of ideas for supersizing things. Taking traditional blocks, semi-traditional blocks, or even just simplified blocks and blowing them up to amazing proportions. I love the graphic possibilities of something like that. I’ve thought about the hexagon string baby quilt (on the cover of International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene Winter 2010/2011—what if that whole quilt was just one hexagon amongst many? Imagine the graphic impact that would have.

One Week Left to Become a Part of Our Newest Magazine! And a little free fabric incentive...

2010-10-29T15:48:00Z

As many of you may know by now, the editors of Quilting Arts are thrilled to introduce the newest magazine to join our family: 101 Patchwork Projects. This super-sized issue is going to be packed with quick, easy, and contemporary patchwork projects, from bed quilts to bookmarks. And you have just one more week to submit your projects! So if you haven't yet, now's the time to check out our submission guidelines and get stitching. I know what you're thinking: one week doesn't exactly give you oodles of time. But that's even better! We're really looking for fun and fuss-free projects that can be whipped up in a day, an afternoon, or even an hour.

For a little inspiration, I though to share some of my latest patchworking endeavors. I've been particularly drawn to solids these days and having some fun with my stash of Kona cottons. I feel like the striking hues really let the patchwork take center stage, and allow me to keep the designs nice and simple, whether for a large bed quilt or smaller wall hanging.

So to get you in the patchworky mood (and since there's something about Fridays that makes me want to share), I'm giving away a few fat quarters from my favorite Kona colors:

Just leave a comment explaining what you love about patchwork or stating what kind of item you'd love to see a patchwork version of (check out this video for inspiration) and you'll be eligible to win some colorful fabrics for your own patchworking pleasure. I'll announce the winner on my blog next Friday, November 5th, by 3 pm EST.

But don't stop there! Once you're creative juices are flowing, check out our submission guidelines and send us your ideas!

An Expert Art Quilter Shares Her Halloween Costume Advice

2010-10-27T11:04:00Z

This weekend, I took a little break from my usual quilt making to sew Halloween costumes. My fiancé and I decided to dress up as gummy bears (well, I decided and he has somewhat reluctantly obliged), so I stitched up some very basic hats and bought us orange and green outfits to match. As I tried to maneuver fake fur ears through my sewing machine, I remembered speaking several months ago with Diane Marie Chaudiere, the profiled artist in the April/May 2010 issue of Quilting Arts (her quilts have also been featured in past Quilting Arts calendars and are in our 2011 calendar). At the time, Diane shared some of her costume making adventures with me and I found myself longing for her three-dimensional sewing skills, which are evidenced in her art quilts as well as her amazing costumes! Luckily, I caught up with Diane again and got her to share some of her Halloween stitching tips and experiences.

When we first spoke several months ago, you mentioned that the primary way you kept up with sewing for many years was by making your sons’ Halloween costumes. Is Halloween a big deal in your family?

I have two sons (now 14 and 15). Yes, Halloween was a big deal in our family, until the boys grew out of the “trick-or-treat” age. The costume making was a major event and took up all our spare time in October. That month was set aside just for making them.

Do you think these years spent creating 3D costumes are part of the reason why your art quilts are so dimensional?

Yes. With costumes, I always had to think and create in 3D. That was the challenge I enjoyed the most, particularly without the use of patterns. It all came from what I could envision dimensionally. Then I’d find the materials and manipulate them into my vision.

How is sewing costumes different than creating art quilts (besides the obvious)? Or do you find that the techniques and processes are relatively similar?

For me, the technique and process are very similar, though there are some differences. One

difference is costumes require wrapping my dimensional fiber work around a moving, 3D object (my sons), whereas my art quilts are an extension of a flat surface. Similarities are that both require designing in 3D, sketching, searching for materials (fiber and mixed media), and a lot of hand assembly and sewing.

Which are your favorite costumes that you’ve created? Which were the most challenging?

My favorite costumes are the two Saguaro cacti, the two fish (Puffer and Angler) and the penguin.

I have specific challenges for each costume, but I also had challenges for making costumes in general. The costumes had to be comfortable (to some extent), I had to take into consideration how they would be taken off and on, how the costume would stay on the kids and be safe for the boys to walk in, and how it would stand up to our northwestern rain. With much objection from my boys, being able to sit down was not a requirement.

The lobster costume was tough since I used vinyl stuffed with foam, which was very thick and difficult to sew. I broke many needles and the costume would tend to slide off my sewing machine, especially as it got larger and heavier.

What were some tricks you discovered when creating more challenging costumes?

When creating the puffer fish, the challenge was creating a round shape that wasn’t solid and too heavy. The solution was to use one of those plastic toy expanding spheres and cover it with fabric.

For the saguaro cactus, the challenge was creating the dimensional ribs of the cactus. I used 3" foam and cut it into long triangular strips that were glued to an inner cylindrical form. Fabric was then laid over the foam and hand stitched down each valley between the ribs.

Do you have any advice to share with your fellow art quilters on making costumes?

Have fun. Think out of the box and let your imagination and creativity loose. There are no rules and no entry requirements to restrict what you do. You don't need every detail worked out to get started. There will be unforeseen challenges and obstacles. Just start doing and the process will unfold. Solutions are found by being creative and having an open mind.

Thanks, Diane! Are any of you making Halloween costumes this year?

To see more of Diane's work, visit her website.

Quilts (from top to bottom)

“Relish the Moment” • 12" x 12" (Featured in the 2011 Quilting Arts Calendar)

“Lookout” • 39" x 14" x 1¼"

Instrumental Quilt Making: a musical interpretation of fabric and thread

2010-10-18T18:45:00Z

We’re all familiar with mixed-media art quilting, but rarely does one see this medium interpreted in wood. Nonetheless, mandolin maker Rolfe Gerhardt was inspired by his wife’s quilting (her piece "Fall Splendor" is shown here), and decided to create a mandolin with the theme of fabric, needle, and thread. Here, he describes how this unique instrument-textile hybrid came to be:

“I had started working with quilted maple wood a few years ago, after some 35 years of building mandolins. Up until then, my mandolins used what we call ‘fiddleback’ or ‘tiger-striped’ maple. Quilted maple has a burl figure in the wood that looks like it was quilted. Since my mandolin design was well-developed—I had built over 400 mandolins—I was also beginning to create ‘art’ mandolins with unique colors and complex inlays following themes. One was called ‘Daisies,’ and was finished in green with detailed daisy inlays that took two full weeks to create.

“My wife, Susan, is an art quilter, very active in area quilt groups and good enough to win occasional ribbons in the state quilt show. So, naturally, quilting and quilted maple eventually came together in my mind for an art mandolin. I decided that the primary inlay would be on the finger rest which would have a hand with a thimble and needle ‘quilting’ the edge of a quilted maple burl. The hand was a pinkish mother-of-pearl, and the needle a shaped piece of pewter. The tailpiece would have a spool of thread inlay; this turned out to be the most challenging work since each strand of thread had to be separate to look right. A fine plastic line served as thread.

“The biggest problem in constructing this mandolin was figuring out how to indicate position markers on the fingerboard for the player. I spent months trying to create little quilt blocks of tiny pieces of colored wood, and it just didn’t work. Then it came to me to use the thread running through the needle on the finger rest and run it up the fingerboard with loops where the position markers should be. Success! The finished mandolin was everything I hoped it would be, and I photographed it on Susan’s quilting table for a proper setting.”

To see the mandolin “Quilting,” and other art mandolins by Rolfe, visit his website.

Join the Patchwork Phenomenon: Watch this fun video and submit to our newest magazine!

2010-10-11T12:26:00Z

There's no doubt about it: patchwork is everywhere these days--from high-end fashion design to everyday home decor. Which is why we are so thrilled to announce the newest magazine to join the Quilting Arts family: 101 Patchwork Projects. This publication (available Spring 2011) will be packed to the brim with patchwork items (yes, 101 of them!), and we've been having a blast at the QA office brainstorming all of the wonderful, wacky ways that patchwork can be put to use. Since the patchwork style is clearly undergoing a major revival, I thought I'd hit the town and see what everyone else has to say about it...

(Please visit the site to view this media)

So now it's your turn! What do you love about patchwork? What patchwork item would you like to create? Check out our submission guidelines and get stitching!

And by the way: the nerd who wants a pocket protector? That would be my dad. And I'm very proud!

Merging Intellect and Aesthetic: An interview with artist Gabriella D'Italia

2010-10-07T01:00:00Z

I am always moved by art that eloquently brings together conceptual and visual qualities. This is no doubt what immediately struck me about the work of Gabriella D’Italia, whose textile pieces are a brilliant convergence of traditional techniques with contemporary concepts and aesthetics. Having received her BA in Philosophy and the History of Science, Gabriella now runs a quilting business, teaches fiber art workshops, and exhibits her artwork; her latest exhibition, “Elaborate Hegemonies,” is at Aarhus Gallery in Belfast, Maine through October 24^th. Here she explains a bit more about the thought processes behind her work.

Tell us about your background. How did you go from studying Philosophy and the History of Science and Mathematics to working with textiles?

I've always been drawn to the idea of making functional objects, of being purposeful about the things in my life. Sewing is a method of connecting to some of those objects, of giving me a way of being intentional about important things like clothing and my home. In school, I was always struck by the idea that looking at how things are said or done was perhaps more powerful than what. In this way, art seems to self-consciously consider how.

Quilt making has the incredible capacity of embodying sculptural ideas and painterly ideas, while always carrying at least a suggestion of home and functionality. I also love the potential in the transparent construction – you can see the piecing and layering; quilts are a material rhythm and visible time. In light of these considerations, the capacity both quilt-making and philosophy have to explore important ideas—they seem not so different from one another.

What is your typical working process? What techniques do you use/how do you go about creating your pieces/selecting materials? Or is it always changing?

These days, I have been thinking a lot about Goethe’s Metamorphosis of Plants. I can see my process as a metamorphosis: “Anyone who pays a little attention to the growth of plants will readily observe that certain of their external members are sometimes transformed, so that they assume—either wholly or in some lesser degree —the form of the member nearest in the series.”

In other words, one thing usually comes from another. It is not infrequent for one piece to differ in only small ways from the one that came before. This idea of metamorphosis can also be seen within many of the discrete pieces I’ve made; I like to repeat colors and use small piecing to form very homogenous fields, elaborate but simple. There is a sense in which the repetition of similar parts is a metamorphosis of that part, or from that part to the whole.

You have a quilting business, The Spring Street Co., which features functional pieces (quilts, bags, etc.), How are these items different than your artwork—or are they?

I do view the functional pieces differently because they have a prescribed form to a greater extent than my other work. This limits the choices I can make in terms of exploring certain ideas. I sometimes view this work as important sketching. It keeps me working with fabrics, colors, and techniques, and I find that it is at times when I am most apparently constrained (by conventions or formal concerns) that the most interesting ideas can emerge. Ideas for my artwork are often generated while making the functional works. I started the business very simply because I love to make quilts.

What do you hope to cognitively (and aesthetically) express through your artwork?

I hope to convey some sense of compatibility in contradiction: the simultaneity of simplicity and complexity. I hope to give a material impression of time. I hope to give form to patterns that, although new, will have a deep familiarity. I suppose these are the qualities I find most interesting and compelling when I look at objects.

These qualities have important implications, although I don’t try to express conclusions in the work. For me, these impressions are foundational for a kind of moral disposition, one that finds intense optimism in limitless human agency.

Tell us a bit about your new exhibition in Belfast, Maine. What is the theme of the exhibited work, “Elaborate Hegemonies”?

I am showing a collection of interrelated works, where one work comes from another, but in no particular order or sequence—a metamorphosis. These objects range from functional quilts to wall-mounted quilts, drawings of beds, paintings, books, and color swatches to a series of photographs of an all-white, silent dinner I hosted last October. There is chalk handwriting on the paintings reminiscent of the hand-stitching on the wall-mounted quilts. Color swatches derived from the white dinner were then translated into a functional quilt, and ink lines in the bed drawings relate back to the hand-stitching.

I love the idea of “elaborate” as both an adjective and a verb, and that ideas and objects exert a matrix of influence and power, but one so entangled that history and causality become implausible. I love situating these ideas at home, if only obliquely, in food and the bedroom.

Where will you go from here in your work?

I am looking forward to exploring the relationship of my work and my ideas to color. This show, “Elaborate Hegemonies,” is primarily ivory, white, black, and grey. I think it’s time for color, and something extreme.

To see more of Gabriella’s work, visit her website.

Images (from top to bottom)

“Erotic Index” • 76" x 56"
Tote bag
“Yellow Index” • 56" x 85"
Red monochrome queen-sized bed quilt
“Untitled Index,” Diptych 1 of 2 • 42" x 54"
“Untitled Index,” Diptych 2 of 2 • 42" x 54"

Send Us a Birthday Card!

2010-10-04T11:16:00Z

As many of you may now, our next issue marks the 10 year anniversary of Quilting Arts Magazine! And I don't know about all of you, but in my family, birthdays were always a very big deal. The birthday girl or boy would have their meal and cake of choice, their birthday wish list (within reason--apparently, a pet pig was never within reason for my parents), and my mother even had colorful crowns that we got to wear on our special day. You'd frequently here this excuse tossed around between arguing siblings: "Hey, you have to be nice to me--it's my birthday week!" And most of the time, we respected this declaration.

Since Quilting Arts is turning the big 1-0, we're going to revel in at least a couple months of celebration. And at the top of our birthday wish list is fabric postcards from all of you. If you're our friend on Facebook (and you should be!), you may have seen the announcement on our Facebook page last week. If not, now is your chance to get stitching! I even managed to whip up a Quilting Arts @10 postcard of my own this weekend, taking advantage of a long car ride to Vermont to do some colorful hand stitching. It took about an hour to finish up on the sewing machine last night and voila--quick, easy, and a wonderful way to celebrate this special occasion! My card is characteristically colorful and patchwork-y, but the best thing about working at Quilting Arts is getting to see the wide array of unique aesthetics amongst our readers and contributors--so I hope you'll all participate. We have fun plans for these cards....

Here are the guidelines--we can't wait to see what you come up with!

Create a fabric postcard with the #10 prominently featured/stitched and mail to Quilting Arts @10, PO BOX 685, Stow, MA, 01775. Deadline for receipt is 10/10/10!

Getting Inspired by Fellow Art Quilters

2010-09-29T15:25:00Z

The work of fellow artists is one of the richest sources of inspiration. So by showcasing the artwork of talented fiber artists in Quilting Arts Magazine, we hope to spread this inspiration to all of you! This is why it was such a delight to come across Kat Campau’s recent blog post about the art challenge she led based on the article “Cultured Cloth: A conversation with art quilter Jeanette Gilks,” in our August/September 2010 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. It was a pleasure to see the pieces that her students created, inspired by Jeanette’s work, so I asked Kat to tell me a bit about more about how this project came to be; read on to hear what she had to say.

Have you been inspired by a Quilting Arts article? Shoot me an email (peccles@interweave.com). I’d love to see what you’ve created!

“I teach a class Two Twelve Arts Center in Saline, Michigan, and the students do a different project every month. They’re always very enthusiastic about trying new things. Since there were no classes over the summer, I started organizing challenges. I sent my students postcards in the mail of artwork by famous artists since I was traveling across the country and visiting different museums. The challenge was to create an art quilt based on the pieces.

When I saw Jeanette Gilk’s article, I decided it would be wonderful for a challenge. I thought her use of color was very striking, but the real grabber was the texture; her artwork has such depth and it really appealed to me. I think that people sometimes have a hard time breaking out of their idea of beautiful and trying other combinations, and I felt that using Jeanette’s work as inspiration would help encourage my students to explore new terrain.

The rules were that the pieces had to be fiber art or painting, small (about 9" x 12"), and completed in one or two sessions. I didn’t want them to feel pressured to spend too long on it, but to dash off something inspired by the article. Well, I was amazed by the pieces that I got back—they obviously spent more than a couple of hours! My students said they loved it, and they were clearly very engaged in the project.

In the end, there were six participants. Several quilts incorporated strips of fabric in different ways. One used a lot of yarn. If you don’t have the article right in front of you, it’s hard to remember what exactly was in it; some students remembered fibers, and others remembered fabric strips. It was interesting how everyone interpreted this differently.”

To see more of Kat’s work, visit her website.

Artists (from top to bottom)

· Karen Losey

· Kat Campau

· Karen Rich

Carbs and Quilt Making

2010-09-23T23:00:00Z

As much as possible, I like to avoid making plans on Sunday afternoon. This is my time to huddle up inside and sew to my heart’s content. After my favorite morning yoga class and maybe brunch at a nearby café, I’m quite content to spend the rest of the day doing nothing but stitching… well, almost.

I’ve recently discovered that one of the best ways to make the most of my at-home-in-the-studio afternoons is bread baking. Since this takes several hours, it’s a wonderful excuse to stay put, and since most of the process involves waiting for the dough to rise or bake, I can easily multitask, wandering back and forth between my studio and kitchen. Not to mention there are some surprising similarities between quilt making and bread baking; first of all, there’s the need for patience. Then there’s the meticulous, rhythmic nature of both activities: kneading dough and steadily stitching at the machine are more alike than one might think.

So might I suggest you do the same at some point this weekend (yes, the weekend is almost here)? Take an afternoon off to bake and sew—trust me, there’s no better smell than that of freshly baked bread (or cake or brownies…), and you can work up quite an appetite after hours of stitching.

This past Sunday, I tried my hand at tomato bread while finishing up my latest mini quilt.

I was quite pleased with both, so thought I’d share the bread recipe with all of you (it makes a great grilled cheese!)

Tomato Wheat Bread

· 1 package of active dry yeast

· ¼ cup warm water (100-110 degrees)

· ½ cup plain yogurt

· 1 teaspoon olive oil

· 2 cloves of fresh garlic, grated

· 6-ounce can tomato paste

· 2 cups whole wheat flour

· ½ cup whole wheat bread flour (or regular bread flour)

· ½ cup cornmeal

· 1 teaspoon sugar

· 1 teaspoon salt (or more)

Mix the yeast into the warm water and allow to proof for about 15 minutes, or until foamy. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, olive oil, garlic, and tomato paste. In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, bread flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Stir the yeast mixture into the yogurt mixture, then add all the wet ingredients to the flour mixture.

Knead the dough for about 8 minutes (by machine or hand), place inside a large greased bowl, cover with a damp clean cloth, then allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about ½ hours. (I like to preheat my oven for one minute, turn it off, then place the bread inside to rise.)

Punch the dough down and knead again for about 4 minutes. Place the dough inside a greased 9” x 5" loaf pan, and allow to rise again until doubled in size, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until cooked through in the center.

Enjoy!

Do you ever multitask while sewing?

Naturally Beautiful Quilts: An interview with artist Sharon V. Rotz

2010-09-15T15:47:00Z

For many, this is the time of year when nature beckons. The scorching summer heat has passed but the sun is still shining, and the great outdoors has so much appeal. I think this is one of many reasons that SharonV. Rotz’s colorful art quilts recently caught my eye; they depict natural objects and creatures with such vibrancy and warmth. Sharon’s art will be on display at The Alexander House in Port Edwards, Wisconsin until October 12, 2010. Whether or not you can make it to the show, read on to learn more about her work.

Tell us a bit about your upcoming exhibit. How did you select the venue and the works to be displayed?

The art quilts on exhibit are based on the natural beauty of Wisconsin. The fabric patterns and soft textures of the fibers are a dramatic contrast to the hard stone surfaces of the exquisite beadwork of Christine Kysley, also on exhibit. The Alexander House is a stately mansion set on the scenic banks of the Wisconsin River. This formal setting is a grand venue for art and its high-quality museum lighting assures that each artwork is shown at its best.

How did you become involved in art quilting? Have you worked with other artistic mediums?

My path into art quilting was certainly not direct. After several years of clothing construction, alternations, and working with interior designers creating soft furnishings (such as draperies, pillows, and home accessories), I became a quilter. Being true to the time, I learned traditional quilting and discarded my stash in favor of quilter’s cottons. I did learn the techniques but, being an independent spirit, I was always questioning the methods set before me.

This soon led to further exploration, pulling and pushing the boundaries of traditional quilting in many ways. I have a great fondness for color. I want to use every color in the box and, most often, in its pure saturated form. Not much “mud” finds its way into my work. I also like to drive myself past the natural stopping point, asking what else I can do to enhance each piece.

You seem to focus on nature in particular. Is this your primary source of inspiration?

Yes, I am definitely inspired by nature. Living in a rural area surrounded by tall trees, wildlife, and water, it is my world. I love the beauty of the grandeur, of the large picture—but I am also captivated by the details. What are the lines of a tree branch? What colors are reflected in a leaf? How can I catch the reflections of water?

Tell us a bit about your process.

People often ask how I start a project. Do I have it all drawn on paper before I look to the fabric? Most often, I have a general idea of what I want to do. For example, in “We See, They See,” I knew I wanted to use cranes as the main focus of the quilt. From there, I visited my stash and start looking for fabric. I know even if I have a clear picture in my mind (or drawn on paper), the idea will change when I start looking at fabric. Unlike a painter or fabric dyer who can mix their colors to match their ideas, I use mainly commercially printed fabrics so the fabrics I find determine the direction of my plan.

How do you go about selecting fabrics?

The best plan that I can offer to build your stash is to purchase only fabric that you truly love, not because you have a specific use in mind, but because it speaks to your soul. That way, when it comes time to make a project, you can go to your closet and there is the perfect fabric. Large quantities of any one fabric are not necessary; variety is the key to greatness.

I have stretched myself enough now that I can choose colors that don’t exist in nature. I found a wonderful print to use in the crane quilt but it was red, green, and blue—not those dull brown crane colors, for sure. Thinking about those pompous birds, they surely see themselves in a much grander light, so they became red and blue, which are my favorite colors.

Does your background in traditional quilting still influence your work?

I do respect traditional quilting and often add a bit of it to my art quilts. In “We See, They See” tradition pops out in my “freedom” log cabin block border. The contrast yet interconnection between the two—the modern and the traditional—touches my spirit.

The techniques used in my work vary with the job to be done. Often hand appliqué is mixed with fusing. Machine piecing is highlighted by hand beading or embroidery. Machine quilting, which may be combined with hand quilting, finishes the job. Obviously, I like it all and will do whatever inspires me at the moment.

My material selection has recently broadened and I am again buying the fabrics that I discarded from my stash when I became a quilter. I am also making new choices such as beads, leather strips, and metal washers. Ever stretching, ever widening my quilting horizons.

Quilt Images (from top to bottom)

· “Dappled” • 24" x 40"

· “Uninhibited Growth” • 40" x 34"

· “We See, They See” • 83" x 58"