Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Sunrise Serenade in Quilting Arts Magazine

I am so jazzed that a sampling of the new Dinner @ Eight Artists "Rituals" exhibit is featured in the October/November issue of Quilting Arts magazine. The issue features Judy Coates Perez on the Cover with her fabulous "Eight of Cups" piece. What an awesome piece! There are two articles that highlight Dinner @ Eight Artists. The first is "Q&A with Curators Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison" by Vivika Hansen DeNegre. This piece focuses on how Dinner at 8 Artists was founded, how it's themes are developed for annual exhibits and how the shows are juried by invitation. Jamie and Leslie foster a wonderful goal of balancing both established and emerging artists to put together a fantastic show. They have developed and continue to develop a strong set of artists who gather together at festivals to encourage strength and collaboration with one another. They also share their very inpirational quilts for the Rituals exhibit. Hats off to these very classy and strong women. The second article, "Rituals Gallery" focuses on Inspiring Quilts from the Dinner at Eight Artists. There are nine pieces by artists including Susan Brubaker Knapp with "I See the Moon," "Milo" by Jeanie Palmer Moore, ""Lost Rituals: Grief" by Susie Monday, "Cosmic Gears" by Loris Bogue, "Sunrise Serenade" by Barb Forrister, "8 of Cups" by Judy Coates Perez, "Walking with Mr. C and Scooter" by Gerrie Congdon, "Meditation" by Karen Ripps and "Boundary Waters 60 (Rock Time) by Virginia Spiegel. What an honor and blessing to be a part of this talented group of ladies. Here's to strong women. May we raise them. May we know them. May we be them! This exhibit is sponsored by Moore's Sewing Center ( http://www.moores-sew.com/ ) and Havel Sewing (http://www.havelssewing.com/). To read more about it, please visit http://dinnerateightartists.blogspot.com/ .  

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Creating Texture and Dimension With Cloth

September is a busy month here in Austin and the fun continues. I will be teaching a free, mini workshop at the Austin Fiber Artist Recharge Zone on Wednesday, September 19, 2012. Come learn how fabric can be altered to provide color, texture and dimension to your work. For this mini workshop, please bring scraps of fabric (fat quarter size), some type of light weight fusible (preferably Mistyfuse), iron, ironing pad and pressing sheet, scissors and Timtex or Peltex. Optional supplies include textiva and Angelina fibers, sheer fabrics, netting, tulle, acrylic felt, yarns and fibers. Should be fun. The workshop will focus on creating texture and dimension with cloth. Hope to see you all there!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

News from the Austin Area Quilt Guild Capital of Texas Quilt Show 2012


Shadow Dancer by Barb Forrister
I am so jazzed that Shadow Dancer received an Honorable Mention and special award for Best Design in Small Quilts at the Austin Area Quilt Guild Capital of Texas Quilt Show, this year! This is his third time out and the first time, he has competed. So nice to see him bring home a couple of ribbons! I am especially elated that he received Best Overall Design as this is an area that I struggle with constantly! Validation that I am getting better! Our group quilt entries also did fantastically well at festival this year! Pixel Perfect, a collaboration led by Kathy York with Frances Holliday Alford, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Sherri McCauley, Connie Hudson and Barb Forrister received an Honorable Mention in the Group Quilt Category! Additionally, Artist Garden, a group collaboration led by Connie Hudson with Kathy York, Annie Smith, Suzan Engler, Cindy Potter Henneke, Frances Holliday Alford, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Sherri McCauley and Barb Forrister placed First in Special Occasion Quilts by more than one person and also received a special award for Best Creativity in small quilts! Yay!!!! Wonderful news, Austin Art Quilt group! Truly fabulous to be a part of such a talented group of women!  
Pixel Perfect
The show will continue through the end of today. If you have a chance, be sure and check it out at the Palmer event Center in Austin, Texas. There will be special exhibits and live demonstrations with many vendors selling delectable wares! A treat for sure!
Artist Garden

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Austin Area Quilt Guild Capital of Texas Quilt Show 2012


Lost Cavern by Barb Forrister
September is finally here and it is a busy month in Austin. The Austin Area Quilt Guild (AAQG), Capital of Texas Quilt Show will commence on September 14-16 with over 350 quilts on display at the Palmer Event Center located at 900 Barton Springs Road in Austin, Texas. Hours are 10-6 on Friday and Saturday, 12-4 on Sunday. Some quilts will be offered for sale and there will be vendors, live demonstations and a silent auction with some wonderful treats.   ! 
           



AAQG has a show every other year and this year promises to be fantastic! If you have never been to this event, I highly recommend it! And even if you have, be sure to put it on your "must see" list as each year brings more exciting and beautiful work ranging from traditional to contemporary bed quilts to art quilts for the wall. Always fun to see what folks come up with! For more information, please visit www.captxquiltfest.org .
This year, I will have three pieces in the judged art quilt category. They are Lost Cavern, Songbird and Shadow Dancer. Lost Cavern is composed of dyed raw silk with dyed wool roving, cheesecloth and fibers added for the stalactites and stalagmites. Songbird is a wholecloth painted piece featuring canaries. Lastly, Shadow Dancer is composed with lush velvets and upholstery materials created with a 3Dimensional added touch.
 
 Additionally, Emerald Treasures will be on display at the Fiber Art exhibit portion of the show. This piece is painted, heavily beaded, needle felted and created with a 3Dimensional aspect in mind. All of these pieces will be available for sale at the Austin area Quilt Show. If you have a chance, this is a wonderful show and treat for all the senses. Hope to see you there!