| David Charity's latest cartoon quilt is for an exhibit for Quilts on the Wall. This is another in a series featuring Basenji dogs interacting with other critters. Our first Basenji was a pound puppy but our second was from a local Southern California breeder. My sister has had Basenji's for over two decades and we are very familiar with their personality and quirks. They are perfect subjects for his cartoon quilts. The annual juried exhibit is entitled "Crossings" and it is left to the artist to interpret in their own personal way. David is working hard to get it done in time for the July turn in date and I am loving it. I think this is one of his best cartoons to date. We are both looking forward to seeing what the other artists bring to the table for their interpretation of the theme. |  Detail of Crossings quilt |
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On the final leg of the home stretch. I have the facing on and the final phase is the sleeve and label. That means I also have to make a decision on the title of my piece. My working title is 'Ancestral Cairns' and I think that may be the final title. These are the definitions: Adjective 1. Pertaining to ancestors; descending or claimed from ancestors: an ancestral home. Noun 1. A mound of stones erected as a memorial or marker Of course, while driving around the other day, I came up with a different title and I love it. I will keep you all in suspense until I get the final label on the quilt and it is set in ink. My process was to find historical maps of areas where my ancestors a few centuries ago started their migration and where they ended up. I put these into Photoshop on different layers so that I could erase and blend edges between the different maps. After I blended the edges, I uploaded the file to Spoonflower as a black and white file. Because the final design is to be 18 inches by 48 inches, I was able to get two pieces printed on one width of fabric. That allowed me to have a test piece for different coloring techniques before I started on the main design.
I sampled different paints, inks and other coloring agents, both transparent and opaque. After applying my base colors, I quilted out the piece. After quilting (and first testing on my sample piece) I layered more color on the surface with paints, Inktense pencils and oil pastel sticks. I trimmed the piece to size and faced it with some of the Sticks and Stones fabric by Moda I used on the front. I liked it so much that I went back to Primitive Gatherings where I originally purchased it and bought more yardage to use in other projects. The suspense is over. Thinking about the time that my peeps started their trek over (1603) I have changed the title. The hardship of the ocean voyage, the unknown of what the land would be like and reading some of the genealogy records I decided this is a more fitting moniker. It is inked and labeled and ready to turn in for the exhibit in November. the title is: Brave Hearts and Restless Feet After getting the final work done on this piece, I will work on pieces for the SAQA twin exhibit call for entry of Tranquility and Turmoil.  Backing batik for Roots/Routes I have discovered that I need to have a backing on my Roots/Routes quilt or I cannot do any "pre-stitching". The fabric is just too temperamental to cooperate with me. I need a little more "tooth" to needle through.
Good news and bad news:
On the upside, we got Starbucks treat receipts today and I had my Java Chip. Life is good. So, how's your weekend going? This year I actually submitted a piece for one of the major exhibits that Visions hosts every other year. This year the theme is "Intepretations". I had a piece that I think fits well into that theme. We will have to wait and see if the jurors of the show agree. I am just happy that I had one to submit. I have spent the day doing computer work and cleaning up some things that I have put off. Ready to head out to reward myself with a Starbucks and get back to work on Roots/Routes. David works on his piece every night after work and I am lagging behind. I am stuck in a design phase and planning my next steps. Can you guess which one is mine and which is David's? David and I have been busy in the studio but we took some time out to go to the Quilts on the Wall meeting last Saturday. What a busy day that was. Annette was great as president but this was her last official day as the illustrious leader of the group. In January she will be turning over the reins of power to a new president and some new board members.
Carol Churchill presented the new website updates for the group to review and approve. There are big changes coming to the website. She has been working really hard on getting the site redesigned with a new web designer over the past few months. I hope that everyone will go visit the site when it goes live and let the group know how much you like it. I will post when it goes live for all to see. I have been trying to get things done around the house and have been extremely busy at my job so I have neglected getting my posts done on time. I hope that I am now back on schedule and will be posting every week again. I am setting up a "store" on the site and will have a few things available for sale soon direct from us. I will keep the CafePress shop for items that are printed. If you have your eye on a piece you would like to purchase, email me and let me know and I will get it listed. Purchases will be able to be made through PayPal for your convenience. I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall and that you are looking forward to the holidays. How many of you are watching the Hallmark Channel with all their Christmas movies? I know David and I watch a lot of the movies. It is fun to work on our art while enjoying all the shows.  "Bit Map" by David Charity David and I will have our "Maps" quilts at the Pennsylvania Quilt show next weekend. This is a Quilts on the Wall traveling special exhibit. I believe this exhibit travels to PIQF on the west coast in October if you can't make the east coast show. If you stop in the Philadephia area in and see the show let us know. If you enjoyed the special exhibit we would love to hear about it. From the Mancuso show website: PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL QUILT EXTRAVAGANZA XX The Center of It All for Quilt, Fiber, Wearable and Textile Art SEPTEMBER 19-22, 2013 The Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza is the largest and most prominent quilting arts event in the Northeast all under one roof. The quilt competition features wonderful entries from throughout the nation. Entries to the competition include traditional and innovative quilts. The exhibits of the Extravaganza will offer over six hundred quilts and garments presented in gallery style as well as more than two hundred vendor booths offering everything from completed quilts and garments to all the supplies and equipment used in making them. This event is held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
 This is just too cool. David and I know Sheila and she is a wonderful person. We are so excited for her and her successes.
Most artists are members of several different groups and David and I are no exceptions. We are members of Textures Fiber Artists and Quilts on the Wall. Sheila Frampton Cooper is a Quilts on the Wall member. I want to let everyone know that Sheila is featured on Alex Anderson's and Ricky Tims "The Quilt Show". You may have seen her or her work in IQF show in Long Beach this year. She had a piece in the Dinner at Eight special exhibit. Sheila is the featured artist on one of The Quilt Show's newest shows. If you hurry over (sign up for free if you are not already a member) you can watch her show free until September 19, 2013. I watched it and it is fabulous. In front of the camera she is a natural and her technique is well covered and looks like a lot of fun. Sheila also has a great website if you have not been over to visit it yet. I hope everyone gets a chance to view Sheila in action on The Quilt Show before it goes to the members only area.
 David and I both had a great time going through our stash of fabrics for this challenge. We were allowed one neutral to put into our quilts for the "rest" or quiet place. This also could serve as a color to pull your eye around the quilt.
I chose to stretch the neutral a bit and inserted a greyed down green for my piece. David stayed a bit truer to the challenge and used an off white. We both played with textures and unconventional fabrics for our pieces. Most of our fabrics came from discontinued decorator fabric books that we got from interior designers. By adding some machine and handwork to the pieces we were able to add additional line and movement to the surfaces. Scan the QR Code with your phone and see the video about this work. Details of each piece.are presented.  6 quilts from Maps exhibit David and I attended the Quilts, Inc Long Beach show Aug 2 - Aug 4, 2013. We attended the event on Friday and Saturday. As always it was a wonderful show with great quilts and vendors. We saw many inspiring quilts and purchased a few new pieces of fabric. One of the events that we attended was the docent tour of the SAQA Seasonal Palette exhibit. We were fortunate to have Kathleen McCabe as our docent. She gave some wonderful insight on each of the 38 pieces in the exhibit. Photography was not allowed. The quilts are fabulous and the techniques are varied and creative. I recommend seeing this exhibit if you get a chance. SAQA has a Seasonal Palette book.
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David & PatriciaWe are fiber artists that live in Northern Arizona. We now create our art full time. Archives
December 2020
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