A New Connor Design

Connor III
but not really named yet  45" X 45"

A week or so ago I posted a closeup of a new piece that I'm working on.  I've been doing a study so that I can get the quilting and thread choices out of the way before I start on the big piece.

Tonight I decided to post the full print and give you an idea of how I came up with this design.

I knew that I wanted to continue experimenting with my computer generated images.  I went to my photo files to fine a photo that I wanted to work with.

This has long been a favorite photo of mine.  Connor was about three at the time and he really loved to garden.  He even wanted the cement to grow. 

I decided to dropout the background and then look for a photo that I wanted to pair it with.

After searching through my large file of garden photos I suddenly thought of this piece of fiber art I made several years ago.  It is titled Through my Window.

It is actually the front window of our log house.  Through the window is my great room with another Geranium quilt hanging on the wall.  The window box holds more geraniums.   The geraniums in the pots are made using the fabric Origami method.

After a bit of trial and error I learned how to increase my canvas size to accommodate Connor standing in outer space.

Lots of fun and I love the finished produce.  Now to get it quilted. 

Good News, Lark Publishing Company's New Book

Just got an email yesterday that "Connor" will be published in the upcoming book, Art Quilt Portfolio: People & Portraits.  It will hit the book stores in April, 2013.  I'm excited.

Connor # 3

I finally have time to work in my studio.  I have only spent small amounts of time, doing really mundane things, since getting my class at Campbell ready to teach in Aug.  That is two months folks and I have really missed working.

I have a new piece started but I'm only going to show small pieces in this post.

The entire piece will be 45" x 45" or there about.  Because it is a big piece and I really don't want to do a lot of picking out stitches I decided that I would work on a study first.   This is another of my creations in PhotoShop and is printed on linen cotton canvas.  I'm very happy with the color and texture that I get with this fabric.  It will be the first time I've used it so I  that is another reason for the sample.

I've spent the last two days stitching this piece, and am so glad that I decided to do a study before starting on the larger piece.

I am not exactly a patient person and I hate to waste time.  Often I tell myself that I am wasting time doing the same thing twice.  That I'm going to be bored working on the same thing again.  And sometimes I do get bored but I learn something each time I work so that, hopefully, I will improve the next time.

I almost decided yesterday that I had done enough to this study to see how the fabric reacted to quilting.  How much quilting I wanted to do and which threads to use.  But as I look at the piece this morning I've decided that I will finish the piece because there are other issues that I need to get solved before I tackle the larger piece. 

If anyone who reads this has a good collection of thread for portraits that they like I sure would love to hear from you.  If you look closely at Connor's face and neck you will note that I used brown tone threads on his neck and red tone threads on his face.  Which do you like best?

Quilt National Entry Part Two

This is a continuation of my discussion on the making of Doors to the Past.   When I first printed the image I had thoughts of adding something around or to the side of the image.  However, the more I looked at the printed piece the more I wanted to keep it within  the confines that existed.
Having made that decision I had to decide where I was going to take the piece.  The shadows intrigued me.  I was puzzled as to why my shadow disappeared and wanted to explore that further.  At first I isolated my shadow, I guess I was determined to be in the piece, but I was much happier with the image of my husband.  I also really liked the aura that appeared around the archway. 

After I isolated the shadow image of my husband I placed it in various positions within the larger image.  A few of the images I tried.

This is the final image I decided on, I can't really say why except that it pleased me.  While working on the piece I spent time wondering how many people had passed through these doors.  Perhaps the eerie feeling that I experienced when my image appeared as a white spot at the top of the arches inspired the rest of the design.   I really enjoy going back over a piece like this an exploreing the whys and hows of the creation.  I hope you enjoyed it as well.

Quilt National Entry

Doors to the Past

This was my entry into Quilt National this year.  This was the first year I felt that I had a piece that might be considered for this prestigious show.

Quilt National is held every other year at the Dairy Barn in Athens, OH.   Many say that this is the mother of all fiber art shows.

You really have to plan and commit yourself and the piece of art that you are making to enter in QN.  One of the foremost rules in their entry form is that the art can not be posted on your blog/internet etc.  Nor can it have been entered into any other show or seen within a 100 mile radius of your home before entering into QN.  This takes quite a commitment.  Most artist who chose to enter this exhibit feels that this is worthwhile. 

I took the plunge this year and decided that I might have a small chance.  I didn't!  There were over 800 entries and only 86 were juried into the show.  Of course, I'm disappointed but not surprised.  I'm glad I entered and I will most likely enter again.  After all nothing ventured nothing gained.

 Now that I have that out of the way I want to tell you how I came up with the above design and how Doors to the Past evolved.

The photo show here was taken in New Mexico.  I can't really remember where but the thing that caught my attention was how the doors/arches opened one after the other.  I also loved the light that came through after the second doorway.

I've been doing a lot of merging photos in PSE and decided to play with this photo as my background.

 I also take lots of shadow photos of myself and my husband when we are out hiking or site seeing.  This photo was taken in a creek in the Smoky Mountains.  The stones are moss covered and the sky is reflected in the water.

 This was the final image.  As you can see my shadow disappeared with the exception of the light at the upper part of the archway.  Things started feeling a little eerie here.

As I looked at the image I began seeing images.  The design that emerged at the lower left looked to me as if it might be half of the Comedy Mask.  Because of this I decided to mirror image the design./

 This was the image that emerged after the mirror imaging.  This has turned into a much longer post than I had planned so I am stopping at this point and will elaborate on this more later this week.

A Few Hours in the Studio

If you follow my blog you will know that I haven't been posting a lot recently.  That's because I haven't had time to work in my studio.

We have been on the road a lot and sometimes there are things that need done more than studio time. 

I did have a few minutes this week and decided that I would spend that time making a sample for a new class that I'm putting together. 

Fabricating Faces with Thread  is the title of the class.  It's difficult to give an accurate supply list when it comes to thread needs.  Because of that I am trying to put together a sample with different colors and types of thread. 

The above is about all I had time for this week but have a grip on what I need to do.  Wish me luck.

My next post will be from Arizona.  YEA!

LMQS

Well. I finally have time to sit down and do a little blogging about the Lake and Mountain Quilt Show.  Time has been at a premium for me recently, but when I talk to my friends about how the time just flies by they have the same problem.

If you didn't get to the show you really missed one of the best.

My good friend Marge Edie won Best of Show, not once but twice. The general public had a vote and members of the guild had a vote.  She won both.

A well deserved win for Marge.  I followed this quilt which took about a year and a half to finish.

Marge and I are in a Focus group together.  She first brought her design to our meeting and little bits as she put them together.  This is an enormous quilt.  Well deserved Marge.

Husband and wife team Gil and Pat Huggins won a blue ribbon for this piece.  Gil told me it started out as a comfort quilt but they liked it so much they kept it.  Congratulations.

 Haley Kelley won for the miniature category.  It is the one with the white boarder.  I have great respect for the artist who attacks a piece this small.  Great work.

Mary Dusenberry won, I think, a second place for this delightful, warm looking quilt.  Mary's sister who is in a wheel chair helped her place the panels to make this very appealing design.

Sun Hunston, is and extraordinary long arm quilter.  She's also a wonderful piercer and her quilts always win an award at out show.  Beautiful work.


















Well since I had to be somewhere else at 5:00 on Saturday this is all the photos I was able to get.  Wish I had more detail but I just didn't have the time to do so.  If you missed this show we will be doing it again in two years.  Barbara, Mary and Donna are you ready yet?

Preview LMQG Show

Visitors to the LMQG Show, Celebrating Silver will be met at the door with a view of this car quilt created by member Virginia Grobusky.

As always members came up with a wonderful table of refreshments.  Susan Wright and her team did a wonderful job.

The theme of the show is Celebrating Silver, this year is the 25th year of the guild.   The quilts shown here are part of the challenge for the 25th. year celebration.

A few of my favorites, the black and white piece was created by Margaret Barre.  My apologies to the maker of the red quilt, I didn't get the name of the maker.

This beautiful piece was created by Marilyn Ingalls.   Marilyn's machine quilting is incredible.

A closeup of Marilyn's quilting.

Ronette Askew's piece sent cold chills over my body.  Her daughter is in the Army and serves as a PA in Afghanistan.

A silent auction of pieces donated by guild members will be held during the show.  A great time to buy a beautiful piece. 

There is a boutique with wonderful handmade items on sale .  I did my share of buying there yesterday. 

And as always great vendors.  No more preview you have to come and see for yourself the great work made by the Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild.

A Month of Quilts and Lake and Mountain Quilt Show

A month of quilts in Oconee County, SC began with a reception at the Lunney House Museum.

A lovely set up in the back yard. \

 Quilts that are being used for the Oconee County Heritage Quilt Trail are displayed throughout the house.

There will be displays of quilts at the Blue Ridge Art Center in Seneca, the Chamber of Commerce on Ram Cat Alley The Train Station Museum in Westminster and many more places in the county.  There are over 100 quilt designs on the Heritage Trail.

The Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild show begins Friday Morning 9:30-6:00 at the Shaver Rec. Center, 698 W. South 4th. St., Seneca, SC.    There will be a silent auction, a boutique, venders, and lots of beautiful quilts.  Come join us!

Please Hang in there with Me

About the only creative time I've had recently has been to take a few photographs and play with them at night when I have just run out of steam to do anything else.

I still have a few hydrangeas blooming.  So I took a little time yesterday to go out and take some photos with my new iPad.  I downloaded a free photo app titled Mobile Monet.

The app is easy to follow and fun to play with.  I thought this was a cool image.
I spent yesterday creating word documents and getting information out to three inquiries for classes.  Not exactly fun but necessary if you like to teach, and I do.

This is an interesting cactus, common name, Skunk or Stink Cactus.  There is a good reason for for that name.  If you look close you can see flies in the cactus.  These blooms are enormous as are the buds.  Love to see it unroll.

I am on the way to NC this weekend and then back to work on our local Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild Show the weekend of Sept. 21-22.  Hope to have a post on it soon.  You won't want to miss this one.