Ice Tapestry Book Available In VERY Limited edition

I am sharing the information on the book with photos of many of my great show quilts for anyone who would like to order one.
I have a very limited number so only those who claim one and pay first with Paypal will be able to get one.
The first picture is the cover. The second and third pictures are the book open to certain pages.
Hard cover....8 1/2 by 11 inches
The cost of the book is $25 and priority mail is $7
It is a PICTURE BOOK, not a how to book.
The only text is the titles for each quilt.
There are 25 different quilts shown in the book.
These were taken before the show so I could get great photos.
If you want one PM me with your Paypal name so I can send you a request for the money. I will not accept delayed Paypal payments. The last day I can accept your order is this Friday, February 3rd.
If you would like it autographed please let me know who I should sign it to.
(I have a list of names from before and I have contacted several of you to let you know I am going to be bringing them with and will get them to you when I arrive next week.)
 

Sharing Quilts From My Show

On my last blog post I shared a lot of people pictures with quilts in the background.
Today I am sharing some Ice Tapestries and Shibori quilts.
I had 4 people who took pictures and shared them with me so I have a lot to chose from for your enjoyment.

Silk Ice is a piece of ice dyed silk shantung mounted on a stretcher frame. I love this piece with it’s soft blend of lighter colors. Silk takes dyes beautifully. This is in the gift shop and very affordable.

Sacred Spirits is one of the largest pieces in the show.

Glory is different than any of the other quilts.

Perfect Harmony is one of my shibori pieces. It is about as symmetrical as I get with shibori!.
As you can see there is a great variety in my work. I love to challenge myself and continually try new things within the area I am working in.
I hope you enjoyed seeing these pieces and will come back again as I share more of my work.

Where Do I Begin?

I  was overwhelmed by the attendance at the Opening Reception of my solo show Sunday.
Not only by the numbers of people, but the fact that there were people from every part of my life….
Family, grade school friends, Jr. and Sr. high schools friends, quilting friends, dyeing friends, social friends, so many friends I hadn’t seen for years, former students, Hilton Head friends, friends I taught and worked with, friends who lived in our apartments, my son’s friends from when they were young, FL friends, and on and on!

I have to thank Jessica, Julie, Andy and Sally for all the pictures I'll be sharing because I was too busy to take one single picture.

I made special ribbons for all my family with the silk I used for my jacket and each one had a piece of ice on them. Here Jeff Jr. is pinning my sister Karen’s ribbon on her. Kevin and Jessica are in the background on the right.

Long time friends Mary and Tim McLafferty looking great.

More long time friends, Gary and Millie Peterson. Millie was in the very first tailoring wool jackets class I taught in Paddock Lake at the high school sponsored by Gateway Technical College.

Patty Langworthy is one of my friends who I met while we both attended Jinny Beyer’s quilting seminar. Many long time friendships were made from this experience.

Joni Gagliardi and my daughter in law Heather Sorensen.
I hope no one feels slighted that they haven’t been included on this post as there will be more to come.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I’ll See You Tomorrow!

It’s almost here.

My long awaiting solo ground breaking show opens tomorrow.

Ice Tapestries and Shibori Quilts

Anderson Arts Center

121 66th Street

Kenosha, Wisconsin

Opening Reception

January 29, 2017 1:30 – 4 p.m.

I am sharing some sneak peaks of photos we took yesterday.

Hope you enjoy the show. I’m looking forward to seeing YOU!

5 More Days…And Another Teaser

This shows you 4 more pieces that are a part of my show.

It also shares the beautiful paneled walls that are part of the Anderson Arts Center.

This was built in 1934-36 and used the finest materials and constructions. It has stood the test of time and has never been changed over the years other than painting to enhance some details to make it a fantastic art center.

The show is open to all and I hope you will be able to be there.

SIX More Days Until The Opening Reception Of My Solo Show

Here is another sneak peak of one of the 8 galleries of my work in the show. And what you can’t see is what is on the other walls.
Hope you can be there and see it all.

Two Weeks, Two Hats Knit, Two Packer Wins

I knit GREEN and GOLD!
You can bet I will be knitting another Packer hat today!

Caleb was the first recipient of one of my crazy funky Packer hats.

Kevin said if I knit one for him he’d never take it off! So he got the second one.


And true to family photo ops here you see the hat with a toe!
But you also see the glitz and all the different textured yarns to make this special and fun.
WHO will be gifted with hat number 3? It has to be someone who has the chutzpah to carry it off and wear it! Let me know if you think YOU are the one……….
Jeff Jr? Heidi? Nate? Jeff Sr? or someone who is not on this list????

9 More Days Until My Solo Show Opens

Ice Tapestries and Shibori Quilts
Anderson Arts Center
121 66th St
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Over 80 pieces in 8 galleries
Opening Reception: Sunday January 29th, 2017 1:30 – 4 pm
Show Dates: January 29-March 19 1-4 pm daily Tuesday – Sunday

I was able to get some pictures of the show today. These are only teasers and are not edited for the very best clarity.

I just want you to get an idea of what you the show features. This is my major work for the last 3 years. Everything started with white fabric. I have dyed, painted and otherwise changed the fabrics.
All of these pictures were taken before the lighting was done to show each piece to it’s best advantage.
It was exciting for me to see the way Candace Hoffman has hung the show. She has a real talent for making work look fantastic. She said people who have been in the AAC for one reason or another this week are very impressed, excited and planned to come back to see the show once it opens.

Successful Sharing

Many of you know that I have been working for several years purging and passing things on to family, friends and making donations.
The cabinets you see here are 2 of 4 that we had in one of the bedrooms. When my granddaughter Heidi and her DH Nate bought their first house I offered them the cabinets. They originally came from Porters in Racine. They were happy to get them. These two are in their dining room in their 1924 house. The other two are in their office.
I also gave them the Pickard china which is the same age as I am. I acquired it in the last 10 years. I really didn’t use it and Heidi loved it so I gave it to her. She picked it up Sunday and just sent me this picture with it arranged in the lighted cabinet.
She still could use a few more serving pieces and I will continue searching for them for her.
I am so glad she appreciates this. The pattern is called Hemlock Syncron and is very Oriental in silver, gray, black and red….very striking and tasteful.

Bread and butter plate

Journey To January 29, 2017

This morning my car was packed with my work for my ground breaking show Ice Tapestries and Shibori Quilts. This may not look like a lot, but it was arranged and layered to get everything there in perfect condition.

As soon as my grandson Jeff got done working he arrived to drive the quilts and me to the Anderson Arts Center.

When we arrived there my grandson in law Nate was there to help Jeff unload them and get them inside safely.

Candace had set up this room to be ready to receive the work. The floor coverings would keep things clean and she could view the work to decide where she would hang it for maximum impact.
I can’t wait to see how she displays things. I am also anxious to share this exhibition of the culmination of creating beautiful work for the last several years from white fabric and turning it into beautiful colors and designs with you to see.
I hope to see you there.

Looking Back At My Work And Looking Forward

As I am getting ready for my show I am looking back at both recent work and work from years ago.

Christmas and the quilts the family chose also has me looking back at older work.
As I look at each piece I see some of the thought and design process what went into each piece.

But I also can not tell you exactly how I created most of them.

I may or may not start with a general idea and them make choices as the work tells me what it needs.
I would be hard pressed to duplicate most anything I have created in the last 20 years. The work I created before that may have been more “planned out” before I started making it.

I love the fact that I can see a very definite progression in the work I am creating now as compared to my early work.
Yet many people have said they can spot a piece and know I was the creator.
I do have to give credit to the fabrics. When I started making quilts there was very little suitable fabric available to make a quilt. Today there is more commercial fabric available than any time in history.
Add to that the artist made fabrics that we create with and there are no boundaries.

I do remember when I said I wouldn’t dye fabric as was too much work and I bought the fabrics from other dyers. The raisin colored fabric was dyed by me but the other fabrics were purchased from another dyer.
Today I am dyeing and painting all the fabrics I am using currently. This may change.

I have been asked if I will continue on the path I am currently on, I have thought long and hard about this. I feel there are still a lot of stories to tell and expect to continue creating my own fabric and using it to create art. I also am considering using some of my fabrics and using them with commercial fabrics or antique textiles. The sky IS the limit and I know I will just go where the wind blows as I live a serendipitous life and create in a serendipitous way.

Ice Tapestries And Shibori Quilts

 

 

I hope you all will be at the opening so I can see you and you can see what I have been creating for the last several years.

If you can’t make the opening the show will go on for almost 2 months.

I will be at the opening but will head south soon after that.

26 DAYS And Counting!

 

Only 26 more days until my solo show opens with a lovely reception. Several people have asked for details so here they are.
It is at the Anderson Art Center 121 66th Street Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The opening reception will be held on January 29, 2017 from 1-4 pm. It is free and open to the public.
The show continues through March 19, 2017.
The Anderson Arts Center is open daily Tuesday-Sunday from 1-4 pm. ...
I will be showing over 80 pieces of my work that I have created by dyeing and or painting previously white fabric. I will have the entire Art Center (8 gorgeous rooms) to share my work.
The building itself on Lake Michigan is awesome.
Candace Hoffman is the curator and she knows how to display work for the maximum impact. The lighting is always amazing too.
Kenosha is located half way between Chicago and Milwaukee and is an easy drive if you are in the area.
Don't miss it....it will be a show that will be talked about for years.
I WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE at the opening as will my family and friends from near and far.
I hope to see YOU!

The Quilt Choices

This is the third year the members of my family have each been able to choose a quilt to add to their collection. Couples get one quilt for them and they have to agree on their choice. They have had no problem agreeing to the best of my knowledge.

Without knowing the name of the quilt Greg and Julie chose Door County Dreams. I had gifted them 3 Door County books in their gift bag. If you saw the picture Julie received painted by Carol Baxter you can see how great it looks with this quilt.

Blake and Stephanie chose Tea For Who. It was made in the style of Victor Vasserely’s early work. I think they are the only tea drinkers in the family. I also made this as an interpretation of a Bodum Asam tea pot. I gave them my teapot as I wanted them to have the inspiration for this piece.

Heidi and Nate selected The Salsa Connection and they do like Salsa! This is a bargello technique I created and taught all over the USA years ago.

Jessica and Kevin’s choice was Somewhere Out There. This started as a quilt top I was not pleased with. By slicing, inserting and adding a border and applique it became a great piece.

Blooming Balloon was Nicholas’s choice. This was made for an invitational exhibition. We were required to work with a specific group of fabrics, a real challenge. I added some beads and sequins to this to add some sparkle and interest. My quilt was the February page on the calendar from the exhibit. I will be giving Nicholas a calendar when I find it!

Paisley Star Mandala was Jared’s choice. It was made with a great Gutcheon fabric in 1982 fussy cutting with Yours Truly templates. The quilt has a lot of dimension and a lot of hand work. All the beige triangles are hand quilted every 1/8 inch to flatten the fabric. The quilting is hardly visible as it is obscured by the pattern of the fabric. The paisley are minimally quilted to make them puff out. It is presented on a custom made stretcher frame. The border has batting under it to make it puff out quite a bit I signed it by cross stitching over needlepoint canvas and then removed the canvas threads. It is one of my first very successful original designs. It could have been made very recently, yet is 34 years old.
The decision to let every one choose their own quilt has been a good idea. I could never have picked the quilts for each person that they liked best and chose. I always have many more quilts for them than there are people to choose from so no one ends up with a quilt that they don’t want.

Our First Night Of Christmas!

Greg and Julie and family visit after Christmas as they have their own family Christmas and have to schedule around work and other obligations.

This year instead of each individual receiving a gift bag, each couple shared a gift bag. Kevin thought the scarf was for him and Jessica was laughing so hard when I took the picture. I DO think Jessica wears it well.

Seems Greg realized the scarf was meant for Julie as it sure looks great on her.

Blake also doesn’t seem to realize that even though this scarf is big and long Stephanie could wear it with style.

Nate and Heidi are Packer fans to the max and they now each have a Pickard china Packer dinner plate.

Nicholas has always loved frogs from the time he was about 3 years old. His big Radko ornament has 3 frogs.

Jared is wearing the crazy hat I knit for him as he opens his presents.

We like the big smile Greg has here.

A nice picture of Kevin and Jessica after she finished laughing.

Julie is showing off her painting by Carol Baxter.

Stephanie, Blake, Nicholas and Jared appreciating Blake’s Radko fish ornament.

Nate and Heidi appreciating some completer pieces for her vintage Pickard china in the Hemlock Syncron pattern from the 1940’s.
It’s always a fun evening doing our unique gift exchange. I try to come up with new ideas for it each year.
Stay tuned as the quilts everyone picked will be on the next post.