Posts Tagged ‘Jesse’

This and That

Saturday, November 21st, 2015

Browsing some blogs this morning I was startled to see my “Snow Buddies” pictured on the Mancuso’s Nov 18 blog at http://www.quiltfest.com/blog/
Just a promo for the Atlantic Quilt Fest where it won an Honorable Mention, I believe, last year.

WCFTA-SnowBuddies

Other show news – “Jesse At The Lake” was not accepted to go to “Road To California”. Second year in a row they have rejected that one; I guess they really don’t like it!’

2Jesse450

 

Once again the heron quilt has been set aside for a closer deadline. I realized the entry day for the Topeka Art Guild’s nothing over $100 Christmas sale is the end of the month! So I have to concentrate on getting a couple of simple 12 x 12s ready and mounted on 16 x 16 stretched canvases for that. So that is what I will be doing today!

Winnings

Friday, October 2nd, 2015

“After The Storm”, currently showing at The Topeka Art Guild Gallery has been awarded First Place in the annual “Kansas” show!! Especially gratifying because it is an all media show with some very nice work.

AfterTheStorm

The judge left comments and here is what she had to say about this piece:

“Quintessential Kansas weather. Stitches define cloud movement, rain. turmoil – feel like the buildings are huddling against the ground, trying to protect themselves from the storm.”

Just received notice that “Jesse At The Lake” showing at the Asheville, NC Quilt Guild show got Second Place and “Splash” at the LaConner quilt show has also won an award, but so far I don’t know what. All in all, a pretty good week!!

JesseFinal

This afternoon we will drive to KC, MO to the opening reception for Visions Of The Flint Hills where I have three pieces on display and for sale to benefit Flint Hills research.

Thoughts on Judging and Originality

Friday, November 21st, 2014

There has been some controversy lately on QA concerning judging and originality, as some of this years top winners at IQF in Houston were pretty much direct copies of the work of other artists.    Nothing illegal there as the works were either in the public domain or used with permission. However this renders the new work NOT original as the decisions about subject, composition and sometimes color were already made by someone else.

My entry, “Jesse At The Lake” was inspired by a photo that I took myself and used artistic license to tweak the composition and the colors. All of the design decisions were original and my own. This prompted me to have another look at the judge’s sheets and all three judges marked the “Original in Design” space with a check mark for satisfactory. I feel it was very original and deserved a “+” mark. This is not a subjective decision that a judge can decide. Either it is original or it isn’t. I wonder how that space was marked on the entries in question. Entrants are required to disclose where the inspiration came from, and a simple check on that would have revealed that the works were recognizable copies and totally lacking in originality. As such they should not have been rewarded with an award in a category that requires originality.

Trying Again

Sunday, April 13th, 2014

The last two times I tried to post here, it didn’t work.  I’m trying again.  So……I’ll try to update what’s been happening and see if it works this time.

First Friday at the Topeka Art Guild revealed that “Jesse At The Lake” was awarded  an Honorable Mention in the judging.  This must be my month for HMs.  I’m always happy to get any recognition in an exhibit intended predominately for fine art!  I forgot to take my camera to get a photo of it hanging there but it has a good location and looks nice. Stop in if you are in the area ( Fairlawn Mall ) to see the show, “Journey Through Topeka” which will be up til the end of May.

Last weekend was the Kaw Valley Quilt Guild show in Lawrence which was good as always.  I entered “Snow Buddies” and “Harrier Hunting” and worked there Sunday afternoon, receiving many compliments. Judging there is by Viewer’s Choice and the results will be announced at the next guild meeting.

I’m still quilting on the dogs quilt, it came to a halt when I ran out of two necessary threads and had to go to town yesterday to look for more; fortunately I found exactly what I needed and will be able to carry on.  I have been spending quite a bit of time this past week outside pruning and weeding, planting and fertilizing and generally cleaning things up.  Keep hoping for predicted rain to materialize but so far it’s bypassing us and I have had to water things.

OK–crossing my fingers, and hitting “Publish”……

“Jesse At The Lake” is Finished!

Tuesday, March 25th, 2014

The quilting and blocking was finished on Sunday and yesterday I did the binding and the photography. I love how this piece came out! It finished at 33 x 41″, a nice size.

JesseFinalI had considered doing a facing on this one instead of a binding, but liked the way this, the darkest batik looked, so I went with that instead.  Cut on the bias there is a nice subtle stripey effect. I think it frames it nicely.

As usual, it is very heavily free motion machine quilted with a variety of different threads to compliment the different fabrics. I met the deadline and it will go to it’s first show next week at the Topeka Art Guild Gallery. Be sure and stop in if you are in the area!

It was a pretty gray day with heavy snow falling in the afternoon so I’m not real happy with the pictures and will probably re – shoot, but this will do for now.

The snow did not last and it is supposed to be in the 70’s by the weekend. I will be so glad when we are past the freezing nights so I can get the outdoor plants back outdoors and start working in the garden!

Quilting!

Tuesday, March 18th, 2014

I quilted most of yesterday, except for lunchtime and going for a walk time. The weather has turned colder, but still, it’s pretty nice out there. My snowdrops are blooming, and the grass is starting to grow. Especially in the flower beds…

The quilting is coming along nicely.

JesseQ2

Free motion machine quilting is sure quicker than hand quilting, but still, it takes more time than you might think. I have done the trees up to the mid-range, most of the figure and a little bit of water; really any place where there are no pins.

JesseQ1I was having trouble with the exposure setting on the camera, so apologies for the off color!

Jesse Top Finished

Sunday, March 16th, 2014

The top is finished. I had a few small changes and a little tweaking to do but I think it turned out pretty good!

Jesse8

I found a nice large piece of material for the backing that was extra large, so it didn’t need a seam and was a more traditional print so I was glad to find a use for it and get it off the shelf! I layered it with 100% cotton batting and got started with the free motion machine quilting yesterday, maybe 1/6 done so far.

Linking to Off The Wall Friday

Almost Done

Friday, March 14th, 2014

It’s coming right along – laying in some color with the reflections.

Jesse7

When I found this fabric in CA, I knew it would work for the reflections and it is, but it needed some brightening up with some batik fabric as well.

Make It Work

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014


The fabric came and two of the pieces were usable, if not exactly right. I had to “make it work” as Tim Gunn would say.

Jesse5During the waiting time, I sewed everything that could be sewn. Do you think the hill looks better?  I replaced some of the dark water with lighter, and cut more to fill in around the figure.  It’s coming along.

Waiting For Water

Thursday, March 6th, 2014

After my last post, I went online to eQuilter.com and ordered 5 half yards of batik water fabric – none of which was the one that I was looking for, but surely there will be something there better than what I have. In the meantime I have cut what I can but have not been able to sew it all until I get the water, so things are looking out of whack due to unsewn seam allowances. Jesse4This is what it looks like right now, that dark water will most likely be replaced, and more reflections added.

Linked to Off The Wall Friday