Monday, April 30, 2012

Artist Profile: Laurie Brainerd

Laurie Brainerd
San Antonio, TX

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have?      It took me a pretty long time to come up with this idea, so when I got it and liked it, I stopped thinking of other ideas.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects   No
3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  Sort of?  I associate with the fellow full-time artists in my studio building, but we aren’t a formal group.  We do generally support each other, mentor each other, and occasionally market together, as there is synergy to a group.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what?  I’m a member of SDA, SAQA, and FASA.  Volunteer positions that I have held in the past are SAQA:  Co-Rep for Texas.  My main accomplishment was getting the “SAQA Circles” going.  Personally starting San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Dallas.  Pan-Handle and Coastal Circles have since also started.  FASA:  Email Tree Coordinator.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5  My favorite palette is red-violet and chartreuse and I force myself to work in a wide-variety of color palettes and generally like all colors favoring complements.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy? My space is industrial and very flexible.  I’m generally very organized, but can get very messy while in the throes of a project.  My space supports messy spills and organization.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design?  I generally get intuitive designs of color and shape that I quickly sketch and then create.  The quilting design is always a thought-out process.
8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why? Circles and Grids.  Circles because they represent connection to the Universe, right-brain, allowing, not being in control.  Grids because they represent left-brain, needing to feel safe, illusion of control.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  Right now, Andy Warhol, because he was so darn prolific, I love his colors, and he did what he darned-well pleased.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  No.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?  I’m a full-time studio artist and have recently started teaching courses in professionalism, coaching artists with emerging careers, and giving inspirational presentations.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life? My biggest professional accomplishment was an installation of an art quilt triptych in the lobby of the Baptist Mission Trail Hospital in San Antonio, TX. 


 

Friday, April 27, 2012

Artist Profile: Larkin Jean Van Horn

Larkin Jean Van Horn
Freeland, Washington

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have?
Solvitur Ambulando was my first idea.  All the others that came up would have been religion/spirituality based, which was disallowed by the rules.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?  I donate work to auctions for organizations in whose work I believe strongly.  I have also curated two textile/fiber based exhibits, and the proceeds from the sale of the catalogs support Habitat For Humanity and Doctors Without Borders.

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  I belong to two small groups here on Whidbey Island.  They both provide opportunities for exhibition and some social interaction with interesting artists.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what?  I am a member of SAQA.  I have also recently been elected to the Board of Trustees for the Grunewald Guild in Washington State.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5.  I have never met a color I didn't like and couldn't use.  There is no such thing as a "favorite" or "least favorite" in my studio.
 
6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  Are you messy or tidy?  We live in a house which is essentially two studios with a bedroom, kitchen, and two bathrooms.  Messy.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design. I design on the fly.  That doesn't mean that I don't keep notebooks with thoughts, ideas, sketches, inspirational notes, etc.  But I want to get to work quickly when an idea starts percolating, so I will do my thinking while I'm pulling possible materials, or clearing off the cutting table.

8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?
Probably the most repeated specific shape is the spiral.  It represents life, growth, movement, vitality - all things that I want my work to have.  Whatever else is going on in a specific work, the spiral will almost always show up in the stitching.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  Impossible!  I would choose a different artist every day!  Okay, today's favorite is Antoni Gaudi.  Travelling to Barcelona to see his work in person is on my "bucket list".  I love his use of form, color, light, and texture.  Both his architecture and surface design are intriguing, ingenious, and awe-inspiring.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?   Book:  Beading On Fabric

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?   I am a travelling teacher of textile/fiber art and beadwork, which supports my art marking.  Unless I am on the road teaching, I spend about 4 to 8 hours a day doing some aspect of art making.  I also have filled the walls with art in various media.  Many original pieces were artist trades - my work for theirs.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?  I was recently invited to send several pieces of my artwork to the Quilt Expo en Beaujolais, near Lyon at Villefranche sur Soane in France for their exhibition in April, 2012.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Artist Profile: Kathy York

Kathy York
Austin, TX
1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? I had trouble coming up with an idea for the theme for this exhibit. When I finally came up with an idea, I was worried because it was so representational and most of my work has been abstract lately.  But, I am quite happy with the way it came out.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects? Our art quilt bee typically donates small auction quilts for our guild and for IQA.  I also donate work to the SAQA auction, and have in the past donated quilts to my children's school for a fundraiser.
3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group? Yes, I belong to a group of artists that make collaborative art quilts. We are known as the Austin Art Bee. The best part? The friendships that have formed.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what? Yes, I belong to SAQA. I have not held a position in the organization yet, but I do like volunteering during the Houston International Quilt Festival.  I also belong to the Surface Design Association, but have not been involved beyond paying my dues.....yet.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  My favorite palette of colors is any combination of almost all pure bright colors. I don't like pastels, and I don't like muted colors. And, my work almost always has aqua!

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy? An organic flow to an ever-changing vista of furniture and workspace; it is neat only between projects.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design    I get an idea.  Many times during the formation of the concept, it is not always obvious exactly what I need to do next. I consider multiple options about how to actually make it come to life, and then choose one. Often it involves experimenting with materials and techniques. And, the experiments do not always work. But when they do, it is very rewarding!
8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why? Yes, I am really drawn to abstract representations of housing units. I don't really know why.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why? I love looking at architectural wonders on Pinterest. Some of my favorites are Frank Gehry and Hundertwasser, probably because they both thought “out of the box”. Very fresh and original regardless of the difficulties it made for their engineers.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles? No.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?
I am a full time mother, and fit art in at every spare moment. I carve out chunks of time for my art while kids are at school or in the evenings.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?
At any given time, the single most thrilling news is the next step in my current project. Right now I am working on a deer quilt for entry to Quilt National. The work itself has me awestruck! It is really all about the process!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Artist Profile: Yvonne Porcella

Yvonne Porcella
Modesto and Arnold, California

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? The 1982 catalog for "Celebration A World of Art and Ritual" exhibition I visited at the Smithsonian was my starting point. The cover features an India grooms headdress that looks like an elaborate wedding cake. Attending 2 weddings last year also served as a theme.  Flower displays play a big part in rituals and seasonal festivals feature dances and games. A friend of mine attended an elaborate wedding requiring charter buses, elegant surroundings. What she remembers about the day was that even by 11 PM the bride and groom never cut the cake.  I just  had to add a knife to my design. 

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?
FotoFiber for ACS Virginia Spiegel; SAQA 12" squares; Alliance for American Quiilts, designed donation quilts; MD Anderson Ovarian Cancer Quilt Project; Stanislaus Arts Council; San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, High Fiber. 

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  No I don't belong to a small working group. My studio is in a remote area. I do belong to the Modesto chapter of the National League of American Pen Women as both a Writer and Artist member. We network, have artist and writers sharing along with exciting monthly speakers.  


4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what?  Interesting you asked! I am the founder of SAQA, served as President for 11 years. Formulated lots of the programs, did the first membership brochure, and first few years of newsletter 
mailings, First 12" square Art in a Box auction, all the pains and successes. I was also on the Board of Directors of The Alliance For American Quilts from it's development for 16 years, served as Secretary. Advisory Board of International Quilt Study Center Uof NE Lincoln, 2 terms. Current second term Board of Directors San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. 


5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5.  Brights, reds, chartreuse, magenta along with black and white. Muddy colors, puce, greige, beige, pale pink, pale blue.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy? Very neat, organized, everything folded, put away. Messy when creating.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design?

Read, search my library, think, attack.
8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?
Black and white squares. It began in 1980 when I printed a book of my work in color. The printer recommended a dark and light value. It's become my signature as I've added it to most of my work. Recently someone sent me a note that while shopping for  fabric in a Pennsylvania quilt shop, two women were selecting fabrics for a new quilt when one suddenly exclaimed "Wait, we have to Yvonne Porcella it!"  Am I now a verb? 

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?
Charles Demuth because he liked the number 5.


10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  9 books, 2 garment patterns, one Zine. Five Ethnic Patterns, Plus Five, Pieced Clothing, Pieced Clothing Variations, Yvonne Porcella -A Colorful Book, Colors Changing Hue, Six Color World, Yvonne Porcella Art and Inspiration, Magical Four and Nine Patch. Three Jacket Patterns, Designer Series Jacket Pattern. Zine One.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life? 
I have the luxury of making art at any time. Other than the non profit work I've done, during art my career I attended meetings, taught all over the country and in many foreign countries, sometimes being on the road for 1/2 the year. Currently I volunteer at our church, do some liturgy writing  as well as decorate our facilities and work in different ministries.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life? 
January to April 2012, I had a Career Retrospective in a 3000 square foot gallery with a giant banner across the  front of the building featuring my name and one of my quilts, and I sold lots of art!  Another venue will exhibit half of the work summer 2012 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Artist Profile: Carol Larson

Carol Larson
Petaluma, CA


1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? A vegan thanksgiving; an annual ritual is to create a menu for a fabulous meatless meal from a different culture.
2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects. none currently
3. Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group? Not at present. My challenge has been in finding a group of diverse artists who have similar artistic achievements and experience so that the camaraderie is reciprocal as well as supportive.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what? Yes SAQA and SDA. For SAQA I was NoCA-NV rep for 3 years, curator of Points of View and data entry administrator for two Transformations exhibits.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 …earth tones and metallics: ochre,  turquoise, red, copper, dark brown and your least favorite colors? name 5… I don’t dislike any color!

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy?   Both my dye-paint work space and sewing studio are messy when creating and tidy otherwise.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design. I think about an idea, audition fabrics on my design wall in a process I call ‘fermenting” and then spontaneously design it. If it is a landscape I sketch, slap on the overhead projector, draw a template and design from there.
 

8.  Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why? The curved line.  It is an intuitive mark and a metaphor for the life process, always in flux. 

9. If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  Freda Kahlo as I readily identify with her physical challenges. I love how art-making re-energizes the soul and leads us out of the darker places. 

 10.      Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  I self-published the Tall Girl Series: A Body of Work which is an autobiographical story with 23 art quilts as illustration. http://www.live2dye.com/gallery.php?cat=8

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?  I make art about 1/3 of the time, market another 1/3 and exercise/sleep the other 1/3.  I was blessed with an early retirement and the opportunity to reinvent myself.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life? My first corporate art sale was five pieces to the James Irvine Foundation in San Francisco. CA.



Monday, April 23, 2012

Artist Profile: Sue Bleiweiss

Sue Bleiweiss
Upton, MA

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? I actually had several different ideas for this theme.  My first idea was to do something with a coffee and newspaper theme since that's a Sunday morning ritual for me but I had just finished creating a coffee cup themed piece and didn't really want to do another one.  My other idea was to do something related to the ritual of the changing seasons here where I live in Massachusetts.  I wanted to do something representational of the changing of the leaves and I did in fact create a piece using the leaves as the theme but ended up not using it as my submission for the call.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?  n/a
3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  I belong to two terrific groups: The Sketchbook Challenge group and the 8 That Create Group.   These groups give me a comfortable encouraging environment to share new ideas and resources and get feedback on my work.  For me, art making is a solitary process and these groups keep me connected to the world of art making going on outside of my own studio.


4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what? I am a member of SAQA and I formerly served as a support person for the WIKI site.  I am also a member of the Surface Design Association (SDA) and served as a co-rep for the Mass/RI region.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5?  I have two very distinct styles of working and each style has it's own color palette.  My textured silk pieces are inspired by weathered aged metal and rusty surfaces so I typically work in muted colors of made up of black brown, rust, copper and bronze.  I also have a body of work created with hand dyed sandwashed cotton and these pieces are made with rich jewel tone colors.  I can't really say that I have a least favorite color since they all show up in my work at one point or another but I don't usually care for working with lighter pastel shades.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy? Definitely tidy!  For me, a chaotic messy studio is too stressful to work in and definitely inhibits my creative flow.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design?  I am definitely a planner and usually I'll spend a good amount of time brainstorming and researching an idea on paper first.  Sometimes though I'll just have a glimmer of a direction that I want to go in and I just jump in and go for it.
8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why? Geometric or stylized images definitely show up a lot in my work.  I definitely feel more comfortable working in an abstract style and texture is another recurring theme in my work.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  Well a non living artist would be Kandinsky.  I love his work and find a lot of inspiration for my own in his.  I am also a huge fan of Dale Chihuly.  Last year there was an exhibit of his work at the Museum of Fine Arts here in Boston and I went back and walked through it three times while it was here because I couldn't get enough of it.  He is a master of not only combining color and shape but the way he presents and displays his work is brilliant.


10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  The Sketchbook Challenge: Techniques, prompts and inspiration for achieving your creative goals.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?  I am a full time artist

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?  Having my work juried into the Dinner @ 8 Rituals exhibit of course!

http://www.suebleiweiss.com
http://www.suebleiweis.com/blog

Friday, April 20, 2012

Artist Profile: Virginia Spiegel

Virginia A. Spiegel
Byron, IL

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? I would like to say I had many ideas, but actually as soon as I heard the theme of rituals I knew that the artwork needed to be about RockTime.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  If yes, what project or projects?  I am the founder of Fiberart For A Cause, raising over $220,000 since 2005 for the American Cancer Society through the generosity of fiber artists and patrons.

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  No.  I have tried in the past, but I have my own idiosyncratic work schedule with several months spent outside the studio each year.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  I am a proud Professional Artist Member of SAQA and belong to Surface Design Association as well.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  Name 5. Your 5 least favorite colors?  I usually work in saturated colors, but that is mainly due to painting my own fabrics and the type of paint I use.  I have no favorite or least fav colors as I let the artwork determine what is needed and, to some extent, what fabrics I have already painted. I can’t think of a time that I stopped and painted fabric in order to continue on an artwork in progress. Limiting my choices helps me focus on the message I am trying to convey in an artwork.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  Are you messy or tidy?  Crowded. Messy, then clean, then messy. Fabric everywhere, drawers of thread, beloved Bernina.

7.  What is your creative process?  I think about a topic, research it, write a one sentence statement of purpose for the series or artwork, and then let the design organically occur. If I knew how an artwork was going to turn out, I wouldn’t even want to start it.

8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why? I have a photo taken by sister that shows me with a red mug in my hand, wearing my fav blue shirt and bandana, sitting on a rock, and just looking at the water.  I used that image in RockTime and have used in in other artwork.  It’s an image I hope to look at for the rest of my life as it transports me to a place, physically and mentally, where I want to be and I hope resonates with viewers.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why? Helen Frankenthaler.  A woman artist who depicted nature in ways I admire.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles? I have created a book of essays and photographs about being a fiber artist and living a creative life.  “Wild at the Edges:  Inspiration from a Creative Life” is available from Blurb Books.

11.  Do you make art full time?  I consider myself a fulltime artist even though for long periods of time I am either wilderness canoeing/camping, out landscaping my one acre yard, or traveling.  I consider all these activities to feed my art.  Even if I’m not in my studio making fiber art, I am always taking photographs which I consider to be a very complimentary art form in that it forces me to always be looking, to always be seeing.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?  The first success is always the best. Believe it or not, the first art quilt I ever entered in an exhibit was a garden-themed exhibit at International Quilt Festival in Houston.  They called me at work with an acceptance. I actually screamed out loud and scared the office half to death.  I should have known then that my academic career was doomed.

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/blog/
      http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Artist Profile: Linda T. Minton

Linda Teddlie Minton
San Antonio, Texas

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have?  Ice cream at bedtime, children's games, reciting the "times table" for its calming effect, wishing on a star.  I still may develop some of those ideas.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?  This was my first year to donate a small framed art quilt (for fund-raising) to Say Si, a non-profit organization bringing arts programs to students. I also continue to support Virginia Spiegel's wonderful FFAC (Fiberarts For A Cause), helping to raise funds to fight cancer.

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  Yes, I belong to FiberVoices, a small, closely-knit group of Texas fiber artists.  The comfortable, safe environment for exchanging technical advice and encouraging each others' artistic expression is invaluable, but probably our favorite thing is being able to give and receive honest critiques.



4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what?  Yes, I'm serving a year on the Board of Directors (for the Annual Exhibit) of FASA (Fiber Artists of San Antonio).  I'm also a member of SAQA, but so far, have not entered any of their exhibits ... that's one of my goals for this coming year.



5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5.  Oh gosh!  Favorites are probably deep golds, rich browns, blacks, dark greens, deep blues.  Least favorites are any of the pastels, although I do force myself to incorporate them sometimes ... a little light-and-bright is sometimes needed to emphasize the darker elements.



6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy?  A computer with Photoshop is a must!  I have three sewing machines, and lots of shelves and fabrics in my studio (i.e., game room).  I'm EXTREMELY messy!


7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design?  I tend to "think on paper."  I'm always afraid that if I have a brilliant idea, it will disappear before I can get it down in writing.  From idea to drawing to enlargement ... and only then will I start thinking of how I will bring it to life.  Sometimes I have to "think in the prone position," which has the advantage of being able to nap while waiting for the brilliant ideas to come!
 
8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?  Leaves and ferns are often found in my quilting designs, because they are simple yet infinitely changeable.  I love spirals and graceful "swoosh" shapes, although I'm beginning to appreciate geometrics.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  I've always adored the illustrations of Arthur Rackham.  They can be so sensitive and strong at the same time, usually depicting fantasy or folk tale characters such as faires and ogres.  His delicate use of line and color just blows me away.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  No, but I've had some of my artwork published ... most recently in the Feb/March 2012 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?  I do make art full time, but I don’t consider it a career … yet. After taking early retirement, it took me a few years to discover quilting, and then a few more to find art-quilting.  I’m now a happy camper "with ambitions".

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?  After having gone for several years without a longarm quilting machine (had to give it up when I moved), I’m now about to get my new A-1 machine. I’m like a kid at Christmas, waiting for Santa to show up with that great big crate!
http://fiberreflections.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Artist Profile: Terry Waldron

Terry Waldron
Anaheim Hills, California

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? None!  This was a difficult theme for me, but I had wanted to do a Maasai piece for a long time, and here was the perfect opportunity.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?   A couple months ago I donated my piece "No-Stress Express" to be auctioned for the Stanislaus Literacy Center, and it sold for the reserve price.  They told me that the proceeds would fund two students for an entire year.  As a retired art/English literature high school teacher, that made me sooo happy! 

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  Yes, I am a member of the California Fiber Artists that is composed of sculptors, weavers, dyers, painters, and art quilters, mostly located in Northern California. Our only reason for being is to show our work in art galleries and museums throughout California as a group, and, boy, have I learned a lot! 

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what? Yes, I am a Professional member of SAQA, and I have written an article for the SAQA Journal, an interview with one of the original art quilt pioneers, Virginia Avery.  What an amazing lady and what a special experience it was to get to meet her that vivacious lady!

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5.  I love to work with earth colors: greens, yellows, blues, greens, and browns.  Muddy colors, colors that have been over-mixed, colors that are grayed down, repel me...  I can't name them because they are just mush... yuck! 

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy?   It's a place where I might step on a pin or trip over a gorgeous piece of cloth on my way to the design board.   

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design. I look, look, look, every day at every thing, always, and I think, think, think.  Then the picture appears to me.  It's like drawing with no hands!  As I work with the cloth, it determines the next size and piece, which decides the next, and so forth...   

8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?  I love weeds!  I love the disorderliness and spontaneity of them, their wildness and their freedom. too.     

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?   Only one...?  Raould Dufy, the French artist, has fascinated me since I was an art student.  His playfulness, and his distain for rigidity, for staying within the lines, is magic!  However, Gerald Brommer, the watercolorist, has been a major inspiration of mine since I began teaching high school art.  I actually met him last year and took a painting class from him,  only I brought cloth and scissors instead of paint... and he LOVED it.  No one understands rocks better than Gerry!   

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  No, but I've thought about doing it for many years...  If I did, it would be named "Nature's Calling..."

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?   As a retired high school teacher, I am now a full-time artist.  However, I have been making art, and speaking and teaching my art for 18 years now.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?   I will find this out in another week...  I will explain then IF the news is good...  It includes Japan and a large corporation...

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Artist Profile: Paula Chung

Paula Chung
Zephyr Cove, NV

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have? I had thought about incorporating the new subject matter I am now exploring using x-rays and MRIs. I had wanted to show x-rays of hands shaking, but I wasn’t able to obtain the images.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects   No.

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?   Yes. I am a member of a small group of art quilters in Southern California. I think the best part of our group, other than being good friends and sharing our love of art, is the idea that each of us are exploring different aspects and media and it creates a rich environment for us to work within.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what? I am a member of SAQA and SDA, but have not volunteered.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5   My favorite colors that I find I continue to use in my fiber and painting are the tertiary and secondary colors, especially yellow/greens, red/violets blue/greens, red/oranges, yellow/golds, blue/violets.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy? I basically use a spare bedroom for my sewing room and my laundry room for my painting & dyeing room, which are all very messy all the time!

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design For my fiber art, I basically think of an idea, usually stemming from images I have accumulated, then work out colors, size, etc. I rarely sketch ideas. In my painting, I usually work out the composition in my head and rough it out on the canvas, making changes on the canvas as I work.

8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?  Not really.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why? To name a few artists: for abstracts: Richard Diebenkorn for the atmosphere he achieves with multiple layers, for figures: Egon Schiele for his abbreviated, emotional drawings using different line weights, for landscapes: Maynard Dixon for his sense of space and light and still life: Cezanne for his multiple perspectives and color.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  No.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life? I make and study art full time.

12. What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life? I recently was given the wonderful opportunity to have a solo show at ArtQuilt Gallery-NYC. That was really special for me, having never been to New York—it was great fun. I have also been asked to feature my work in articles in the coming Patchwork Professional, a German art quilt publication, and the summer SDA Journal. I feel extremely lucky to have been given all these new opportunities!


Monday, April 16, 2012

Artist Profile: Loris Bogue

Loris Bogue
Simi Valley, California


1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have?  My original plan was to portray the Air Force Academy graduation "hat toss," with jet contrails in the background.  When I made a mock-up, the abstracted composition was boring, so I went through my travel photos and the online definitions of "rituals," where I stumbled on a definition that worked with one of my photos and fit the theme perfectly.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?  I have donated work in the past, but I'm not actively involved in anything right now, other than donating a small art quilt to SAQA's auction each year.

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  name/where  what is the best part of being part of an art group?  Yes, I belong to two local Ventura County groups, one of twenty-five members, and one of eight.  The best part is the inspiration I receive from seeing what others are doing, and the motivation I get from having the "deadlines" of monthly meetings to get my work done to show.


4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what?  I belong to SAQA and was a Southern California co-rep in 2010-2011.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  name 5 and your least favorite colors?  name 5.  My favorite palette is one of earth colors:  greens, browns, beiges, reds and oranges.  Least favorite:  blues, turquoise.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  are you messy or tidy?  My workspace is a dedicated bedroom studio, packed to the gills with supplies.  I am pretty tidy, just have a lot of stuff.

7.  What is your creative process?  think, draw, design, make or right to the design?  Ideas don't come to me quickly.  Once I get an inspiration, I have to think about it for a long time.  Then I go to my stash and pull fabrics.  Ironically, my best work has been the work I did the quickest.

8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?  No.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  Besides my friends whose art work graces my walls (because it's personal, obviously), I'd have to choose Modigliani.  I love his color palette and his stylized portraits.


10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  No.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?  No, I don't make art full time, if you mean art quilts.  I am a self-employed part-time web designer and do some graphic arts work as well.  So if you consider that "art," and I do, then yes, I "make art" full time.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?  It's any time someone buys one of my pieces or when one of my pieces is used for promotional purposes.


www.lorisbogue.com
lorisbogue.wordpress.com

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio - 2012

The Space Between exhibit - 20 pieces from the 40 piece exhibit are being shown at Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio this weekend.  Judy Coates Perez is there teaching, and took all of the photos for us on her iPhone, so we can see it.  The artists whose work is featured are:



Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal, co-curators
Linda T. Minton and Susan Brubaker Knapp

Sherry Kleinman and Deborah Boschert
Jayne Larson and Cindy Cooksey
Joanell Connolly and Jeannie Moore

Julie Schlueter and Pam Klebaum
Susie Monday and Gayle Simpson
Judy Coates Perez and Teresa Shippy
Terry Waldron and Yvonne Porcella

Friday, April 6, 2012

Rituals - Acceptances!





"Rituals"  An exchange between friends. A handshake. A kiss before bedtime. The artist at work.  A sun salutation. The wave before boarding the school bus. A song, a word, a meditation. A habit, a custom.  The traditional toast at a gathering. A rite of passage. The sacred moments of the ordinary.  Rituals:  What are yours?

Dinner at Eight Artists are happy to announce that the following art quilts have been accepted into the special exhibit "Rituals." Each piece measures 24" wide by 60" high, vertical format.  The exhibit will debut at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach July 26-29, 2012 and is sponsored by Moore's Sewing Centers. It will also be shown at the International Quilt Market (Oct 27-29) and Festival (Oct 31-Nov 4) and is sponsored by Havel's Sewing.


Dacha; Natalya Aikens
Hanbok; Frances Holliday Alford
Ritual Fire Dance; Betty A. Amador
Stillness;  Susan Bleiweiss
Cosmic Gears;  Loris Bogue 
Blue Chair Mantra;  Deborah Boschert
Night, Night; Love, Love; Laurie Brainerd 
Intimate Space;  Paula  J. Chung
Walking with Mr C and Scooter;  Gerrie Congdon
Flowers in my hair and expectations;  Joanell Connolly (pictured)
Photo Booth Hijinks;  Cindy Cooksey 
Intention;  Jane Davila
Sunrise Serenade;  Barb Forrister 
Friendship ritual;  Terry Grant
A Gardners Life;  Desiree D. Habicht 
Swirl, Sniff, Sip;  Diane Hock
Neon Coffee, Los Angeles;  Lisa  Kijak 
Links; Lyric M. Kinard
Moon Drunk;  Susan Fletcher King
Figure drawing class; Pamela P. Klebaum
Geisha;  Sherry D. Kleinman 
I See the Moon;  Susan Brubaker Knapp
Nature Journal;  Jane LaFazio 
Keeping Up Appearances #5;  Carol A. Larson
Spring Cleaning - Renewal and Release;  Jayne Larson 
Kissing the Cat Goodnight; Linda Teddlie Minton
Lost Rituals: Grief; Susie M. Monday 
Milo;  Jeannie P. Moore
Here's to Strong Women;  Rachel K. Parris 
8 of Cups;  Judy Coates Perez
You're Invited;  Yvonne B.Porcella 
Meditation;  Karen L. Rips
Sunset II;  Cynthia St. Charles 
The Kitchen Table;  Julie Schlueter
Tiempo del Sol;  Rituels de Jardin, Gayle Simpson 
Strength and Cal; , Sarah Ann Smith
Boundary Waters 60 (RockTime);   Virginia A. Spiegel 
Solvitur Ambulando;  Larkin Jean Van Horn
Shuka;  Terry Waldron 
Morning Commute with Sweet Jane;  Kathy York
Make a Wish on the Purple House;  Jamie Fingal 
The Coffee Break;  Leslie Tucker Jenison



 
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