Questions for Curators - from TSB Artists

1. What are your final decisions based on? (Statement, Cohesiveness, Color)
J- Good design, how it relates to the statement, and does it go with the exhibit.
L-We consider each entry on its own merit in terms of composition, value, and overall design.  Then, we look at the artist statement, how it relates to the theme, and how it fits into the collective exhibition.
2. How long does the process take? (Start to finish)
J- We were not together in the same room this year, so it took a bit longer - 2 weeks.  Last year, we were together and it took 2 days.
L-This year we set up a private blog to view the entries and comment back and forth to one another.  It took a bit longer, but I think it worked well since we were unable to work directly with one another.
3. How do you and Leslie determine the equal balance of selections?( When you both live in different states). 
J- The exhibit is determined as a whole - the big picture.  And then how pieces relate to one another.  That is what the 4x6 photos are for.
L-I think we answered these questions in #2, but one thing we do is look at which pieces will look good together so the collective body of work flows for the viewers.
4.  Each year you always seem to come up with a theme that appeals to a broad range of interpretations.  How do you do it? 
J-We start brainstorming about the theme as soon as we can, with e-mails and then narrowing it down to a specific few. Having our private blog helps too, because the brainstorming is there, anytime we need to review it. We discuss how it could be interpreted, and do we find inspiration in the theme ourselves.
L-Sometimes we struggle with the theme because we want something that can have both a representational or a more esoteric interpretation.  We have started a list of potential themes and we are frequently discussing this during the times we are together, tossing ideas back and forth.
5.  What is your absolute favorite part of curating an exhibit? (or your top 3 favorite things?).
J-The artists rising to the challenge to make a piece of amazing artwork, to the statements, and then seeing the exhibit hanging at Festival in Long Beach for the first time!
L-I have to agree with Jamie.  I would add that I consider it an honor that the artists are willing to rise to the challenge and submit their work for the exhibitions. 
6.  I'm curious how the two of you find time for your personal work, along with traveling, teaching classes, and promoting us?
J-  This is the first year that this has been a challenge.  With our other projects, TV tapings, curating, teaching, it has been difficult to find time to make a piece for The Space Between.
L-LOL!  Yes!  This year, I think we both have been squeezed a bit!  We have had some amazing opportunities this year:  both of us were asked to contribute work to two books, both to be published in 2012.  We both taped workshop dvds for Interweave, and we are teaching more this year.  I serve on the board of the Alliance for American Quilts, as well.  I really have to protect my studio work time! 
7.  How do you find balance, doing all that you do?  
J- Ha ha - always looking at what is more important - what is the bottom line? What don't I really have to do, what is making me crazy?  Just do it. And alot of post-it-notes and lists all over my studio. I try to leave it in my studio on the weekends, so that helps with balance. I do have a very supportive and understanding husband, which I am quite happy about.
L-Yowza!  Balance?!  Well, Jamie and I are at a point in our lives where are responsibilities with our children are much lighter, since they are all grown and on their own or away at college the majority of the time.  Our spouses are very supportive of what we do.  My dog isn't quite as gracious about my absence, but she is adjusting.  Jamie and I are both really focused people.  We have a great partnership and we bring different strengths to the table.  It just seems to work.
8. Do you have any tips on traveling, from the standpoint of teaching and/or showing your work?
J- Be organized and know what you can do. Share what you have learned.  I think it’s important to get your best work out there in the quilting world, so that your name and style can be recognized by your future students.  Leslie and I always bring a few small pieces to share with our class about what we do, even if the class has nothing to do with quilt making.
L-The work in the studio really should inform everything else.  That is my humble opinion.  I have to keep pushing myself as an artist all the time.  The joke (that isn't really a joke) at Art Cloth Studios is, "Just Do The Work".  Keep making stuff, even when you don't know what to make.  Get in there and do something.  I love to teach, and was a community health educator in my former career as an RN.  I love being able to bring that skill set to this world.
9.  What's your new favorite toy? 
J- 2 Things - Martelli Notions self-healing cutting mat and non-slip ruler and my Havel scissors, rotary cutter, nippers, pinking shears, and I want the GO cutter that Leslie has.
L-I love two new things:  Havel  everything (scissors, rotary cutter, nippers) and my shiny new Go! cutter.  I named mine "Go Gettem!"
10.  How do you market the show to attract sponsors?
J- It all comes down to who you know, and who you feel comfortable with in sending a sponsorship letter to and then following up with them.  We have had great exhibits, amazing artists and artwork, a blog, good exposure, etc - it all comes full circle. I always hope that companies would jump at the chance to sponsor our exhibits.  A girl can dream.
L-Our personal contacts in the quilt world.  As our exhibitions are getting attention from a variety of media and more people are aware of the exhibitions, we hope that we will continue to partner with companies to showcase the artists.
11.  How do you resolve differences or disputes between the co-curators?  Rock, paper, scissors?  
J- Very diplomatically.  Compromises can be made one to another. Variety is the spice of life!
L-Some people are surprised to hear this, but I think it is really good that we often do not agree on the pieces to be selected.   We will both argue, sometimes passionately, for certain pieces to be included.  It comes down to evaluating the pieces for their strengths, and then we often compromise over several quilts.
12.  What is the best thing and what is the worst thing about being a curator?
J- Having a stunning exhibit.  Sending rejection letters.
L-I feel honored to be able to see all these amazing works of art.  It is an absolute thrill to see the selected quilts hanging in a show!  As Jamie said, declining someone's work is an unpleasant task. 
13. Do you think it is helpful to have a consistent size for all the pieces in an exhibition. If so, why? 
J-The same size gives the exhibit a unified look.  Easier to store in my studio.  It is easier to hang, because they are all the same size, and instead of looking how uneven pieces hang together, you can concentrate your efforts on how the color and design hangs together.
L-Since our themes allow so much room for interpretation the uniform size provides a stunning visual cohesiveness to the collective group.  We must stack the quilts and roll them into a gigantic 'burrito" for shipping and storage between shows.  Having one size makes this much, much easier.
14.  What was your reason for wanting to curate? 
J-I have curated many exhibits and have always found it both a challenge and quite fun to put together a show with the work of many talented artists, with different styles, color palettes, design elements and achieve a knock out exhibit.  When I found out that IQF was coming to Long Beach in 2008, I put together an exhibit, "Everything Under the Sun" which showcased group quilts all about Long Beach.  Asking Leslie to join me in curating Edges in 2009 was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
L-I have curated numerous exhibitions in a small gallery I was involved with here in San Antonio.  Jamie and I co-curated an online exhibition, and she invited me to co-curate Edges.  The rest is history!
15.  I'd love to know how your would express your goals/mission/intentions in curating the exhibit. And how you feel you have achieved it.
J-I defer to what Leslie says below -
L-The goals are (hopefully!) outlined in our call for entry with each exhibition.  The mission is always the same:  we ask artists to interpret a theme in the form of a quilted construction that is specifically created for  the exhibition.  Once that process as culminated in the submission of the finished quilt, we have the opportunity to explore what the artist has decided to create.  If the art reflects the theme, has good composition, use of color, value, and perhaps even texture, and we can understand the meaning of the piece through a well-articulated artist statement, we feel we have achieved our purpose as curator/jurors. 

Jamie Fingal - Orange, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  I am an artist, but when referring to my art quilting - I am a Contemporary Quilt Maker...or perhaps a Rebel Quilter.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  This does not occur very often, but when it does, I go shopping to see colors, shapes and patterns.  The dish department can be very inspirational.  I also enjoy taking pictures of obscure items.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?  Public art projects for local libraries, schools and non-profits.  Can you imagine the possibilities?!
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  Yes, I keep a sketchbook/journal of my ideas for projects, and a record of every piece I make during a given year, complete with title, size and artists statement.  I keep a running list of what pieces are available to enter in shows.  I also carry a small sketchbook in my purse, because you never know where or when inspiration will come from.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  The Sketchbook Challenge on-line. 101 Patchwork Projects magazine. I taped a segment for Quilting Arts TV Series 800 at IQF Cincinnati.  My art quilt "Soul Sisters" is traveling with the Alliance for American Quilts - Grand Prize Winner 2011.  Upcoming Workshop DVD for Quilting Arts about color, design and working abstract.  Sacred Threads exhibition in Virginia June 22-July 4th.  I made a zippy 3-D house for the Artists Village, an invitational project by Kathy York. The House Quilt Project - making house quilts for wounded warriors (url below).  My artwork will be featured in two mixed media books next year.
6.  Do you teach?  Yes!  International Quilt Festival in Long Beach (July) and Houston (Nov). Create in Chicago (August) and the schedule is on this blog.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why?  Long admirer of Klimt, Kandinsky, and Kahlo.  In my work as a quilt artist, Terrie Mangat and Yvonne Porcella for their whimsical delight.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  A girl can dream... Quilt National and Quilt Visions.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  600 square feet divided into 4 rooms in an office park that is less than a song away from my house.  Design room with fusing table and stash, 2 sewing stations, a design wall, an office, and a really messy storage room.  It's a sacred place.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  Only 3?  Who came up with this number?  I'm going with 5 - Sewing machine, Mistyfuse, scissors, Bess 2 and a digital camera.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?  I have something to say! Sometimes with serious intent, but most times, just fun.  It's inside me and yearning to get out on paper and cloth.  Make time for art!
12.  How do you balance your life?  Family first.  Studio time is Monday through Friday and I rarely bring work home.  I think that having my studio out of the house has helped me to balance my life. It's not perfect, but it works for me.  And yoga is a part of my life too. My nights and weekends are devoted to the two of us, family and friends. I still make dinner almost every night, which I enjoy and my husband (my biggest fan) and I love to entertain.

http://JamieFingalDesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.JamieFingalDesigns.com/ 
http://SketchbookChallenge.blogspot.com/
http://TheHouseQuiltProject.blogspot.com/

Friends at Festival - Interview

Friends at Festival - Interview

Friends at Festival - e-zine newsletter brought to us by the International Quilt Festival.  Our interview with Rhianna White, about Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal in regards to our co-curating adventure with Dinner at Eight Artists.  Our newest special exhibit "The Space Between" will debut at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach this summer.  Check it out here

Leslie Tucker Jenison - San Antonio, TX

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise? A mixed media textile artist.

2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump? I shift gears and work in another medium.  Often, spending time looking at things and photographing them will open something up for me.  I'm never at a loss for ideas, but sometimes get stuck as to how to interpret them.    

3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   I would travel to far-flung places to soak in the differences in culture.  I would divide my time between traveling, working in my studio, and teaching.  One thing informs the others.

4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  Yes, I keep several types of sketchbooks:  I use one in a sort linear way, making notes to myself about creative ideas, sketches of pieces I intend to work on.  I carry a smaller, "moleskin-type" of journal when I travel, where I write things about the experience, tape in museum stubs, restaurant cards, and a variety of ephemera to memorialize the experience.  I use another book to keep surface design notes about fabric dyeing and various processes.  Finally, I have a larger journal that I use for life-drawing.

5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  This has been a busy year for me:  I have contributed work to two different mixed-media books that will be released in 2012.  I just finished taping a surface design workshop dvd for Interweave, which will be offered for sale sometime later this summer or early fall.  I taped a television segment for Quilting Arts TV Series 800 during the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati.  As to my personal work:  I participated in a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society, and I created a 3-dimensional structure that is part of a collaborative "artist village" which we hope will be juried into Tactile Architecture this year.  I am working on several textile constructions at the moment.  I am honored to have work that is traveling with SAQA Creative Force 2010 which will be shown at the International Quilt Festival, Long Beach.  I hope to have work in World of Beauty, 2011, but that remains to be seen!

6.  Do you teach?  where?   Yes, I taught at the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati, and will be teaching at the festivals in Long Beach and Houston.  I will be teaching at the CREATE! mixed media retreat in Chicago in August 2011.  I also teach occasionally at a local quilt shop,when time allows.

7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why?     I don't believe I can narrow it down to one.  I am generally influenced by the late 19th and early 20th century painters.  On a more personal level, I think there are four artists who turned the course of direction in my work:  Debra Lunn, Nancy Crow, Jane Dunnewold, and Hollis Chatelain.  Each of these artists has taught me a great deal, either by example or from direct interaction, or both.  I have learned a great deal from each of them.

8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?   I would be thrilled to have work juried into Quilt National and Visions.

9.  Describe your studio workspace.  I work in two different studios.  I have a large home studio that is not ideally configured for wet (surface design) work, so I have the good fortune of sharing studio space with several artists at Art Cloth Studios.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  My sewing machine, my silk screen, and my imagination.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?  I have a series of stories to tell.  I am fortunate to be able to tell them through words, cloth, and paper.
12.  How do you balance your life?   Always challenging, this equation has become much easier for me in the past several years as my children have grown and left home.  Since my husband is equally passionate about his pursuits it is easy to be supportive of one another.  The scale is never truly balanced:  sometimes one side needs more time and energy than the other. Family is always my highest priority.

http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/
http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/

Kathy York - Austin, TX

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?   I usually refer to myself as an artist.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?   I juggle multiple projects. It helps to always have something that is easy to do and ready to pick up.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   If money wasn't an issue, I would love to hire someone to help find venues and buyers for my work. That way I could devote more of my time to creating art.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.? I do keep a sketchbook, but mostly use it when I am traveling.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc
I have a piece in Volusia, Wrapped in Fiber. I also have a quilt in Quilt National 2009 that runs until the end of 2011, though I am not sure if any other venues are slated. I have two quilts appearing in Lone Stars III: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1986-2011 coming out this fall.
6.  Do you teach?  where?  I have taught workshops for guilds related to my lectures, but am not currently scheduling any workshops.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why? Frank Gehry, Hundertwasser, Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Hollis Chatelain, Inge Mardal and Steen Hougs, and many, many others. Mostly when I see art that I like, I feel inspired.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday? I would love to have a solo show in an art museum featuring a series of my work, or perhaps a retrospective.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  I have a sewing studio with design walls and storage and sewing machines. I also use my laundry room to do my dyeing. And, I have taken over half of my garage for batik work.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without? My hands, sewing machine, and scissors.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do? I have no idea.
12.  How do you balance your life? In bits and spurts. During a productive period I get a burst of energy to create. Then after I finish a piece, I tend to the things that were forgotten or postponed, like housecleaning and gardening.


http://aquamoonquilts.blogspot.com/

Deborah Boschert - Crofton, MD

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  I'm a fiber artist. I clarify that by explaining that I make collages with fabric and stitching. Around quilters, I often say I'm an art quilter since the quilting world has a good concept of what that means.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  I'm never at a loss for ideas but sometimes I get in a bit of a funk when I am not able to bring my ideas to life with the materials, techniques or time I have at hand. Then I really have to get creative and find new solutions or revise my vision of a particular piece of art.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   Honestly, I'm not sure that money is what's holding me back. It's time and discipline. That said, I would love to do more fiber art projects with students in my local schools. I did an art quilt project with fourth graders that was an inspiring experience for the kids and for me.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?   I like to make sketches of possible compositions for art quilts. Sometimes I sketch the same thing over and over just playing with the proportion of different elements. My sketchbooks also include lists of various techniques I'd like to try, materials I'd like to include and things I need to pick up on my next trip to the art supply store.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?   I am thrilled to be one of the authors of Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge, so you can see lots of my small art quilts in that book. The quilts from the book will also be on display at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. I also have a quilt traveling all over the country with the exhibit "Thread Tails and Vapor Trails" which celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of naval aviation. I wrote an article for Volume 2 of In Stitches emag about using sheer fabrics to create silhouettes. And I just got word that my quilt Refuge Radiant will be in the Sacred Threads exhibit.
6.  Do you teach?  I love teaching. It is so exciting to see students come away with tiny nuggets of inspiration that may change the way they think of fabric and art quilting. I teach mostly in the Maryland/Virginia/DC area, but I've got some longer trips on the horizon too.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why?  My great grandmother, Mabel, was an amazing renaissance woman. I have a picture of the two of us sitting together in about 1975. There is a latch hook pillow on the couch and a tie-dyed discharged wall hanging behind us. Apparently, fiber art was in the genes!
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?   I am trying to adjust my mindset toward continuing to create a body of work that really fits my personal style and creative spirit -- rather than creating work to enter in specific shows. But, of course, I am hoping that those two directions will eventually merge and I'll have work that fits perfectly at various venues. I am new to Maryland and I'm eager to get to know the local art scene and display my work here.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  I'm in the basement! The lighting is not great, but it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter and there is lots of space to sprawl. I have a big work table that is up on risers since I prefer to stand when I'm working. I bounce back and forth between the table, the ironing board and the design wall. Drawers and boxes of fabrics, embellishments, tools and odd bits of this and that are easily at hand.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  Recently, my husband found my favorite thimble under the couch. So, I had been living without it, but I was very very happy to have it back. My camera is a great tool for taking pictures for inspiration and also for taking in-progress shots as part of the design process. Most of my work is constructed with fusible webbing. Is that a tool? I buy it by the bolt!
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?   I just really enjoy the whole process. I love the seed of an idea, picking out fabric, exploring relationships between colors and shapes, adding paint or other surface designs, and stitching by hand and by machine. Even when I encounter problems or disappointments and I have to work hard to make changes, I enjoy the fist pounding, teeth clenching challenge of getting from start to finish.
12.  How do you balance your life?   I just have to know when it's ok to let something go. Sometimes that means I miss a deadline; sometimes that means we have sandwiches on paper plates for dinner.


http://www.DeborahsStudio.com/
http://DeborahsJournal.blogspot.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=28957

Betty Amador - West Hills, CA

1. What do you call yourself - art wise?   I call myself a fiber artist.
2. How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  When I am stuck I usually look through my large collection of art books not just quilt books for inspiration. Sometimes I get the juices going by doodling or painting.  Another way to jump start is by cutting up an old and unsuccessful quilt that may lead me in a new direction. I am passionate about classical music which I listen  to all day long and often use in titles for my work.
3. If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   I would hire an agent to help promote my art work.
4. Do you have a sketchbook, journal, etc.?   Yes, I have numerous sketchbooks that I have kept over the years. It began years ago when I was studying art in college. I have sketchbooks for ceramics, sculpture  and jewelry ideas. They all help when I am in a slump.
5. Where can people see your work this year?   I belong to two quilt groups. One group "Xtreme Quilters" is planning another show this year at a gallery in Newbury Park, Ca. in October. It is a beautiful gallery and  I will be showing some of my work there.
6. Do you teach?   No, I don't teach. I don't think I would be good at it. There are plenty of teachers out there and I don't think I would be able to do that.
7. Is there a particular artist who has influenced you in your art life? And why?    There are no particular artist that has influenced me. Most of the 20th century artists and almost all the abstract expressionists are my favorites. Some many have never heard of. I count Corneille, Esteve, Klee, Manessier, Matisse, Miro, Tamayo and Winter among my favorites.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be someday?   I would like to be Quilt National or Visions but most of all in some fine art gallery either here in L.A. or N.Y.C.
9. Describe your studio workspace.   I have a spare bedroom in my home that serves as my studio but recently I am planning to expand my studio into my family room which is much larger and has  better light. I also plan to set up a space outside in my backyard for silk screening.
10. What 3 tools could you not live without?   The three tools I could not be without , of course my Bernina, my olfa cutter and my design wall.
11. What drives you to make the work that you do?     It has always been my passion in life to be creative.
12. How do you balance your life?   I have been a widow now for 5 years and I live alone. So I can call all the shots as long as my health and energy are good I will continue to do what I love to do the most.

http://www.bettyamador.com/ 

Frances Holliday Alford - Grafton, VT

1.  What do you call yourself -art wise?  Artist
2.  How do you jump start your creativity?   I don't usually have a problem with needing jump starts.  If I am at a loss for what to do, I sometimes take random pieces, scraps and left overs and try using them in a very unstructured way.  I see inspiration in all kinds of forms.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   I try not to let money be an issue.  I am willing to give up other things to be able to do my art.  I would like to build my own studio and retreat center from scratch.  And it would need to have a hot tub too!
4. Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc?  I work on small collaged mail art pieces every day.  I also work in sketchbooks frequently.  I rarely draw out the plans for a quilted piece.  I blog and post a lot of things on Facebook.
5.  Where can people see your other work?  You are welcome to come to my studio in Grafton, Vermont. .  Also my website.  http://franceshollidayalford.com/  Currently, I have a quilt in the Alliance for American Quilts website as well.
6.  Do you teach?  Occasionally.  And frequently if you consider the daily how to-s that seem to happen.
7.  Is there a particular artist who has influenced you in your life?   I like a lot of the pointillist artists, particularly Paul Signac.  My favorite print artist is Gustave Baumann.  Susan Shie helped me jump start my quilting journey.  I am in a mutual fan club with my very good friend Rachel Parris.
8.  Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  I would like to be in the Modern Museum of Art in New York.  Also the International Quilt Study Center and Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.  And the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  Fabulous!  My Grafton, Vermont studio, the Tuttle Barn, a 150 year old building that has been remodeled.  The second floor is a large room for cutting, sewing, and designing.  A second room upstairs is devoted to drawers for beads and embellishments.   On the first floor, I have a show room/sitting room, an office, and a kitchen for painting and wet work.  I don't live there, but I am often tempted.
10.What three tools could you not live without?  Mistyfuse, Design board, and crewel sized hand needles.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?  I don't think I have much choice.  My whole life, I have been making what I could out of what ever I had.  I am always thinking about what I will do next.  Also, group interaction and peer approval works for me.
12.  How do you balance your life?  Balance?  There is supposed to be balance?  I have a lot of time to devote to my art.  I also spend wonderful quality time with my companion Fritz.  I like to travel, and I do a lot of community service.
 
http://franceshollidayalford.com/

More Colorado Adventures

A little doodling by Leslie at a restaurant on their paper tablecloths

The flower market at Whole Foods in Fort Collins

The stained glass ceiling at the Brown Palace in Denver

The decor in the Brown Palace was absolutely amazing

A corner view of the floors in the hotel

Beautiful light fixture and I love the way it illuminates on the marble walls

Leaving for the airport and saw this art installation of brightly painted containers

Doodles by Jamie

Paula Chung - Zepher Cove, NV

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  I generally call myself a fiber artist.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  I rarely experience a slump—I think primarily because I stay within certain subject areas. My images tend to be representative—using flowers as my subject. But lately I’ve been working with x-rays, MRIs and other body imaging as my subject.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   I’m not sure. I would like to eventually donate the pieces.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  Not generally, but I do keep a lot of images on my computer and work from that.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc.  I was recently featured in Quilting Arts Magazine and have a solo show “A View Within: The Body Stitched” in the Foyer Gallery at Lake Tahoe Community College through June 18th. I also have work in the SAQA exhibit “Creative Force” and will be one of the featured artists in Martha Sielman’s new book, Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World.
6.  Do you teach?  No.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why?  There are so many artists that I admire. Right now I’m studying  Cezzane, Kandinsky, Diebenkorn, O’Keefe for their abstraction and use of color. I’m studying Egon Schiele for his line drawings of the figure, Chiura Obata for his pen & ink works, and Henry Moore’s figurative sculpture. There’s too many to name.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?   I’ve never been accepted to the Visions show, so that is a goal. I am also working on a gallery proposal.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  My workspace is a spare bedroom, crammed full of stuff and a laundry room crammed with dyes, paints and surface design implements.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?   I just found a new toy—the Rowenta Steamer. But I couldn’t live without my Bernina and my cameras.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?    I find using floral images to depict life’s changes can be powerful. Recently I was in a discussion with my brother about the implied message and the real message. I’m attempting to explore that within my work.  My new work dealing with the internal images of the body also provides a source of powerful images that I feel compelled to make.
12.  How do you balance your life?   My family, friends, exploration of art and nature all help me attempt to balance things. It’s a thin line between balance and chaos.

http://www.paulachung.com/

Jayne Larson - Camarillo, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  Textile Artist or Fiber Artist.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?   I never have a problem with finding inspiration from my life and environment. The outdoors and my yard are great places to observe plants, bugs and critters of all kinds. Just a simple errand, like a trip to Home Depot, one of my favorite places, brings lots of colors, textures and ideas. The biggest challenge is selecting from the many possibilities. My sketchbook or my camera helps me to play and finally to focus my energy in a specific direction
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art? I might enjoy some very large installation work, like Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Well, maybe not quite that large....but something that works in the context of nature
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  Yes, my sketchbook is a tool for inspiration. I'm not very faithful but, I use it to take notes, doodle, keep clippings of photos and I go back to it frequently
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc.  I will be participating in a show "Art From Cloth" in Newbury Park CA in October 2011. The show is sponsored by the Extreme Quilters mini group. And my work can be seen on my mini group's blog: Digital to Textile: Eight Views.
6.  Do you teach?  where?  I have taught at my local quilt shop, Quilters Studio, in Newbury Park, CA. which accommodates wet studio activities like dyeing, discharge and printing.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why? Rembrandt is my all time favorite, he makes me want to draw more and better. I also love primitive or naive art for its boldness and raw creativity.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  Visions
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  I juggle my studio space between the dining room, the garage and the family room. My sewing room is actually a storage room for my supplies, fabrics and books.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?   Seam ripper with a large ergonomic handle, computer, and camera
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do? It’s a mystery! From somewhere in my DNA, I am wired to make, arrange, record, or express things about the life around me. 
12.  How do you balance your life? Between art, nature, friends, family and yoga - its a wonderful life!

Julie Schlueter - Orange, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  Quilt Artist, Fiber Artist
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  When I'm in a slump, need a quick pick-me-up or just can't sleep, I play with fabric.  Being in my studio and putting different colors and textures together is soothing.  I may never make the quilt of the fabrics I manipulate and lay out together at that time, but it's a wonderful possibility and my mind loves to dream it. 
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   If money was not an issue I would get a studio separate from the house so I could dye and dye and dye (and paint) fabric, and rust more fabric.  I would make more art quilts and take classes from the masters I admire so much.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?   I have a few random sketchbooks around the house, near my bed, in my studio.  Sometimes I sketch, sometimes I forget.  It is nice to look through them and see where I was and get re-inspired all over again.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc.  My quilt "Flamenco" is in the book "500 Art Quilts."  My piece “Pidgeonholded” is traveling with a Quilts on the Wall exhibit "Discovery" -Denver National Quilt Festival April 28 to May 1, 2011 and at the Flying Geese Quilt Guild Show, Soka University, October 1-2, 2011. My piece "Guitar Hero" is traveling with the "Bridges" exhibit which will premier at IQF Long Beach in July 2011, then go on to Pennsylvania National Quilt extravaganza September 15-18, 2011.  Also, “Reinvent the Wheel” in the "Journeys" exhibit - Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza in September 15-18, 2011. 
6.  Do you teach?  where?   I do not teach, but so admire those who do.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why?  When I began art quilting I was inspired by the work of Michael James, Ruth McDowell and Nancy Crow.  Among others, I have added Jane Dunnewold.  Her work is inspirational and I feel more creative just being in the same room with her and hearing her speak.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?   I would love to be in Visions and Quilt National.  Those are the pinnacle.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.   My workspace is small, but effective.  I have as much visible as I can, fabric, thread, embellishments.  If I can see it, I use it.  If it's tucked away, I forget.   Like many others, I spill out into my house.  I design large quilts in my living room and quilt large quilts on my kitchen table.  I photograph my quilts on the wall behind the front door.  When I need to get the "10-20 foot away" view I put my quilt on the floor near the kitchen table, run upstairs and lean over the bannister to see if my quilt is aesthetically pleasing.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  I could not create the fiber art that I make without my scissors and iron and sewing machine. 
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?   I love to have the "aha" moments.  Sometimes I have a picture in my mind of how the quilt will look when it's finished.  Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised it's better than imagined and sometimes I am disappointed.  My favorite quilts and best work unfold as I am working on them.  My last two quilts, I made significant changes after I put the binding on because that changed the look so dramatically.
12.  How do you balance your life?  Very carefully...everything in moderation.  My day job is deadline oriented so there are times throughout the month I need to focus almost completely on work.  When the deadline is past and I can come up for air, I enjoy my family and friends, then continue creating.  It's an ebb and flow.
 
http://fiberdose.blogspot.com/
http://www.quiltsonthewall.com/

Rachel Parris - Birmingham, AL

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  Art Quilter
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?   I visit my favorite blogs, read Quilting Arts Magazines, talk to my artist friends, look at old photos, get outside...woods, mountains, beach...outside.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?  Hard one. I suspect I would be more prolific.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  I have just begun this year to keep an art journal of sorts. A good friend gave me a little journal for Christmas that has sparked this effort. I do keep a life journal, and have for a while now.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  I have a quilt in the Alliance for the American Quilt fundraiser that can be viewed online or in Paducah if you happen to be going to the show there.
6.  Do you teach?  No, I learn.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life?   I would not be an art quilter had it not been for the persistent, long-time nudging of my long-time friend Frances Holliday Alford. She not only nudged (incessantly), she led, she taught, she provided materials, books, other resources, and best of all she generously introduced me to a circle of incredible women who have enriched my life in more ways than I can count.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  I would love to be in the Digital Image section of the International Quilt Festival in Houston.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  My workspace is my dining room.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?   My computer, my rotary cutter/cutting mat, and Mistyfuse.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?   I have something to say.
12.  How do you balance your life?    I am fortunate to be at a stage in my life where balance is not the issue it might have been several years ago. I am retired without children. I enjoy incredible support  and encouragement from a loving husband. However, if a choice is necessary, family always comes first if the needs are real. Also, my husband and I have recently started a business; and like any newborn, when it needs my attention, it gets it. Life is good!  I am so happy!

Desiree Habicht - Riverside, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  I call myself a mutli-media artist. I work in watercolor, pastels, acrylics and so much more, and of course fabric!
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?
I am surrounded by things that inspire and motivate me. All I have to do is just open my eyes!

3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?

I would give it away!! I enjoy brightening other peoples lives with art. The best part about being an artist is sharing my gift!

4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  Yes, many, many sketchbooks and journals. I have both working sketchbooks that are for developing projects and ideas and I have more of a journaling sketchbook that I will show others.

5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc

My quilts and fine art is being shown around the country. My fabric line is in many of your local quilt shops, Lil Miss Cutie Patootie! There is also my blog and website

6.  Do you teach?  where?   I do teach, I will be at the CREATE retreat in Costa Mesa teaching a fun colored pencil panel class. I also teach at quilt shops, guilds and I give workshops at my studio.

7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why? Many artists have influenced me both in my artwork and in my art quilts. To mention just one, Dianna Ponting for her wonderful eye for color and for helping me with my signature!

8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  I have been honored to have been accepted in both National and International Quilt Shows. I hope to be able to continue creating pieces that are accepted! I am still discovering more and more venues that are accepting fiber art pieces in their museum art shows etc. Competitions are perfect for me as I often need a deadline and I appreciate the other talented artist the keep raising the bar! I would love to be asked to travel overseas to attend a big international show or teach a class!  

9.  Describe your studio workspace.   My main studio is a converted bedroom, about 14x14, but like most of you, I have managed to take over other rooms in the house. My studio is always cluttered with ongoing projects and ideas but I can shut the door and hide the mess!
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  My iron, a pen w/sketchbook, and my paints, is that 3 or 4? I was never good in math.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?   Something inside needs to be expressed visually, there is always a painting or a quilt that is trying to get out!! I just need more time and some full time helpers.
12.  How do you balance your life?   Balance is tricky, my life is so busy and a bit crazy. My husband and daughter are my biggest fans and help to support my dreams. I do find its very easy to get over committed if I am not careful, so I approach things more slowly now. Over the last few years I have been able to grow again creatively. Since my daughters crash in 2000 my time has not been my own and it took years but we have finally developed a rhythm or balance, together.

http://www.desireesdesigns.com/

http://myclothesline.blogspot.com

The Brown Palace Hotel in Denver

The dolls arrive at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, Colorado

Jamie and Leslie enjoying High Tea at the Brown Palace

Breakfast at the Brown Palace - Steel Cut Oatmeal and Sourdough bread that they make on-site.  It was delicious!

Leslie enjoying Eggs Benedict!

DVD Tapings in Loveland, Colorado

The dolls arrive in Loveland, Colorado to tape DVD's.  Interweave building is in the background - large historical bank with columns and archway.  The recording studio was on this side of the street in the basement.

Jamie Fingal gearing up for the morning taping of her DVD for Quilting Arts

Jamie's set with her own props.

Leslie Tucker Jenison getting ready for the afternoon taping of her DVD for Cloth Paper Scissors

Leslie's set with her own props

Gwen Mayer - Woodland Hills, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  An artist.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  Have a glass of wine, play music, dance, decide on a canvas size, and go to my "Bits and Pieces" container. Then I close my eyes, grab a handful of bits and pieces and dribble them on the canvas a la Jackson Pollack.   When I open my eyes, I usually find inspiration and direction in the randomly placed pieces.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?   Have it all professionally framed.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?   Yes, but more often I go to my photos, and "Idea Folder".
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc
At the Thousand Oaks Community Center, my website, my group's blog and hopefully at some of the SAQA exhibits.
6.  Do you teach?  where?  I'm a retired language teacher and now volunteer.  At the moment, I have no desire to teach anything else.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why?  Frida Kahlo for her strong stories, vivid colors, and naive style.  Katie Pasquini- Masopust, and Leslie Gabrielse for their techniques, artistic knowledge, creativity, and outstanding artwork.     
8.   Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?   Visions, Quilt National, Textile Museum in Washington DC and Philadelphia
9.  Describe your studio workspace.   13' x 15'; wood floors, organized, large window with a view of all the foliage,flowers, finches, fountains in my back yard; lots of photos of family/friends;  art/artquilt books and magazines;  way too much fabric and paraphernalia for one lifetime!
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?   Scissors, pens/pencils, and sewing machine.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?   Fabric, fashion, and sewing are part of my DNA and allow me to express myself without words.
12.  How do you balance your life?   Exercising, gardening, dancing, volunteering, getting together with family and friends, and being grateful for my great life.

http://www.gwenmayer.com/ 

Joanell Connolly - Huntington Beach, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?     According to my business card, I claim to be a "fabric" artist but I describe myself as a "surface designer" when asked.
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?  I am trying to learn to be "kind to myself", take a breath and read a book.  The rest will follow or not.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?  I would take classes in all sorts of mediums, all over the world.  Something in Tuscany or Santa Fe or Arrowmont, and not necessarily fabric or paint related.  But I would become a collector of "stuff" I like, other peoples art.
4.  Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.?  I have started many sketchbooks and journals, follow through is a problem.
5.  Where can people see your other work this year?  shows, books, magazines, etc.  On my website and my blog.
6.  Do you teach?  where?  No, teaching implies I will teach you something.  I can demonstrate or share till the cows come home and feel good about my sharing.
7.  Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why? Yvonne Porcella in 1987.  Her book, My Colorful Book, changed my life, it was a pivotal moment.  I went from sewing to SEWING and this creative world.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  - Quilt National but first I would have to be brave enough to actually apply.
9.  Describe your studio workspace.  We bought this home for the studio space, it is an attached converted 2 car garage and it is wonderful.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  At this point - my computer, the printers and my  old Bernina sewing machines.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?  I believe we don't have a choice.
12.  How do you balance your life?  That depends on the day of the week and the time of the day.  Balance requires attention and work and does not come easily.


http://www.joanell.com/
http://joanellconnolly.blogspot.com/