Curators Q&A

This is based on a group of questions that the artists in the 'Affinity' exhibit were curious about.  We didn't use them all, but felt that these were the top questions.  We answered these questions individually, and didn't collaborate on anything.  Pure and simple.  
Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison, co-curators

You’ve been doing this thing for a while. What do you know now, that you wish you had known at the beginning? 
Jamie:  Two words 'Art Call.' I wish we had used this program from the beginning instead of having to deal with CD's and checks.  It is a huge time saver. 
Leslie: The first thing that comes to my mind is “Art Call”.  Putting the call for entry guidelines on the Art Call site and being able to ask for whatever information we need and get the images loaded there has been such an enormous time-saver for Jamie and me!  It also enables us to jury the collection of pieces from two different states.

When you select a theme, how many contenders are there before you decide?  Does the text come first or second?
Jamie:  We bounce back many words over a period of about three months, until we decide on what we think will be a broad interpretation. It's hard, because we don't really want to duplicate a theme that is already out there.  We are very mindful of this. Then we come up with the text that one of us starts, and the other finishes.  We take turns doing this.

Leslie: There are always a “handful” of ideas that we are tossing around and sometimes we are right down to the wire before we make a decision.  We want the theme to be fairly broad in scope in order to allow for representational and abstract works.   The story and/or text comes later.

it is fascinating for me to see the evolution of your work, of the curators exhibits and the evolution of your business in the fascinating field of our quilting world. I don't know how you do it! 
Jamie:  For me, it's all about being really organized.  Like for me putting together the artist profile series, I give myself a date that they all have to be done by, because of my schedule. Google Blogger allows me to schedule all of the posts, so that makes my job way easier. I just have to remember to post each one on FB Monday through Friday. Making quilts is a huge priority for me, like spending as much time as I can in my studio.

Leslie:  Well, that could be said for all the artists that have submitted work for consideration over the years.  It has been very exciting to see the arc of an individual artist’s work.  It truly inspires the two of us. 

What has been the highlight of your career as a Dinner@8 Curator?
Jamie: The part where I get to see first hand how an artists work has evolved over the years.  It gives me great joy. Working with Leslie is the greatest.  I think also having some pieces from our exhibits be featured in Quilting Arts Magazine is huge.

Leslie: For me it is seeing the artists’ work recognized on the covers of various Quilting Arts magazines and featured in an episode of Quilting Arts TV.  We are as thrilled as we can be! 

What has been your favorite of all the Dinner@Eight themes?   
Jamie: I am not sure that I have a favorite one. The quilts have been quite powerful in every exhibit that we have juried. I did love the scroll series, and how amazing it was to see the first exhibit in this size.  They were very dramatic all lined up front and back on the pipe and drape.  I can't wait to see Affinity.

Leslie:  I have enjoyed all the themes but the current one is always my favorite!  Each year I’m thrilled and inspired by the work.  Changing the dimensions every 3 years has presented a new set of design challenges for the artists and they never disappoint. 

The two of you travel quite a bit. How do you manage to make time for both family and art?  Jamie: Family comes first, and I do devote Monday through Friday to my studio time. Come home and make dinner.  Weekends are family time. The only work that I do at home is drawing in the evenings.

Leslie: This is a tough balance but it is certainly easier now that our children are grown and independent.  Neither of us traveled to teach very much before that transition.  Also, both of our husbands are incredibly supportive of our work as artists so that makes it easier!  But, there is a balance and it shifts constantly.  Protecting studio work time is challenging when there is more travel away.

What is the single most thrilling adventure you have embarked on in your art career? 
Jamie:  That's a hard one, but I think that doing a public project for our local library was pretty significant for me personally.

Leslie:  For me it was the happy collision of dyeing, printing, digital photography transferred onto cloth, and quilt making.  It brings all that I love together in one medium.  What could be better?  I get to do what I love every day and I couldn’t be more thankful.

What artists inspire you?

Jamie:  Just to name a few - Kandinsky for his abstract work, Monet, for just the beauty of his gardens, Mary Cassatt, of mothers and children, Van Gogh for his starry starry night. Oh my.

Leslie:  The list is long.  I admire Mary Cassatt and Georgia O’Keefe:  true pioneers in their era.  Henri Matisse found a way to continue expressing himself as an artist despite his physical limitations and impaired vision.  I love Robert Rauschenberg and Gerhard Richter.  The list is much longer than this!

Do you take a lunch break or work straight through a project?
Jamie:  I always take a lunch break, and sometimes coffee is involved.  A great time to just lay on my polka dot couch and read or close my eyes for a bit, or even take a nap.

Leslie: I try to “come up for air” periodically because my body demands that I move around and stretch.  So taking breaks is important.  If I don’t do it when I’m printing or quilting I pay for it later! 

Where would you like to go from here?  The Dinner at Eight has so many possibilities.  It is intriguing to think of what the next step will be. 
Jamie:  We are going to keep going, raising the bar each year with outstanding work, and finding new artists to add to the invitational list. If you are interested in having the opportunity to jury your work into one of our exhibits, you will need to send us an email with your website and/or blog url, so we can look at your work. This does not guarantee you a seat at the table.

Leslie:  The Dinner at Eight project has so many possibilities.  It is intriguing to think of what the next step will be. I hope we continue for a long time to come as it continues to excite us and we seem to have plenty of artists who feel the same way.  Let’s see what happens, shall we?

Eventually what would you like to leave behind as your legacy? 
Jamie:  That I did it well, with grace, joy and was easy to work with. I hope that whoever owns my artwork that those pieces still give them joy, and every child that visits the library in Orange is delighted with the three quilts that are on the wall.

Leslie: If I can leave behind a body of work that has challenged me and given me joy, and it happens to do the same for people who view it….that is enough.

How much time to each of you daily spend creating art? 
Jamie:  I lump it in altogether with writing articles, blogging, working in my studio, quilting, curating, drawing - a full time job Monday through Friday.

Leslie: When I’m not traveling I’m in my studio 6-8 hours a day, and sometimes more if I’m pushing a project toward a deadline!

When traveling, do you take photos strictly for inspiration and if so, and do you use and reference many of these photos?
Jamie:  I think it really depends on what the subject is.  I use my iPhone most of the time. there are many things I find inspiration in, but I don't take any pictures of them.  I think after going through my parents 36 slide carousels changed me about picture taking. I take less.  However, I do have an obsession with Instagram and post all kinds of photos on it daily.

Leslie:  I am ALWAYS taking photos!  I really love to look at stuff and think about it later when I review the photos.  Often, I use photos as a basis for making paintings, drawings for thermofax screens, or digital transfers that become embedded in my quilts.

What other creative interests do you have besides art quilting? 
Jamie:  making my own fabric with stencils, designing stencils, drawing and just self published a coloring book this summer!  I love to garden, and cook and read books. My husband and I love to entertain, so we do that on the weekends.

Leslie: I love to cook and consider it another art form.  I love to garden and find a great deal of inspiration in it for my art.  I am an avid reader and birdwatcher.  I love reading cookbooks like some people read novels.  And  am a painter.

Do you treat your art quilting like a job and try to spend certain amounts of time "on the clock"? 
Jamie:  It's a job to me, but I love what I do, so it doesn't seem like a job.

Leslie: I think it is a level of obsession.  I guess one could view it as a job because I certainly spend a lot of time at it.  It sure doesn’t feel like work most of the time unless I hit a creative “block”.

How did you come up with the 40x40 size? 
Jamie:  Funny you should ask.  Last year at Quilt Festival in Houston, Leslie and I went around to all of the exhibits looking for the perfect size.  Yvonne Porcella was having an exhibition of her work, and we noticed that several of her pieces were 40x40 and how great they looked on the pipe and drape.  Stunning.

Leslie:  We shift gears every 3 years and it was time to do something different!  We tossed several other sizes around but we wanted it to be square and we decided to go bigger!

How do you stay organized with all the many responsibilities you're juggling? 
Jamie:  Daily 'to do' lists, reminders on my iPhone, a white board in my studio and a huge calendar.  I need to see what I have coming up and I like to be able to cross things off the big list.

Leslie: I have had to adjust my system of organization pretty significantly in the past 2 years because my previous system was no longer effective.  I added a big whiteboard in my studio and I constantly shift things around on it so the priority items are on top.  Other ideas and tasks get written on the lower portion.  Being able to see it all the time is very helpful.  My studio is getting remodeled and I’ll have a gigantic chalkboard wall!

Questions for Curators: Jamie Fingal

Jamie Fingal

1.  What are your goals for yourself as an artist?  Design quilts, patterns, fabric, stencils, curate quilt exhibits, collaborate with other artists 2. What changes do you see coming to the art quilt world? I see a sort of union happening between fiber artists, traditional quilts and the modern quilt movement, with the acknowledgement of how similar we really are with fabric and thread.
3. Curating these exhibitions has to be an awful lot of work. What motivates you to do it?  The work always shines through, and seeing what artist create with fabric and thread is something to be shared.  We both enjoy the process, and working as a team is always better than working alone. 4.  What did you do in your former life (before Dinner @ Eight)? I made quilts, entered juried shows, painted watercolors, Girl Scout artist, and put together quilt exhibits, and worked with friends on public projects.

5. What do you enjoy most about putting this exhibit together each year?  One of the best parts for me is bringing everyone together at the table for the Friday night dinners.  I miss Festival in Long Beach so much, because of this one amazing thing.  We'll always have Houston! 6.  What is most important to you in curating a show like this?  To show amazing work, with all kinds of styles, colors, and subjects. 7. How do balance time spent creating and promoting your exhibits, and time for your individual creative endeavors?  Through the deadline process. For example, the artists profiles, I give myself a deadline to get them all done in a certain amount of time, in between my current schedule. That is pretty much how everything works right now. If I can't do something, Leslie can step in to help me, and vice versa.  Social media helps us to promote our exhibits, and we can both do that. This is when technology really works well. 8. How did you two meet?  We connected through an online group - the Quiltart list in 2002.  We met in person at the Tiara Parade at Festival in Houston in 2003. We were part of the Journal Quilt Project.  Through a series of dinners, tiara parades, exhibits and online conversation we became very good friends.
9. Do you ever totally abandon a project and if so, at what point do you know it’s a lost cause?  When I know that it will not photograph well.

10. What grabs you first, color or composition?  Color and Contrast 11. When did you start quilting? 1981

12. How long does it take you two to decide on a theme each year?  a couple of months.  It's not a constant thing.  We run a few ideas via texting or email.  We think of how broad or narrow the theme is. How it would translate. 

Bonus Question
How do you gently tell someone that their work wasn't accepted without causing them to feel defeated and quit. How do you also encourage them to keep going and try again?  These are the letters we don't like to send.  It is important to us, that we word them for each person, not just a form letter.  And anyone can ask us why their quilt didn't make the cut, and we will give a thoughtful critique. 

Questions for Curators: Leslie Tucker Jenison

Leslie Tucker Jenison
Co-Curator

1.    What was your dream job when you were a kid?  Did you ever think you would be a fiber artist?  -My dream job was to be a registered nurse.  I practiced nursing for many years, always in some aspect of women’s health & community health education for women and families.  My avocation was to be an artist.  I was an enthusiastic painter as a young girl and I was fortunate to return to painting, then quilt making and surface design.  How lucky can one woman be?!

      What are your goals for yourself as an artist? To make work that is meaningful to myself, to always push myself artistically, to work with intent.

      What is your aesthetic in art? Layered, abstracted.

     How do you balance it all!  How does anyone?  We are “all bozos on the same bus” when it comes to figuring out that balance.  It helps that we are both “empty nesters” who have supportive husbands.  My family responsibilities changed after the deaths of my mother and sister in 2001 and 2003.  Between our move to Texas in 1997 and 2003 I spent nearly half my time in Kansas.  Now, each day when I walk down the hallway to my studio I thank my mother for giving me back the gift of time to make art.  I know she would like that.

What keeps quilting fresh, for you?  I continually try to push myself out of my own comfort zone.  That keeps it somewhat scary and fresh for me!  Also, I have returned to some of my earlier roots in making a few useful quilts and doing more hand-stitching.  Sometimes, what is old is new again.

What grabs you first, color or composition? -Ah, this is a tough question but I will go with color.  That said, if the composition isn’t working the color loses its “flair”.

 When did you start quilting?  I started quilting in my mid-20s (late 70's).  Although I grew up observing my paternal grandmother making quilts I was not interested-enough at the time to learn from her.  I was inspired, then mentored, by a fellow nurse in the Labor and Delivery unit I worked in.  Those early years were not all that productive, between working a full and part-time job and raising babies..

      When do you do your best work – under a deadline with pressure, or relaxed and no deadline?  I tend to have both of these going….I need to ruminate about the method of interpreting my idea.  Then, I wait until I’m backed into a corner and seem to perform best under a bit of pressure.  I can’t tell you how much I wish this were not my method.

     Do you ever totally abandon a project and if so, at what point do you know it’s a lost cause?   I will “walk away” from a project, sometimes for months.   Sometimes it stares at me from the design wall and finally I can figure out where to go next.  There have been many pieces that have been cut into smaller parts, sometimes painted over, because they just didn’t work.  You have to know when to walk away.

      Where do you see dinner@8 in 5 to 7 years?  Goals?  Dreams?  I really don’t know!  I think Jamie and I are both committed to continuing as long as there are artists willing to submit work for consideration.  We have some good years ahead, in my opinion!

         How did your collaboration come into being?  Jamie and I had both curated shows in the past.  She approached me to co-curate an online exhibition, then asked if I would be willing to co-curate Edges with her.  We decided it was a great collaboration and we really have fun together.  We are so crazy when we travel together!  After we arranged a couple of artist-dinners for the entrants and we tend to eat at 8 pm…the rest is history.

1.    What do you enjoy most about putting this exhibit together each year?  I believe it challenges us to see the work for its own merit as well as whether it will work in the collective body  of the exhibit.  Often, we disagree and then we are required to “justify” our position to the other!  I think this is good for both of us!

Bonus Question-- 

1    What has been the best part of the press and awards tour for Tim's Vermeer?  Thank you for asking!  For me, the best part of this adventure, hands-down, has been all the amazing and interesting people we have had the pleasure of meeting.  It seems that so many people have been inspired by Tim’s project.  At this time last year the 5 Jenisons were sitting in a small theater in Telluride holding hands nervously as the film premiered.  We couldn’t have imagined how people were going to respond to it.

Questions for Curators - Part 2

Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison

Questions for Curators - Part 2

photo from one of our classes in Houston

11. What's your best piece of advice for other artists?
Leslie- This sounds flippant but I believe it is the truth:  Just go into your studio and make stuff.  Don’t worry about outcome or what anyone else thinks:  keep playing and experimenting.  The best things happen when I ask myself, “What if?”.
Jamie - Start small, and play with fabric and thread.  Use the colors, textures and patterns that inspire you.  Grow into your art, but the the most important thing is just to do it - practice and have fun.

12. What's your least favorite technique that you still use anyway?
Leslie- I still, occasionally, use discharge paste.  I don’t like it because it is stinky and I am skeptical about how safe it really is.  So, I use it sparingly, with a respirator, in good ventilation.
Jamie - I am still wondering what to say.  I don’t think I have an answer, because I like everything that I do, except for making hanging sleeves, which is not a technique, but I don’t like it just the same.

13.  Not counting art quilts, what do you collect?
Leslie- Oh dear.  I have a glass fetish. I pick up rocks when I travel (and sometimes bottles of beach sand).  I love wind-up toys.  I collect my children’s art, and I still have all our “little kid” books.  They are so precious to me.
Jamie - Don’t get me started.  There are many things that I used to collect, but those have taken their course.  I still collect old suitcases, metal boxes, unique dishes, cups, and weird stuff that I can repurpose.

14. Which great artwork would you love to hang in your own home?   (A game also known as, "What would you steal from the MoMA?")
Leslie- What a great question!  If I could have Matisse, Raoul Dufy, or one of the other fauvists, I would be pretty happy.  I adore Mary Cassatt’s work as an Impressionist painter, and I think she was very “bad ass” to be in such a boy’s club!
Jamie - Do I have to pick just one?  Kandinsky abstract, but would love a Degas with the dancers and Mary Cassatt just tugs at my heart.

15.  What moment or event started both of you to go into the Art Quilt direction?
Leslie- I am from a traditional quilt making background. I still love the heritage of traditional work.  I evolved from that genre because I wanted to create unique pieces.  I’m not as interested in making functional textiles anymore, but still do make the occasional “quilt quilt”.  I’m simply MORE interested in the tactile, 3-dimensional qualities that are possible with the quilt as art.
Jamie - I made traditional quilts, but always with some sort of twist, because it was hard for me to conform to the rules..no big surprise there.  I just wanted more, and when I learned to fuse, my whole quilting world changed, to take me to the next level.  I still love traditional quilts, it is just that I don't want to make them.

16.  What artistic endeavors were you involved in before Art Quilts?
Leslie- I’m a painter in addition to being a quilt maker.
Jamie - Watercolorist, made jewelery and decoupage, and I still do these things, but at a lesser degree.

17.  Describe your process for choosing a theme for your exhibits.
Leslie- We have a list of possible themes.  We are always tossing things around.  As I stated before, we try to consider a theme that is broad enough to encompass both representational and abstract interpretations.
Jamie - We throw a bunch a themes around, add to, delete from and then determine if a certain theme could be interpreted into fabric from both of our points of view, and then go beyond that.  I mean if we can't come up with an idea for an art quilt - then how could anyone else?  Things to consider.

18.  What are the future plans for Dinner at Eight?
Leslie/Jamie -We hope to broaden the scope of venues for the exhibitions and we are currently exploring some options in addition to the quilt festivals.  Stay tuned!

19.  Jamie:   How do you feel that having a studio outside of the home has impacted your work? What are the pros and cons?
Moving my studio out of the house was the best thing I have ever did (5+ years), because it gave me balance between home and studio.  I go to my studio Mon-Fri, and am home at night, to cook dinner and enjoy evenings with my husband. Sometimes I bring home handwork or my sketchbook.  Weekends spent at home, and it is rare that I work in my studio on the weekends.  It has given me more focus, and freedom to explore my art, because I have more room to spread out.  I am packing up my current small studio, and moving to an industrial space with one room consisting of 1000 sf.  The con would be no a/c or heating, but I am sure I can work around that.  It's my dream space!

Leslie:    Do you feel that the geographical area that an artist works in has any effect on their work? That is the light, topography, culture, regional differences etc?
Leslie-My personal response is yes, absolutely.  Perhaps this is the artists’ version of “You are what you eat”!  As an artist, I tend to believe that my work is a response to my own history, my environment, my daily experiences.

20.  Where are you guys scheduled to teach?
Leslie/Jamie -We took a teaching break this year, and frankly, it was a good thing we did:  Jamie experienced the loss of both parents and the subsequent aftermath of dealing with all that flows from that.  We both had our youngest children graduate from college.  Personally, I have had an upswing in commitments with the Alliance for American Quilts and the Surface Design Association, as well as some other things.  For a year that was supposed to be quieter it has been anything but!  Jamie - I've enjoyed making quilts, exploring, and heading up a sub-committee for SAQA.  I do miss the students!  Maybe next year!

Questions for Curators - Part 1

Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison
a couple of serious curators


Every year we ask the artists in our exhibit to give us a list of questions to answer.  This year we have 20, so today and tomorrow, we will answer your questions.


1.  If you couldn't do art, what would you do to feed your soul and  fulfill yourself?
Leslie -I’m a gardener and a cook, and I find these creative outlets very “artful”.  I can’t tell you how many things I have puzzled out while digging in the dirt!
Jamie - I love to read, research genealogy and tell the story of our family history in scrapbooks, work in the garden and cook. 

2.  How did you find your way into quilting/fiber art?
Leslie- Although my paternal grandmother was a seamstress and quilt maker, I did not learn from her.  Rather, I was exposed to the love of quilt making through a nurse-colleague during my years as an inpatient obstetrical nurse.
Jamie - I learned how to sew at a young age from my grandmother, which led me to make my first quilt in 1981.

3.  What has been your most memorable "aha!" moment in your art?
Leslie- Now, this is a tough question.  I’ve had a lot of “aha moments” in my studio, as I believe we all do.  If I have to choose one scenario it would have to be when I realized that creating unique cloth with personal imagery provided another “layer” of meaning to my work.
Jamie - this year actually, after losing both of my parents so close together and I was literally shut down, for obvious reasons.  I got my mojo back when making my entry for the Alliance for American Quilts contest “home is where your story begins.”

4. How do you physically design your "mock-up" for the exhibit???
Leslie- Jamie is the guru of mock-ups.  I bow to her!  It begins with a configuration, provided by the venue.  I use small photos of each quilt to arrange them on a grid.  I ask myself these questions; what quilt do I want the viewer to see if coming from this direction - those pieces are all put into play from every vantage point, and then I go about placing the pieces that enhance one another throughout the exhibit.  It’s really a dance of puzzle pieces.  I enjoy it immensely.

5. Do you Skype or I Chat often, being the dynamic duo that you are??
Leslie- Oddly, we don’t Skype very much, but we have very frequent email exchanges and phone conversations.  We have a long-running email exchange that we call, “Coffee Break”, which, coincidentally, is the theme of my curator’s quilt for the “Rituals” exhibition this year!
Jamie - We email mostly and talk on the phone.  Our e-mails always have “coffee break” or something similar in the subject, so we know to get a cup of coffee or tea, and sit down to read.  The simple joys in life are the best!

6.  Do you realize how grateful we are, as artists, for your efforts to propel us to stardom in the art quilt world??
Leslie/Jamie -Do YOU realize how grateful WE are, as curators of this exhibition, that you have carved out the creative time and energy to put forth your amazing work?  Seriously, it is our profound honor that you allow us to present your work.

7.  When you design the exhibit theme, do you consider whether the entries will be mostly representational or abstract? Do you have a preference?
Leslie- We try to come up with a theme that will embrace both styles of work.  It is, in our opinion, one of the best components of d@8 exhibits: the marriage of these two styles that become unified through the common theme.
Jamie - It’s not really something that I think about, to be quite honest.  We want the “best” work, and if it fits into the exhibit as a whole, it works for us. And work that matches the artists statement. I have no preference for representational or abstract.

8.  Have  you considered proposing a retrospective book to an established publisher?
Leslie- We have discussed this possibility.  Stay tuned!!
Jamie - Yes, and “best of” exhibits too.  Imagine the possibilities!

9.  Having curated shows myself I know that putting together "Rituals" has been a very large commitment of time and resources. Why do you do it?
Leslie- This is a multi-pronged answer:  We love showcasing the talent in our  segment of the art world, and part of that is seeking out emerging artists to rise to the challenge of entering a show.  Jamie and I enjoy the give and take of the collaborative process as co-curators.  We see things through different lenses, and I think this is one of the biggest strengths of our exhibitions.
To be honest, bringing the online entry process into the equation this year was an enormous help to us!  Wow, I can’t even tell you how many hours of labor it saved us!  Hooray for Art Call!
Jamie - It is a large commitment, but I enjoy every aspect of it, and having Leslie to collaborate with, utilizing our different strengths, works for us. Being highly organized helps.  I think the opportunity to work with such creative artists is a huge bonus. Using Art Call made a huge difference for us this year, because it took a lot of the extra work that is created by having CD’s and paperwork, off our plates.  It literally simplified the way that we work, and having the advantage of seeing all of the works on one page, and to be able to go back and forth on the artists pages to see their inspiration and statement, as invaluable.  And in turn, a venue can work with the information in the program, saving them time too.

10.  What's the most inspiring trip you've ever taken?
Leslie- I have been very fortunate to travel a great deal.  I believe one of  my favorite trips was to Italy:  we visited many parts of north-central Italy where we have close friends who live on the shore of Laggo Maggiore, on to Florence, and then to Rome.  The beauty of the land, the history, and the lifestyle and culture of the Italians was so inspiring.  Second to that would be Russia.
Jamie - My inspirational places to visit are Seattle, Ashland, OR, Cambridge, MA, NYC and San Francisco.  Mostly because there is family there.  And in those cities, there is a synergy with the architecture, artistic community, restaurants, culture, and they get my creative juices flowing.

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. 

Artists Profile - Curating

 









1. How did you select the theme, and did you get what you expected from those invited to submit, or are the results completely unexpected?
J) We each have lists of theme ideas, brainstorm via e-mail and then decide. Sometimes we ask a few of our artist friends for their input. My only expectation is quality artwork that interprets the theme in the art quit and that the statement reflects it.
L) We started out with quite a different idea for this year's theme, but decided there might be some unresolved copyright issues, and moved on to a subject that would invite a broad array of interpretations.

2. How did you come up with the idea of an invitational juried exhibition to be shown at Long Beach/Houston?
J) We wanted to have a great exhibit, but wanted some control on who we asked to participate, like asking people we know personally. And it was our desire to ask some artists who have never entered a piece in a large show. I enjoy the learning curve, to help an inexperienced artist achieve their goal to be accepted into our exhibit.
L) As fate would have it we were able to secure sponsors for both exhibitions this year. Last year we asked participating artists to pitch in financially if they were able in order to take the exhibition on to Houston. As a result we received a lot of additional exposure for the artists' work, and the Edges exhibit was featured in a substantial article in Quilting Arts magazine. Yay!

3. What’s on tap for next year’s invitational?
J) We are working on that now, and haven't decided what the theme will be for 2011.
L) We do have some ideas up our sleeves, but we welcome any thoughts from the BTS artists!

4. This whole undertaking is a ton of work, (thank you very much!) what do you two personally get from it, that makes you take it on?
J) I love bringing people together - all kinds with a variety of experience in the quilting world. I enjoy working with Leslie and we compliment each other in our skills. To see the big picture - from start to finish is quite rewarding in itself. To be able to share a knock out exhibit with the public at the best venues.
L) Several things: Jamie and I enjoy working together. We come at the work from different perspectives which is both wonderful and challenging. We love to see where the themes take the artists, and for many, just the size of the quilt presents a unique challenge! It is Interesting to see how people decide to interpret the theme(s). It is all very exciting to us. Yes, it is work, but it is truly a labor of love for both of us.

5. What sorts of things do you have to do as curators that the artists might not know is part of your job?
J) Working with a variety of people on a professional level, meeting deadlines, being highly organized, and having fun at the same time. Leslie is a wonderful and considerate writer, which I so appreciate when it comes to writing letters, sponsor letters, theme paragraphs, etc.
L) There is a LOT of paperwork involved. Being on the other side of the "fence" as curator/jurors we have an opportunity to intersect with a wider variety of people running the quilt shows. Jamie is extremely organized which is so wonderful!

6. What enticed you two to begin curating shows?
J) I’ve curated a handful of shows before I organized an exhibit of quilts made about Long Beach in 2008 made by groups "Everything Under the Sun." The second exhibit "Edges" began on my own and then brought Leslie in to help with the jurying process, and the rest is history. Throughout our friendship, we have found that we work well together. Henceforth, curating seemed a natural progression for both of us.
L) While I was co-owner of FiberArtspace I had opportunities to curate a number of shows as well as jury a call for entry. Jamie and I worked together on curating an online exhibition and found that we really enjoyed the collaborative effort.

7. Where did the "Dinner at Eight" name come from?
(J and L) When we go to Festival in Houston, our reservation is for 8:00pm and our artist friends are with us! We thought it was the perfect name for our curating efforts.

8. What is our greatest asset?
J and L) Perhaps a good reputation in the quilting world and we're easy to work with.
L) I think we have done a good job of presenting an interesting array of work in both exhibitions we have co-curated. We work well together.

9. What other projects do you work on as a collaboration?
J) We team teach one hour workshops in MIU at Festival in Long Beach and Houston. We are also teaching at CREATE with Cloth, Paper, Scissors in late August in Rosemont, IL. Leslie and I both enjoy cooking, so we started a blog “Artists Cooking with Gas.”
L) As Jamie stated, we have a number of common interests in addition to making art. Some of these have become collaborative endeavors and it has been quite enjoyable.

10. What are a few things you haven't done but would love to do?
J) Oh my gosh, where do I start? I would love for one of our exhibits to travel after Houston onto the Quilt Visions Gallery in San Diego and Karey Bresenhan's gallery in LaGrange, TX. I want to do an exhibit about Women Authors. I would love to do an exhibit about something emotional, that tugs at your sleeve, that changes you inside, that is gripping...a girl can dream.
L) I want to write a book. I hope to get my work into Visions and Quilt National someday. I've got a lot of dreams and goals, artwise and otherwise!