Off the Wall. PPLD Video

https://vimeo.com/68147574

It's out! My interview with Pikes Peak Library District for their "Off the Wall" series of artists who have had exhibits in one or more branches. Click on the link to view 5 minutes of me talking about my quilting, my 2012 Mini-Quilt Project, and pictures of some of my work.

This interview was filmed in February, 2013. The producer/interviewer/director/editor is Ralph Giordano, and he was hoping to have it out by March. At first I started watching and waiting for it, and then I had forgotten about it until he recently sent me an email that it was done! 

Ralph did a wonderful job of making me look not nervous, which I was. A big camera is aimed at you and you're not supposed to look at it. And then Ralph asks questions and I'm supposed to remember to incorporate the question into my answer because he doesn't want to be heard on the interview. That was especially difficult for me, and in fact, there is one spot where you can hear him ask a question because I couldn't manage it. I guess I'm more used to having a conversation rather than being interviewed. But overall, I'm really pleased with it and not embarrassed to show it to family and friends. And now that I have one interview under my belt, I'll be better at the next one! There's optimism for you.

Update on the Peacock:  Since the Peacock was mentioned  in the video, I thought I would let you know that it is coming along. Slowly. I worked on it a while and then abandoned it to do some other things, and now I'm back at it again. I've finished 13 feathers and only have 6 more to go. Then I can work on the feet and ground and then put all the pieces together.

My Departments

Title: My Departments
Finished: ??
Techniques: Appliqué, Free-motion quilting, Fussy cutting, Crayon coloring
Size: 18 x 21"

Description: This mini-quilt was hanging on my office door for many years. The idea for it came from Krystyna Mrozek, a colleague and friend who wondered if we could find fabric to represent the various departments for which we were responsible. So we took a trip to Mill Outlet, a very good source for novelty fabrics, and spent a couple of hours shopping for just the right prints. We had a lot of fun! I don't remember what year we did this, but it's been several years since Krystyna has moved on. I did not include a label of the back of this mini-quilt.

Some of my departments were easy to find fabrics for. Biology, for example, I could find almost any animal print. I chose a butterfly print. Now I don't remember if I actually bought this fabric at the time, but it is possible I already had this one in my stash. For Physics, I used an astronomy print. For Geology, I found a print with rocks at Mill Outlet. I knew they had a variety of "landscape" type prints.

For some prints, I had some pre-conceived notions about what might represent certain departments. For Sport Science, I knew for sure and was hoping they would have some sort of hockey print, which they did. For Environmental Science, I was hoping for some sort of rain forest or forest-type print. Not seeing anything I liked along those lines, I chose a green leaf print that worked; at least it was green! For Computer Science, I was wondering if I could find a print with computers on it, but was delighted by the keyboard keys print I found.

For a couple of departments, I got lucky. I didn't know how I was going to represent Mathematics. I didn't want a print with just equations on it, but when I saw the geometric shapes in many colors, I knew that would work. For Education, I had been thinking "books" but the school bus print said "education" much better. One thing about that print thought was that it was too beige and light. So I used a yellow crayon to color it in a bit.  I also didn't know how I was going to represent Psychology, but as soon as I say the rats in a maze print, my problem was solved.

The one that gave me the most trouble was Chemistry. I was hoping for a print with test tubes or something along those lines, but not seeing anything like that I had to improvise. The closest I came was the fireworks print. I figured pyrotechnics involves a great deal of chemical knowledge, so I went with that.

So after getting all the fabrics I needed, I figured out an arrangement that was pleasing. I had some gaps, so I appliquéd tiger paws on black fabric and put on a tiger stripe print on the sides and also used that for the binding to represent Colorado College.

I no longer have Education, nor Math and Computer Science as my departments, but this quilt holds fond memories for me.

I don't remember all of what Krystyna may have bought for her departments, but she ended up giving me some of the remnants: A native American pot print to represent Anthropology, a castle print to represent History, and a gorgeous African print to represent African Studies.

Yes, We Can!

Title: Yes, We Can!
Finished: June/July (?) 2009
Techniques: Appliqué, Machine writing, Free motion quilting
Size: 19 x 25"

Description: It's funny how things happen sometimes. Back in 2009, I answered a "Call for Artists" request from the public library as part of their annual "All Pikes Peak Reads" event in conjunction with the DreamCity: Vision 2020. The theme was "Creating the Future". So I whipped up this mini-quilt and submitted it, but I forgot to take a picture of it. Anyway, it was put on display along with all the other entries during the community summit held in July. After the event was over, I tried contacting the library to see about getting the mini-quilt back, but no one seemed to know anything about it. "Oh well." I thought, "Maybe someone out there is enjoying it." So I freely gave it to the universe, and didn't give it much more thought.

Fast forward to 2013. I got a call last week from Kaitlin Hoke, a librarian at East Library, saying she has this quilt with my name on it and would I like it back? Yes! Thank you, Kaitlin! Now, Kaitlin and I know each other from when her mother Debra worked at Tutt. So I have to wonder if I would have even gotten a call if Kaitlin didn't recognize my name. But I'm glad I got it back -- and now I can share it with you.

This mini-quilt is a reflection of my dream of what I'd like our future to be: being stewards of the planet, using renewable energies, having respect for life, and having the opportunities to pursue our dreams.

Originally, I thought I might do one big landscape, with an ocean at the bottom and outer space at the top and everything else in between. But none of the ways I was sketching it appealed to me. So instead I created individual panels separated with green sashing strips. This provided me with an opportunity to try out machine writing. It's difficult to make out, but there are words that I spelled out with free-motion stitching on the sashing strips:

• trees (an important source of oxygen)
• respect for life (symbolized by the columbine flower in memory of Columbine High School)
• peace & harmony (symbolized by human beings - and one alien creature - holding hands. Apparently people in the future wear a lot of polka dots.)
• solar energy (do you see the solar panels on the roof tops?)
• wind power (yes, those are funky windmills in the lower left)
• clear blue oceans (I worry about the destruction and contamination of the various reef systems)
• imagination (Yes, We Can do anything we set our minds to)

Enjoy!

Flowers I Can Grow

Title: Flowers I Can Grow
Finished: 7/31/11
Techniques: gingham, machine stitches, grass stitch, wobble stitch
Size: 11 x 14"

This mini-quilt was the first one I did in the 2011 series. It was done in the Karen Linduska style as was the Grandpa's Sunset Roses in the 2012 series.  I used two different gingham check fabrics: a colorful large check for the background and a smaller light green check for the insert, which was appliquéd. I wasn't sure if the two checks would work together, but I think they do. The light green check was also used for the binding and backing.

The flowers, stems and leaves were made with a variety of machine stitches, widened and/or lengthened to create different kinds of petals and leaves. A single circle stitch made nice centers of the flowers.

The insert was made to not be a perfect rectangle, and the purple flower "grew" beyond the insert, which was also intentional. A grass stitch makes a border, and the quilting was done in a simple wobble stitch.

Amish Tribute

Title: Amish Tribute
Finished 8/21/11
Techniques: Amish design, Rail Fence, Solid fabrics, Machine Stitches
Size: 15" x15"

Description:
This is #4 from my 2011 attempt at a mini-quilt per week. I had seen a program, I believe, on "Sewing with Nancy" where they were discussing typical Amish style and design. I decided to give it a try.

In my research, I learned that Amish quilts have evolved over the years. This mini-quilt represents somewhere in the early/middle of their evolution when Amish quilts employed simple geometric shapes only in solid colors, and usually on black background. I tend to prefer dark backgrounds myself because the colors that are used in the design tend to "pop," as is the case here.

I also learned that the Amish women, never wasteful, weren't too worried that their colors didn't match exactly. If they had two or more shades of green, that's what they had and that's what they used. So you will notice that in each of the four central colors, blue, green, purple, and pink, there are subtle color variations. The simple "rail fence" (or split rail fence) design uses only two rails - black and the color - positioned so that there's a stair step, or zigzag, design. I've seen rail fences with three or four or even five rails, but two seemed appropriate here.

I also learned that the inner border, red in my case, is usually of a different color than any of the other colors in the quilt. I couldn't find out why, so I may have to check out a real book on the subject and read up on it.

The corner squares mimic the four main colors used in the mini-quilt.

Where I deviated from the traditional is that I did this on the machine and not by hand. Also, I employed some machine stitches for a little flavor.

Oceans Blue

Title: Oceans Blue
Finished: 8/14/11
Techniques: Curved piecing, couching, ribbon, buttons, yarn, machine stitches, free motion stitches.
Size: 12 1/2" x 20"

I've started my spring cleaning process, and have come across other mini-quilts that I've done in the past. And since I haven't completed a mini-quilt in a while, I thought I would start to showcase some of my earlier works.

A few of you already know that my 2012 mini-quilt project was not my first attempt at creating a mini-quilt per week. Late in 2011, I had started such a project but before I could finish my 6th in the series, I became quite ill and had to abandon the project. I didn't have the Blog then either. This is #3 of that first series.

I started out by piecing curves, which came out quite well. Then for some reason I don't remember, I decided to cover up those seams with ribbon, yarn or stitches. Only a couple of the seams are truly visible.

The layers of the blue fabrics and the embellishments have significance too. The stars at the top to represent the sky, the flowered batik for things floating on the water, the free motion circles for bubbles, the eyelash yarn for plant life, the curves and ribbons for the ocean currents, and the buttons for stuff on the ocean floor.

Overall a peaceful, calming mini-quilt.

Exhibit at Ruth Holley branch

I am please to announce that, during March, I have another exhibit in the public library. This time it's at the Ruth Holley branch, located at 685 North Murray Blvd. just south of Galley. I have 15 mini-quilts on display in their big meeting room.

Here's a list of the ones on display this time:

#2 Bargello Brights
#5 Hatari!
#6 Extreme Sudoku
#8 Doodling with Thread
#11 Butterflies in the Garden
#14 Nebula
#15 Spring Has Sprung
#19 Translucence
#23 Origami
#24 Transit of Venus
#32 Double Helix
#33 Milky Way
#36 Prism of 100 Squares
#38 Prairie Point Landscape
#44 Stained Glass Iris