Good Grief

No wonder my blog readership statistics have tanked lately. It's been more than 2 months since my last post. I won't give excuses because that just sounds whiney, so I'll just say I feel guilty for ignoring my fans (if there are any left.....)

I do have something to share. SAQA is putting together another trunk show of mini-quilts that will travel around the country. It can be requested by any group at minimal cost and maximum enjoyment. The quilts are small and will be matted so that only 8" x 8" will show. The due date for these quilts is January 21, and mine is ready to send off as soon as I complete the accompanying paperwork.

Last year I requested one of the trunks from the previous trunk show and showed it to various groups in the area. One of these groups, Metrothreads, decided to mount a similar type show and take it around the Baltimore Washington metropolitan area in hopes of getting a venue. Since I planned to participate in both of these events, I needed to make 2 pieces.

Only an 8"x8" window of each piece will show, but in order to allow for insertion into the mat, the quilt had to be at least 9"x9" and no more than 11"x11". Going for the mean, I chose to make my pieces 10"x10", and used the technique that I've been working with lately. The background is comprised of many pieces of fabric stitched into a grid, overpainted with red, and then overpainted with a scribble. This is what I got:

I neglected to block out the 8"x8" for the center and as you can see, the scribble is a bit too big. So I did 2 more:

These two fit the bill. The scribble will fit into the matted area. (Did you notice the center purple circle?) So I had these four pieces spread out on my work table and suddenly this arrangement jumped out at me:

This is total serendipity. I did not plan this at all, but because I always entered the piece from the left edge and exited from the right edge, the pieces can be arranged so that the scribble moves smoothly through all four. I really liked this and so decided to make a larger version, and made 4 pieces, all about 24"x24", but not exactly. I completed the grid quilting and then the project came to a screeching halt because I got taken up in other events, including several trips to Chicago, Thanksgiving, Christmas, family events, etc., etc. Today I pulled the pieces out and have put the first layer of paint over the grid. The project is back on!

Way last summer I signed up for the Sketchbook Project and that had been hanging over my head, contributing to my general anxiety. My theme was Outside/Inside and I agonized over how to represent that theme as the sketchbook lay near my work table, taunting me no end. I finally came up with an idea. I would make gelatin plate prints of small objects, and then sew the object into a little fabric sac with the print of the object showing on the outside. I used cotton duck to make the book pages (after removing all the paper pages that came in the book), and then sewed the little sacs to the cotton duck. On the inside front cover is a list of all the objects that are included in the book, but not in the same order. The reader will have to figure out what each thing is by touch. I was so glad to get this thing finished and off my list that I didn't take any photos, and just packed it up and shipped it off yesterday. I paid to have my Sketchbook scanned, and so I wonder what it's going to look like. Especially since you really have to touch the pieces to get the full effect.

The Sketchbook Project

I joined the Sketchbook Project and received my book last week. The way it works is that each artist gets a Moleskin sketchbook and has to fill it with something. The dimensions have to remain the same and the books will become part of a touring exhibit and will be cataloged into the Brooklyn Art Library System. Each artist must select a theme. I chose "Inside/Outside". So far I have no entries into my sketchbook and as usual, when called upon to make something that fits a theme, my mind goes totally blank. Looking at some of the samples of previous entries, it seems that many people only loosely follow their theme. So I probably will just go ahead and do something and let the viewers figure out how it relates.

We are in the midst of a horrible heat wave. We had a 10 day stretch at the end of June where the temperature was in the 90s everyday, and hit 100 at least once. A few days of some cool weather that was wonderful, but now we are back into the 90s and above. Yesterday the official high was 105 degrees. It hasn't rained since June 16 and the grass is brown and crunchy. I've been hauling water and using the soaker hoses in a desperate attempt to keep plants and shrubs alive. And now even the trees are showing stress. No significant rain is in the forecast. We could use about 3 days of gentle rain but what will probably happen is a thunderstorm with a downpour. The ground is so hard that any deluge like that will just run off and not soak in. Wonder which will be more outrageous - our electric bill or our water bill.