Machine Quilting Fresh Salsa!

It has been awhile since I've done any machine quilting. When this happens a person becomes a little rusty, so I've decided to quilt an old top that has been lying around my studio for about 10 years. This project should get me back in the swing of things.

Fresh Salsa, top only, © by Ann Fahl 51.5 x 51.5 inches

A long time ago this quilt was to be an entry for the special Viking showcase gallery at the IQA show in Houston. To qualify, it needed to be 51 x 51 inches. My sons suggested that I make a quilt about salsa.  I love good fresh chopped tomatoes and pepper as salsa, I could eat gallons of it. Selecting half square triangles in red, green and yellow, I arranged a centrally oriented design, then overlaid a drawing of a tomato cut in half, lined up red iridescent bugle beads on the pencil lines, sewed them all on using NYMO thread, folded the top up and tucked it away in my closet!  I'm sorry, but I never took a photo of the beaded top. You'll just have to believe me that the beads really didn't enhance the over all look of the top.

The red bugle beads that I removed from the quilt top.

Years later, I pulled it out, hung up the beaded top in my studio and decided that the superimposed beaded design didn't enhance the central idea of the quilt, and removed the thousands of beads. Several weeks ago, I got the top out of the closet again; pressed it, blocked it, and pin basted it together. Now I'm machine quilting it.

This is the first time, I have ever quilted a pieced top. Just a pieced top, no beads, embroidery or applique over the surface. For me, this presented a big new challenge. I've thought and thought about how I would quilt it. So I flipped through my recent book on machine quilting, and came up with a plan.

I took a photo of the quilt, and printed 3 copies on 8.5 x 11 paper. I spent an evening doodling on the photo with a black gel pen, and came up with some very specific ideas on how to quilt each defined little area.

Doodling on a paper photo of a quilt, helps me decide what would look best as a quilting design.

Most of the ideas I used, just as is, others have been changed to some extent. Now I'm getting excited, it was time to begin the real quilting.  It has been a long time since I've quilted anything!  But before I can begin I have to select the thread.

We'll talk about thread and quilting next time.  It feels good to be working.

Ann Fahl

Quilts in France!

Right now, as I am contemplating my age, career and life's goals; an opportunity to exhibit my work in France came along. It is such an honor to be one of the artists exhibiting.  Eight of my quilts will be included in:

Quilt Expo Beaujolais

ParcExpo

9400 Villefranche sur Saone

near Lyon - France

April 12-15, 2012

Wow That's Orange (c) Ann Fahl

There will be quilts from Europe, but there will be special exhibitions from Japan, Australia and USA.  I will be included in the American portion. Of course I had to send my two brilliant orange quilts for them, they are such attention grabbers.  And by the way, UPS sent my quilts from Racine to France, and it only took two days.

Orange Coneflowers (c) Ann Fahl

So if you will not be attending this Quilt Expo, you can at least see my 8 quilts, right here, in the comfort of your very own home.  The rest of my quilts included are:

Really Purple Coneflowers

On the Nile

Egyptian Garden

Egyptian Water Garden II

Ginkgoes Galore

Landscape Ginkgo

If I could speak French, I would put all this in a different language, for you to peruse. But I can't, so you will have to read this in English!  So, go get yourself a beautiful stemmed crystal glass, and put some French red wine in it, get comfy in your chair and visit all of my quilts online. 

My thanks to Margo Bimler and Monique Bonnet Imbaud for arranging this exhibit!

Ann Fahl

Quilts in Color: part 3

This is part 3 about the exhibit Quilts in Color at the:

The Anderson Art Center

January 29-March 25, 2012

6501 Third Ave.

Kenosha, WI  53143

262-653-0481

hours 1-4:00 Tuesday through Sunday

The featured artist today is Melody Johnson, who has been a quilt artist since 1981. She was also a professional fabric dyer for twelve years . Melody's education includes a BA in painting and drawing from Northeastern Illinois University in1981 and an MA in Fibers from Northern Illinois University in1994.

Melody's philosophy of quilt making is "all color all the time."  According to her, you can never have enough color! The two of us have had many interesting discussions of color, embroidery and fabric. Her quilts emanate with her joy of color.

Here are Melody's quilts hung above another of the Italian marble fireplaces. The quilts are from her Bon Bon series.

All of Melody's constructions are fused pieces, they appear to be pieced, but they are not.  Her quilting makes them appear to be pieced or appliqued. 

Zig-zag # 5,  quilt by Melody Johnson

 Don't you just love the jagged lines in the "rick rack" segments.  They add such strong directional interest in the quilt.  The edge also has "prairie points" to carry out the zigzag theme; I love the fact that they are irregular.  Melody created the perfect edge for this quilt.  Look closely, this is just a 9 patch block.  Isn't it wonderful and joyous?

Matchstick Moon and Matchstick Moons 2, quilts by Melody Johnson

 To create the surface patterns, Melody has used many fine thin strips to create the circular images and the grass-like textures.

Technique Rebellion III-Redux,  quilt by Melody Johnson

Technique Rebellion, above is without a doubt the most impressive quilt in her gallery.  The color and threadwork take your breath away! I am sorry there isn't a detail shot of this quilt.  It is so rich with thread, it is almost like velvet.

Parallel Paths,  quilt by Melody Johnson

This quilt is reminiscent of some of her mosaic pieces.  This was of course is rich with color and texture.  Her use of her own hand dyed fabrics makes all of her quilts sing.

If you would like to see more of Melody's work, you must visit her website. It is in glorious color and you will love seeing all of her work together.

Melody works in her home studio in Tennessee. "For me it's a balance of making the work and helping others find their artistic gifts. I loved the teaching experience, the encouragement, and mind opening exchange between the student and myself.   Teaching was an extension of my art. I am so happy now to have the time and space to enjoy my husband's retirement, to create new work, and to share my daily adventures via my blog. "

Thanks Melody for adding so much color to our day.

Ann Fahl

 

Quilts in Color: part 2

This is the second segment in a series about the quilt exhibit at the Anderson Arts Center in Kenosha WI.

January 29-March 25, 2012

6501 Third Ave.

Kenosha, WI  53143

262-653-0481

hours 1-4:00 Tuesday through Sunday

Marcia Stein's work is my subject today.  Marcia is a San Francisco textile artist whose award-winning work has been shown in a number of juried exhibitions at galleries, museums, and quilt shows throughout the country and is included in several public and private collections.  

I have always found large blocks of color in quilts to be most appealing to me.  They make bold statements that make you step back and study and enjoy the work.  As you will see Marcia likes color too. She is the author of a book from C and T called Picture This!  The image on the cover is included in the show.

Quilt by Marcia Stein,  Sidewalk Cafe

The quilt is stunning.  The black and white stripes are of course very graphic, and are machine pieced.  Also umbrellas are always dramatic, even though Marcia's are not opened up.

She says, “While I still enjoy using the geometric shapes of traditional quilt making and the more free-form techniques of contemporary quilt art, my current work focuses on storytelling through appliqué, and for this I call upon my interest in photography.”

“I enjoy seeking out photographic subjects with an eye toward their successful translation into fabric. I like to portray a scene in a representational way yet with a whimsical quality that makes the work smile back at me as I recall the moment I caught the image on film."

Quilt by Marcia Stein,  '52 Pickup

Both of my son's liked this quilt, they used to have a 1995 Dodge pickup. The angle that she used to picture the truck is most interesting. Marcia used a wide variety of fabrics in this one, including some metallic ones. I am sure she had fun creating this quilt.

Quilt by Marcia Stein, French Laundry 

Of all of Marcia's quilts in the exhibit, this one was my favorite.  Laundry isn't my favorite thing to do, but I remember my mother hanging the wash outdoors in the summer when we lived in New Jersey.  My sisters and I would have fun running in and out and around all the sheets and towels.  This setting was inspired by a photo that Marcia took.  You can find it on her website.  The background is just two colors of beige fabric and this creates such a textured and shadowed wall. The laundry hanging on the railing is just wonderful.  The clothing and the shutters behind are hand appliqued. What great detail.

Look at the stitching on the pockets of this pair of pants.

Here is a detail of one of the shutters.

Marcia states, "My current series is based on photographs I took in Santa Fe, Italy, England, and the South of France.”

Ladies in Waiting  and   Gone for a Walk  quilts by Marcia Stein

Gone for a Dip  and   French Laundry  quilts by Marcia Stein

Originally from Chicago, Marcia is a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She took up quilting in 1992, after a lifelong interest in other needle arts, and has been pursuing her interest in textile art full-time since 1996.

French Shoes by Marcia Stein

 What little girl wouldn't want a pair of shoes like this?  Thank you Marcia for creating such interesting art.

Ann Fahl

 

A Peek at "Quilts in Color" part 1

I drove down to the Anderson Arts Center to see the quilt exhibit again, and to take all the photos that I didn't have time for the day of the opening.  It's a lovely old mansion, filled with light and beautiful views. I will begin showing you the exhibit Quilts in Color, one artist at a time.

The Anderson Art Center

January 29-March 25, 2012

6501 Third Ave.

Kenosha, WI  53143

262-653-0481

hours 1-4:00 Tuesday through Sunday

View from one of the upstairs galleries.  Lake Michigan was very churned up on Sunday.

I'm going to begin with Gloria Hansen's gallery. Her work was lighted, gloriously, get it?  I have always been attracted to the color and movement in her work. Years back I was quite taken by a tiny piece called "Blushing Triangles."  I liked the colors, her threadwork and the visual impact of the quilt.  This was my chance to see more of her work in person.

Circles Collide, by Gloria Hansen.  Here is one of her medium sized pieces over the lovely Italian marble fireplace.

 

 

Gloria Hansen lives and works in East Windsor NJ.  She is considered a pioneer in uniting the quilt maker with the computer, and in 1996 she co-authored The Quilter’s Computer Companion, a ground-breaking book published by No Starch Press. She also wrote or co wrote 13 titles in the Free Stuff on the Internet series publishing by C&T Publishing. Her latest book Digital Essentials, the Quilt Maker’s Must Have Guide to Images, Files, and More, published by Electric Quilt Company.

Color Fields 1 by Gloria Hansen.  Candace Hoffman, the curator adds 3D pieces throughout the galleries.

 

 

Detail of above quilt showing the metallic thread use.

The above quilt was the smallest in her gallery.  It was my favorite because of her expert use of a flat iridescent thread, probably Sliver or Glitter.  The twinkle that the metallic thread added was beautiful.

Gloria’s work has been exhibited throughout the country and abroad for over two decades. She says “My work is about geometric shapes, photographic imagery, and visual ambiguities expressed in cloth and stitch. In this collection of work, I’ve selected quilts spanning nearly a decade in time. The common thread among the pieces are bold color and geometric pattern. I designed each quilt using computer software."

Perspectives II by Gloria Hansen.  This is machine pieced and hand quilted. When I stepped back from this quilt, the dramatic perspective was a surprise.

"The oldest piece is from 2001, and it features fabrics that I hand painted or dyed. The remaining works all feature fabric that I digitally painted using computer software and then digitally printed with archival ink onto silk or cotton fabric. The surfaces also include some traditional media, such as fabric paints and pastels. The oldest work is machine pieced and hand quilted, the other seven pieces are machine pieced and quilted.” Her work has been included and appeared in shows, competitions and galleries around the world.

Upper--Squared Illusions IV,  Lower--Witley Decay 2, by Gloria Hansen

 

Upper--Going in Circles, Lower--Going in Circles II, by Gloria Hansen

 

 

This is the end of the Gloria Hansen exhibit. Be sure to visit both her website and blog to learn more about how she works. Thank you Gloria for sharing your work with us.

My next installment will feature quilt artist Marcia Stein.

Ann Fahl