Sunday, January 25, 2009

Twitter 101 for Art Quilters!

Due to my involvement in a certain virtual world, I've gotten got very used to using Web 2.0 methods such as Twitter and Plurk over the past two years. I don't have a Plurk account as Elle: Sew Chick because my God, Plurk is such a major time suck due to its ability to have conversation threads added to its Twitter-like short posts that I'd have to really think about that.. However, you can definitely follow my musings on the art quilt and writing world and craziness in general via my Twitter feed. If you click on the pics, you can see my notes on the basics of how to use Twitter!For those of you who are still wondering "What the heck is Elle talking about?!" Twitter is a microblogging service that allows you to post 140 word or less mini-postings (called "tweets") about whatever's going on in your world right now. Yes, while you can rhapsodize about your latest coffee or pho soup break, it is also a great way to get up to the moment info from your colleagues, friends and organizations such as news media, asssociations, museums and other arts organizations...I like to talk about the exhibits I'm in, challenges and inspirations, my writing life and yes, pho soup. It also has a RSS function, so you can subscribe to your fave twitterers. I've also found twitterfeeds for other art quilters such as PaMdora, Joanie San Chirico, Susan Sorrell, Lisa Call, Kyra Hicks and others. I can't believe it took me this long to set it up for myself outside of my virtual world presence. D'OH!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Yay! Textural Rhythms is Now in New York

The "Textural Rhythms" exhibit is now at the New York State Museum until March 1 and we got word that it'll be at the Lincoln Square branch of the American Folk Art Museum next. I got picked to be in the first presentation when it opens there in late March, as it's split into two parts due to the exhibit's size. I'm totally tickled.

w00t!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Quilts for Obama Exhibit!

Sew Chick Elle here (and I think it's cute that I've been referred to as such in some newspaper articles related to this)! On Sunday, I got myself prettied up and headed over with my family to the Historical Society of Washington DC's lovely Carnegie Library Museum for the "Quilts for Obama" exhibit! YAY! Guest curated by Roland Freeman with Dr Mazloomi's Women of Color Quilting Network (WCQN), it is a celebration of Obama's journey to the presidency. There is a historic piece from Kansas, as well as quilts and textiles from Ghana, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya and the oldest member of Michelle Obama's family...This is a lovely piece from Tanzania...This one's from South Africa by Dennis Ngobeni and Somisa Baloyi, depicting him as the chief of his nation...This is by one of my favorite quilters, Carolyn Crump...
I didn't have much time at all when I got the call from Dr Mazloomi in November and literally did some backbusting work to finish, but here's the final version of mine, entitled "Wildest Dreams". It depicts my maternal and paternal grandfathers and great-grandfathers, who I believe could never have imagined seeing this happen in their wildest dreams...And here I am in front of Jim Smoote's piece with curator Roland Freeman whose book A Communion of the Spirits inspired me to become a quilter in the first place. It was so nice seeing folks I knew again and meeting new ones. I am so thrilled to be a part of this and if you are in town, please stop by to see and support it! The pieces are stunning...

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Quilts for Obama Exhibit Opened Today

"Quilts for Obama: Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th President" opened today at the Historical Society of Washington DC and there's my piece for it entitled "Wildest Dreams." The left two gentlemen are the husband and father of my maternal grandmother and the two on the right are my paternal grandmother's husband and father. My grandmom, mom and great-aunt joined my hubby, cousin and me there. The opening was FANTASTIC and the turnout was packed. It'll be there until Jan. 31.