Sew Chick: Art Quilt Adventurer

Which One Will It Be?

2011-10-04T19:42:00.000-04:00

As I have mentioned, I am going to enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. I haven't finished the piece yet, but I can give you a glimpse as to what I'm working on. The catch? I'm not revealing which one I decided to go with until the piece is finished. So, with that in mind you'll have to wait and see if it will be "Girls Night Out"...

...or "Pom Pom."

Wish me luck!

Where Has Sew Chick Been?

2011-08-12T02:36:00.000-04:00

Long story! The short of it being...I had a baby! I had a rough pregnancy including hospital bedrest for two months (yikes and more yikes!) He was a preemie, but you'd never know it now since he is so big and super-healthy. His name is Alex and he has been keeping me very busy. Look at that smile...

He has also had me thinking about getting back to doing what I do well: My art. Sewing. Being creative again in a way so that I hopefully don't have to return to an office environment. I've had an Etsy account since '06, but now I am going to actually open up shop. Put some things in there soon that I hope folks will like. Oo la la, you know?! Pretty darn exciting to see what my brain will crank out.

I also want to enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. What's that? Every three years, the Smithsonian Nat'l Portrait Gallery has a portrait competition open to artists of all mediums. My art quilt specialty is portraiture, so I figured that I would enter. The deadline is Halloween. I figure I'd see what happens. As my youngest sister would say "YayZ!"

In the immortal words of Futurama's Bender Bending Rodriguez: "I'm back baby!"

On the Journey of Hope Exhibit...

2011-02-13T23:09:00.002-05:00

In a recent email to the artists involved, I was suprised--yet somehow not surprised--to read about the difficulties that Dr. Mazloomi has been having with the Journey of Hope exihibit featuring quilts made in honor of Obama's inauguration:
"I must say, booking the exhibition has been extremely difficult. Most museums were afraid to take it, or had staff or patrons that didn't like the president. I found it amazing how deep the hatred is of President Obama. Some institutions were threatened with violence and withholding of operational funds if they took the show!"

I don't feel like going into a political discussion or what usually devolves into a "not-discussion" here. It just makes me sad that institutions dedicated to art or history and showing all facets of culture were threatened with violence or a cutting of funds. *sigh*

Textural Rhythms in San Francisco

2011-01-28T15:58:00.000-05:00

Textural Rhythms opens tonight at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco. That is pretty exciting!

Journey of Hope Available for Pre-Order

2010-02-02T15:43:00.001-05:00

Yay!!

The Journey of Hope: Quilts Inspired by President Barack Obama exhibit book is available for pre-order through Amazon! Or you can do so at Barnes & Noble as well!

I feel like running around waving my arms around Muppets-style I am so excited! My piece "Wildest Dreams" is in this.

Gearing Up for a New Year

2010-01-31T23:31:00.001-05:00

I totally forgot to post this!! An announcement of the Obama quilt show was shown on a NYC jumbotron-style screen in Times Square in December. So exciting! A selection of the quilts went on exhibit in Yokohama, Japan.

Exhibit News

2009-04-02T15:53:00.005-04:00

The Quilts for Obama exhibit here in DC at the Historical Society has been extended until July 26.

Textural Rhythms recently opened at the Lincoln Sq. branch of the American Folk Art Museum in NYC. My sister went to the opening reception in my place (yay!) and took this pic next to my piece.

Twitter 101 for Art Quilters!

2009-01-25T18:34:00.010-05:00

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!

Yay! Textural Rhythms is Now in New York

2009-01-15T08:51:00.003-05:00

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!

Quilts for Obama Exhibit!

2009-01-14T07:48:00.004-05:00

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 Societ y 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...

Quilts for Obama Exhibit Opened Today

2009-01-11T20:35:00.000-05:00

"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.

"Wildest Dreams" Process

2008-12-16T16:35:00.007-05:00

I got a call from Dr. Mazloomi asking me to participate in the upcoming exhibit "Quilts for Obama: Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th President", curated by Roland Freeman, author of "A Communion of the Spirits" and noted African American quilting expert. It will be held January 11 through January 31, 2009, at The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., 801 K Street, NW at Mount Vernon Square, Washington DC 20001. The exhibit opens Sunday afternoon, January 11, 2009, at 2:00 p.m.

My piece "Wildest Dreams" honors my ancestors who could never have dreamed of Mr. Obama becoming elected. It depicts the husbands and fathers of my grandmothers. I stopped by and had dinner (which was great) with Grandma after dropping it off at Mr. Freeman's home yesterday and when I showed her its photo, she started exclaiming and hugging me. I am not going to post a pic of the whole final piece until the opening day, but I can show you the process for part of it. This is how my paternal great-grandfather, Walter Joseph Scott, went from photo to finished piece:

First, the lightbox (thanks Victor!)...Then the handpainting...Then the pieceing...Then after quilting, voila...a great-granddad in fabric!

"Wildest Dreams" Source Photo

2008-12-04T23:07:00.003-05:00

Oh my, what's this? The source photo for a new piece in progress with a VERY short turnaround time entitled "Wildest Dreams."

Who are they? My grandfathers and great-grandfathers and great-great grandfathers! They were some good looking guys if I do say so myself!

Let's hope I can turn this one around in time...dear God what am I thinking?

Went Home and Now What...

2008-10-04T14:34:00.000-04:00

I went home to my family's country house in Virginia recently. I spent a week down there with Grandma and Aunt J and it was good for me. Caught up on all of my professional org journal reading, read some books for pleasure about writing and spiritual thought, and regaled them with my beginner classical guitar playing...I took time to walk around the many acres of the place looking at the natural beauty there such as the mimosa, where butterflies and hummingbirds are regulars once more...
My great-great uncle's water pump. I remember using this when I was little. As you can see, it's gone unused for quite a while now...
I'd spend time in the quiet with the breezes on the front porch reading. I've been feeling lost for so long now...
...But I came up with a viable plan that I hope I can follow. Here I am with Aunt J and Grandma. I'm so glad to have had the chance to spend this time with them talking. I really needed that. It's nice to talk to people who truly love you and everything about you sometimes. I don't know what'll happen in the future, but all I can hope for is to put it on a path of good.

Articles About the Sisters in Cloth RMQM Exhibit...

2008-08-25T16:15:00.004-04:00

While Googling about the "Sisters in Cloth" exhibit at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, I came across the following articles! Enjoy!

"Not Your Great-Grandmother's Quilt" by Meredith Knight, MileHigh News

"A Stitch in Time Captures Culture" by Colleen O'Connor, Denver Post

Self-Belief

2008-06-23T17:21:00.003-04:00

I was sitting here thinking about creativity. I have a close friend living in the paradise that is Hawaii and working in the arts. She is so talented and creative and one of the most supportive, positive persons I know. She recently emailed me saying that she put her head down recently and cried, thinking "What am I doing wrong? Why am I not succeeding?"

I wrote her back saying that I have done the same thing.

Mind you, both of us are talented artists. Both of us are creative as hell. I think the problem isn't even our art. It's everything else but...but it's affected us. We've both had a rough, but very interesting, past 2 years. I think all creative types struggle with it. We know our talents have value--not even in just a monetary way--but the outside forces involves in our lives such as bills, illness, etc. can often make us doubt that value. I wrote her back saying..."So many others believe in us. It's just a matter of us believing in ourselves as well again. We can and will do it!"

And I believe we will.

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum Exhibit Opens Tomorrow

2008-05-05T10:43:00.000-04:00

Ooooo with a touch of la la! Got this in the mail! The exhibit opens tomorrow and will run until August 2, 2008. If any of you are in the Denver area, go check it out!

That is Carolyn Crump's lovely "Awakening" pictured here.

Oh Frak!

2008-04-19T18:58:00.005-04:00

My sister did win the title of campus Homecoming Queen. I had no idea she could deliver a speech as well as she can sing!

Oh le sigh...I have procrastinated yet again. Well, at least it's only a matter of putting the backing on "Grandma Hopes She's Never As Old As I Am" for the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum exhibit.

I took the catalogs with me from the other two exhibits to one of my favorite shops, Paradise Fabrics, which specializes in African fabrics. I usually buy the bazin/cotton damask for my backings there, so I thought the owner might like to see the final use of them in my pieces. He said, "They are wonderful! You do realize that this is only the beginning for you, you know? How could it not be?" That made me feel good.

He went on to say "People here (he is Ethiopian) are so rushed and that is not good. Life should not have to be like that. You look like a person who does not like a rushed life."

Ain't that the truth?

Rebeading Fun & A Playlist to Bead By

2008-03-31T18:41:00.003-04:00

My youngest sister is running for campus queen. She bought her dress at discount because it was missing beads...so guess who said she'd rebead them?I just fired up the iPod and set it to "shuffle", got out my supplies and got crackin'...
Here's what I listened to:
Prince: "Adore"
Jimi Hendrix: "Castles Made of Sand"
Isley Bros.: "My Lover's Eyes"
Wu-Tang Clan: "Triumph"
Peaches & Herb: "Reunited"
The Pharcyde: "Passin' Me By"
The Beatles: "Hey Jude"
Prince: "Sometimes It Snows in April"
Erykah Badu: "Certainly"
Tupac: "Temptations"
Kool & the Gang: "Cherish"
Gnarls Barkley: "Crazy"
Yes: "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
Freddie Hubbard: "First Light"
Alejandro Sanz: "Try to Save Your Soul"
Buju Banton: "Hey Bwoy"
J. Holiday: "Bed"
Outkast: "Slump"
Common: "Funky for You"
Frederic Chopin: "Nocturne"
INXS: "Need You Tonight"

Textural Rhythms Baltimore..FINALLY

2008-03-30T23:34:00.001-04:00

Now that the exhibit is coming to a close tomorrow, I realized I never posted pictures from the Textural Rhythms in Baltimore! It was held in a glass fronted room that overlooked the main street. As we were pulling up, I saw this slide in the window and started screaming and pounding the steering wheel in excitement. The cop next to me looked over at me, not as thrilled...My family showed up for support! Here are my cousin, great-aunt, mom and grandmom. My husband was there as well as my siblings and family friends too...
Here's a group photo of all of the artists present. It was wonderful meeting everyone. Yes, I'm crouching there giggling with Sonji in the front row...
Here I am with the fabulous Jo. It had its own wall panel to itself, which was super-cool...
We all were in a book-signing frenzy afterwards. Here I am signing one now as its owner's li'l dude looks on. I feel like Elle the Rock Star. It took me an hour and a half to get through the exhibit. What great fun it all was!!! Thank you Dr Mazloomi!

Quilting African American Women's History

2008-03-20T20:23:00.004-04:00

There's nothing more that I like than to go to the mailbox and have a nice little something waiting for me! It's even better when it is the catalog from your latest exhibit! This is the one that "Just Me Being Negative" is currently in up in Wilberforce, Ohio. Valerie White (who is so super-cool by the way) created the piece on the cover ("The Guardian")...And last month, Dr Mazloomi sent a cool photo of the PR announcement of the exhibit on the huge screens outside of the Reuters Building in NYC's Times Square! Yay!

Cutie Patootie

2008-02-24T18:04:00.001-05:00

Awww, who's this little cutie? No, sorry, this one's not mine, but is my 1st cousin's new baby Justin. He's trying to eat my shoulder nahm nahm nahm...

On Personal Quilting Style

2007-12-31T12:40:00.000-05:00

You all have heard me say many times before how much I shake my fist at the "quilt police". I'm not a perfect piecer. I sure as hell don't sew as straight as I "should" sometimes, and someone please shoot me if you ever hear me utter the words "stitches to an inch." That's just me though...

Today I was thinking about personal quilting style. How we all have one and it becomes obvious from quilt to quilt what it is. My husband looked at my latest piece and was like "I'd recognize your work." Me, knowing my own style, asked him "How?" and he hit it on the nose: I have kind of a freeform-anything goes-thing when I'm doing my backgrounds. Whether it's a portrait, a Starbirth piece, or any of them, that's what I do. If you were to see me quilting them, it's a rather full-bodied experience. Arms working, body moving. I'm sure you all have been there, so it's not just me.

It's like we're dancers...can you hear the music the quilt's making?

Woo-HOO! ANOTHER Exhibit!

2007-12-30T23:03:00.000-05:00

Almost a year later, the "Grandma" quilt is done! It was also accepted into the upcoming "Sisters in Cloth" exhibit at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Colorado!! I got the letter yesterday and ran back and forth going "YAAAAY!!!!" She said "YAAAAY!!" too when I told her...I finally figured out what to do with the background and went with stylized mimosa tree leaves--like the ones I remember from our family's country home in Virginia. My fave part is her hair. I love what I did with the hair! And ooo King Tut variegated thread ROCKS! The quilting in her dress was inspired by this curvy Chinese jade dragon ornament I saw once. The piece's official name is "Grandma Hopes She is Never As Old As I Am" and here's a closeup shot...

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2007-12-25T20:46:00.000-05:00

A very happy holiday to you all!

Yes, Sonji was right...at the recent Textural Rhythms opening reception at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, I was apologizing to folks for not posting more often. To catch you all up quickly:

1. I was quite ill from June-September. Who knows what the heck was wrong? The doctor sure didn't. :-( I couldn't stop coughing. My eating was impaired because of said coughing. I lost quite a bit of weight. I was miserable. Then I...

2. Went to Europe and it cleared right up and I was fine! The hubby, two friends and I went to England for our friend's handfasting, spent some days in gorgeous Rome, and popped back to London for more fun before returning home where my very first day back to work from vacation was...

3. My last day back at work after my first weeklong vacation in a year. Others took off just about anytime. I rarely took off when my mom was ill with cancer, when I fell and busted my knee and rib myself, or for the holidays. What a bogus reason they gave me and everyone knows it. I imagine that someone flipped out when they had to do everything by themselves and didn't understand how I did my job. Whatever, really. Perhaps it was the ultimate sign that I should be doing what I was meant to do in life...

4. But in the meanwhile I felt horrible about it all and I am just snapping out of it. I'm trying to put fingers to the keyboard and write again. Or fingers to guitar strings and strum once more. Or fingers to the Janome and freemotion with ease. I have been closed up in my mind for too long. It is time to channel things productively...

All I know is that my pieces are now in two exhibits and I'm waiting to hear about a third. I feel good about that--if not anything else...

Fallow Period

2007-08-13T16:36:00.001-04:00

I was talking to my grandmom recently, saying that I hadn't been productive...hadn't been writing, hadn't been quilting. She said, "That's alright, you're usually like this in the summer. You usually pick up everything again in the Fall." I found that an interesting observation on her part. As artists, I supposed that while we are compelled to create, perhaps we do have fallow periods where it lies dormant for awhile, until it becomes a better time to use it? I know I work like a prolific whirlwind during the Fall and Winter months.

Seasonal creativity...now there's an interesting notion...

On a good note, Dr. Mazloomi inquired about "Just Me Being Negative" today and if it is available for exhibition (it is). I don't know what's going on, but it has to be good, right?

Hi there!

2007-07-17T21:30:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I've been away this long...

What have I been up to? Hearing some of the best choruses in the country while at the beautiful historic Biltmore Hotel in L.A....Thinking that this most recent Harry Potter was the best EVER...Ticked because my name was listed incorrectedly throughout the latest book that I'm in...Very sick with a bad cold...Still without my straight foot, which has meant I haven't been sewing...Having fun with friends and family...

As for an update on my mom? She is wrapping up radiation treatment and doing well. Even her hair is growing back. At first, she was concerned, thinking it was going to grow back in gray. I told her not to worry about it, that it would be fine. To me, it looks darker than before!

Sorry I've been away for so long!

Good News!

2007-05-20T19:37:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone...I know that it has been forever since I last posted...Things have been busy and crazy.

My mom's doing well and I'd like to thank everyone who has sent me their well-wishes.

I'll admit that I haven't sewn since I misplaced my machine foot. Horrible. Just horrible of me, huh?

On a good note, I got a call from Dr. Mazloomi Saturday telling me that my "Cousin Jo" quilt's image is going to run in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine coming out in October as part of a feature about the Textural Rhythms exhibit. YAY!!!!! How exciting is that?! She told me that my work was "slammin'" and that I was very talented. That's always very nice to hear...

O Where O Where Has My Little Foot Gone?

2007-04-15T16:28:00.000-04:00

I have now managed to not only misplace my instruction manual, but my straight stitch foot as well--that has the little click-y shank on it that all of the others (except for the freemotion) attach to!

AAAARRRRRGGGH!

Janome, rescue me from myself!

Workshop Postcards Done!

2007-04-08T18:09:00.000-04:00

Whew! I ran out of time during the workshop to finish the postcards, so I had everyone to put them in a baggie w/thread color choices and I stitched them up. They're really cute and turned out well.

Stardeath: In Progress

2007-04-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed explaining the "Starbirth" series to the kids. They totally got what I was going for and when they felt the quilting thatI've started for "Stardeath: Supernovae/Red Giant" one said "It looks like flames!" Which is exactly the effect that I was going for.

When explaining my quilts, I told them that I had three styles in front of them: One style where the pieces were painted and reassembled collage-style, another style (wholecloth) where the entire piece is painted and the quiting dictated the design, and the third ("Stardeath") where the fabric was created through bleach discharge and the quilting will complement the fabric.

I know you all were wondering, but here's the beginning of "Stardeath."

Kids Quilt Workshop Photos, Pt. 2

2007-04-06T12:51:00.000-04:00

Kids Quilt Workshop Photos, Pt. 1

2007-04-04T21:23:00.000-04:00

Even the teachers got in on the postcard making!
I love that the kids were really into it!

Here are photos from the workshop I did at CentroNia!

Cousin Jo Before & After

2007-03-30T07:47:00.000-04:00

You know, I was going through old posts and found my original sketch for the "Cousin Jo" quilt. I thought I'd compare it to the final product for you!

Kids Thought My Art Quilts Were Cool!

2007-03-26T20:12:00.000-04:00

My youngest sister T. works at an arts program called CentroNia in the lively, multiculti D.C. neighborhood of Adams-Morgan. It serves as both a learning center (with a charter school), as well as a community hub with programs for adults as well. T. asked me to come in and talk to her students. Actually the conversation went more like this:

T: "Come in and talk to my students about your quilting, jerk!"
L: "Yeah, um, OKAY, fine then, jerk!"

I was pretty nervous because I knew that her class had older kids--about 11-13--and mainly boys. Would they be interested in art quilts? Well...I found out that answer to be a solid YES.

I set up my sewing machine and brought in lots of examples to show them. Works-in-progress and finished pieces, as well as the templates and photos I used for reference. Mid-way through 2 teachers brought their classes of younger students (average age: 8-9) to sit in on it. They were all attentive and really into it! I wasn't afraid to let them touch my pieces. I think the tactile nature of it really helped a lot as they were able to really see it up close and feel the stitches or beads or couching.

They asked great questions too about my techniques, supplies, and creating art itself--even the younger ones. Their excitement was infectious. The younger kids left and my original group of 7 (only one girl!) were given packets I created and they assembled their own fabric postcards. They had a great time wearing my thimbles (God knows I have enough of them!) Even the teachers got involved. As I ran out of time, I collected them, labeled them with their names and thread color choices and will finish them myself this weekend to give to my sister.

I am so glad that I did this! A lot of the kids hugged me afterwards and told me how much fun they had. I had a great time myself! This was a rare weekday off for me, but one that was very well-spent!!!

Baltimore Textural Rhythms Billboard

2007-03-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

I was in Baltimore last night for a gala (I know, I was all dressed up and for once, had somewhere to go, LOL) and drove by the Reginald Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History located on the Baltimore Harbor last night.

I started bouncing around in my seat and couldn't stop exclaiming when I saw that outside of the museum they had a HUGE billboard display announcing "Textural Rhythms" with Valerie White's "Ohio River Blues Man" as the main image! It looks fantastic! It will be there starting in November 2007.

If any of you are in the area go take a look! I'm going back up again soon just to take a picture of it!

"Stardeath: Supernovae/Red Giant" Started

2007-03-20T21:53:00.000-04:00

Still working on "Stardeath"...you know how I am.

It'll be done soon! I promise!

Pics to come!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2007-03-17T22:49:00.000-04:00

Above is beautiful Loughcrew in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. Below is me after climbing up there...

Also, Happy birthday Robert! You know I luv ya baby!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVERYONE!

Textural Rhythms Book Arrived

2007-03-16T21:19:00.000-04:00

Opened my mailbox today and a copy of the "Textural Rhythms" catalog was in it!!! I squealed and practically hopped back into the house.

Of course, I went straight for my own "Fab Jo" quilt. It is so fantastic to see it in print as well as so many of the other pieces. If you do not own this book, buy it!!! The pieces in it are wonderful and the descriptions that accompany them are just as interesting. Because it is in alphabetical order, Sonji's pieces are immediately after mine. Looking through the book there are so many of my colleagues that I know either personally or through our communications via email.

Trust me, you WILL love this catalog. It's beautiful...

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2007-03-16T19:44:00.000-04:00

Today is my Grandmom's 84th birthday! This is her in high school...

My grandmom's my best friend and I like that she is feisty and stylish and funny and independent. God knows she's always been supportive of me.

Luv ya Grandma!

Show Me the MAQF Loot!

2007-03-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

The title's straight from the keyboard of Karoda, who also said that next to the quilts, it's the loot that you come away with, so finally...

A super-cool adhesive ironing board cover by Bo-Nash. It gets hotter without damaging the fabric. It is very Paris Hilton-style "That's hot!" (say it slow with languid eyes) because fusible peels right off! My friend Cornelia and I were very excited about that. Also, ironing board pads. I like mine a little thicker. I wore my old one down to the holes. So sad.
5 fake "Born to Quilt" tattoos to rock in the warm weather months
A mug for the hubby that says "She Quilts...I Cook!" (which is true)
An Indonesian batik
Polished rock and hard carved Chinese coral closures/buttons
Japanese panels and sashiko kits and supplies
Re-dyed kimono remnants...ooooo...

I had considered a John Flynn frame for years and finally had a chance to demo it. I think it's great because it's like having a longarm frame to hold everything taut--without the longarm machine. However, I was so disappointed because I found the work area with it to be way too limiting for me and it didn't vibe well with my quilting style. I think the rep felt really insulted when I stopped, hopped up and said, "Sorry. It's not for me!" Great product and I love Mr. Flynn's stuff, I really do--but it's just not for me!

Row Row Row Your Boat!

2007-03-08T15:14:00.000-05:00

Things you do not know when you are crazy enough to take on playing the guitar:

Your fingers will be contorted into unnatural positions
Holding down those strings and strumming correctly is not as easy as it looks
Chords, notes, chords
Your fingertips will hurt
Your fingertips will hurt

But I love it. I practice every day for at least a 1/2 hour. It's just something about it that makes me really really happy!

Yesterday, my 7-year old cousin/goddaughter came over and was tickled to squeak through "Row Row Row Your Boat" to my equally inconsistent one-chord guitar playing to accompany her. She thought it was fantastic. I was so tickled because it was technically the first time anyone has ever sung to my guitar playing. It's too bad we didn't take a pic of that!

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival 2007

2007-02-25T17:23:00.000-05:00

Below: "Sunday Morning" by Esterita Austin
Below: "Echoes of the Ancestors" by Carol Beck from Durham, NC. We met her and she was so excited and bubbly. Its permanent home will be in the National Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati, OH.
Went to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival yesterday with my guild. Saw some great quilts and bought lots of stuff I never thought I'd need, but could not do without. Here are some highlights. I didn't get all of the creators' names and quilt titles, so if you recognize them, please let me know!

More from the MAQF! Part 2

2007-02-25T17:22:00.000-05:00

More pics for you from the MAQF!!! Photos don't do them justice!I love the use of color in the one below and the one above is fantastic. TINY pixel-like squares were used!below: "David" by my guild colleague Margreta Silverstone below: "We're All the Same--Just Different" by Pat Kumicich

MAQF--done!

2007-02-25T17:09:00.000-05:00

Here's my guild buddy Cornelia (in the pink) and me...worn out--yet still giddy--at the end of the day! Ugh, I look so squished in this photo! those seats were really wide to the back. What a fun day!

New Guitar

2007-02-23T17:03:00.000-05:00

Two years ago I made a declaration about how it had never occurred to me to pick up an instrument now and try to learn it--and how I would try. I proclaimed to someone else that I would learn classical guitar and play Spanish classics.

I must now eat my words and do it. I have fantastic software and will probably take lessons too. I've found that I love it and look forward to it, even just basic chord playing. It feels so good to play an instrument again.

I went to a guitar shop last Sunday. I bought a basic Yamaha C40 classical acoustic, because I wasn't sure if I'd like it so I wasn't breaking the bank on a first guitar. It has a nice sound to it though. That's it above...

Fabric Day for Starbirth

2007-02-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

Yup, fabric soaking in anti-chlor. Happy joy in a bucket!

As a lot of you know, I have been working on a "Starbirth" series for over a year. I did some bleach discharge pieces that reminded me a lot of the cosmos, but some of the ones I did on a dark brown West African damask really reminded me of a star's birth complement.

So, what would be the stages of "death" for a star? Supernova. The smaller pieces reminded me of supernova events and the new larger piece of fabric I just bleach discharged and painted, a red giant. I was a little "Ugh" about how the larger piece turned out, I wish it had more dark parts. I let it pool a little long. Darn. That's okay. I think it'll be perfect to represent a red giant.

My friend Elsie will be tickled to know that I painted it in my bathtub. I've become almost legendary for it...Soft Scrub w/bleach is fantastic by the way.

NEW PODCAST! Be an Art Quilt Ambassador

2007-02-14T22:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

As a gift to me, I got lots of snow and ice and the opportunity to try and work from home (Comcast went down in the middle of my work! Curses to them! Curses!) There's my annual pic of my car (above) covered with our first major snow. Yup. I know it's not the monster snow places like Buffalo are getting, but for me--it's more than enough!

As my gift to you, however, I bring everyone happiness and a new Sew Chick podcast. Yay!

This time, I talk about encouraging newbies and those new to quilting and I FINALLY included my inteview with Carole Lyles Shaw.

Textural Rhythms!

2007-02-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

You can go to Sonji's blog for fantastic photos from the opening reception for the Textural Rhythms exhibit!

It looks like there was a really good turnout and it is so exciting to see pictures of everyone's pieces! They are gorgeous! There's Sonji's piece hanging next to mine. What were the odds? I hope she won't mind my "borrowing" the above pic! "My Fab Cousin Jo..." looks great and it's so nice to see it up.

Congrats to all of the other artists included, and I can't wait to read the catalog to know more about the inspirations behind them.

Textural Rhythms Opens Today!

2007-02-08T07:18:00.000-05:00

I am so excited! The opening of the Textural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition exhibit, curated by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, is tonight at the King Arts Complex in Columbus, Ohio. I was planning on being there, but my mother's surgery was rescheduled for this past Monday, and I decided that it was best if I stayed here in town. The accompanying book is available for pre-order, and I can assure you that you find some incredible pieces in it, including one of mine (winkwink)!!

New Look!

2007-02-07T01:15:00.000-05:00

Sew Chick's got a new look!

I switched over to New Blogger and updated my blog's design...for the first time in about 2 years (yikes)! How in the world did I live with the old look for so long, LOL?!

It's snowing. My husband told me earlier that it was sparkly...how pretty, huh?

This does not change my opinion on winter though (as in, "It sucks"), trust me.

Oh! My friend Sharlea in England sent me what has to be the funniest real estate website EVER!!! It's by an agent based in Glastonbury. Heck, I know I'd buy something from this guy!

Quilting vs. Piecing

2007-02-06T17:59:00.000-05:00

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary:

Quilt: to stitch or sew in layers with padding in between

Piecing: to join into a whole

I've been reading a lot of quilting mags and sites lately and there seems to be a thing about "painted" quilts. As in, quilts where the creator declares with pride that it was "Pieced, not painted." Has anyone else noticed this?

I remember reading on a site or forum where someone said they were tired of people just painting a quilt or using a photo and just quilting it. Hmm. And this is different from doing a wholecloth quilt, how? LOL. I mean, that's how I view quilts like that.

The last time I looked, it's the quilting itself that makes something a quilt, not the process used to create the top itself--whether pieced or painted. Whooooo! LOL. I know I've been playing the antagonist lately, but geesh, I'm sick of the griping. I do think art quilts are definitely more accepted, but man, if it's not one thing it's another. Change is good, people!

Change is GOOD!

Quilt Police: A Declaration!

2007-01-30T07:37:00.000-05:00

At December's Guild meeting, we had a smiling newbie quilter who proudly showed her first handquilted piece off. I'm a fan of new quilters, because it's such a big deal to have completed a project on your own. After she said she tried to get so many stitches (6?) to an inch, I cringed when a more experienced quilter loudly said it should be 12. I was like, "B.S.!" because that ticked me.

I've ranted about this before, but somebody write me a ticket, because I'm sick of the quilt police! You know who you are: declaring yourself an art quilter yet you stick to "traditional" quilting rules such as the stitch length, type of thread, absolute precision, or the way the back looks. Or questioning the reasoning behind the piece's art. Gimme a break! How...does...it...make...you...FEEL? If all of the above is your thing, go for it. Just don't think everyone else should fit your persnickety ways.

I used to see a lot of pieces I didn't quite "get" at the museum I interned at. I didn't understand it, but I acknowledged it as something different and something that the artist "got"--even if I didn't. As artists we create because we are compelled to--not necessarily with viewership in mind. So if my stitches aren't perfect, so what? If my back is covered, so what? I'm not saying that you shouldn't have an understanding of the fundamentals and history of your craft, just that as an artist, you sometimes have to transcend those boundaries.

In the end, I'm making my art for me...if you like it and want to come along for the ride too, then let's go.

A Little Cold...

2007-01-23T22:13:00.000-05:00

We had our first snowfall over the weekend. Wasn't much, but it's still cold. I think the look on my face while at lunch says it all...

Fresh Start for the New Year

2007-01-18T17:48:00.000-05:00

Remember that big fall that I had?

Well, it still hurts and now I have to go to physical therapy for about 6 weeks between my knee and rib (phys. therapist: bruised or fractured; doc: inconclusive from Xray). All I know is that it hurts. I'll live, lol, but it's been a real pain (haha) to deal with.

I think that I'm going to finally work on those bleach discharge pieces from that time with my Art Sewciety. So much for it being like riding a bike. I have to start small and work my way back up to bigger pieces. take my time. I have big plans and I'd like to start the creation of a body of work.

Happy New Year

2007-01-04T10:39:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

I've been on a holiday hiatus of sorts. Time to shake loose those lazy do-nothing feelings and get cracking! I feel an itch to do some work!

Thought you all would enjoy the group photo of me and my guild members. I'm in the red shirt sitting on the floor.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T20:01:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to everyone no matter where they are in the world! Enjoy!

Cancer Awareness: Good News!

2006-12-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

Spoke to my mom yesterday. She went to the doctor's Tuesday and they told her the lump was pretty much gone, even to the point that they couldn't feel it!

They said that they'll do surgery to make sure they get any remaining tissue, etc., but she probably won't even need the plastic surgeon at all now.

My mother said "Thank you all so much for all of your prayers because God has truly sent his blessings."

Wow, this is such good news to hear that I don't know what more to say right now!

Fashion School Flashback

2006-12-09T22:02:00.000-05:00

Right after I got out of GW, I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City for a short while. I had a great time there and loved being surrounded by so much creativity everyday. I had a really nice room too, with our own bathroom and kitchen that connected two bedrooms. My roommate Fifi (Fiorella), was a Goth and one of the nicest persons I've ever met.

I was so fresh & new to fashion illustration then, lol. Those are my professor's notes along with mine on the sketch. My "B-" grade, lol, had a lot to do with the fact that while I could draw, I was also being graded on my muslin toile and clothing construction was something I was in the process of learning.

My classes were challenging and I loved them (except patternmaking, which I hated). My only problem was that, while I was good at designing, at that time I wasn't that great at sewing on a machine. It was also pretty stressful too. A lot of hard work. For me, I was living out a dream, but it was at the cost of my health. The better and better I was doing in classes like draping, illustration, and sewing, the worse and worse I was feeling, due to a heart problem that caused me a lot of chest pain. I ended up having to withdraw due to my health, which made me very sad.

While helping to clean my grandmom's basement earlier today, we found my draping class work--muslin toiles complete with the sketches. I couldn't help but sit there touching them and looking at them, as I had very little from my time there up to that point. It almost felt like a dream. I am so glad we found it. It felt like finding a little piece of myself...

A Little Bit of Shadvina's Heart

2006-12-06T07:05:00.000-05:00

This is Shadvina. This beautiful, 16-year old high schooler was the younger sister of my very good friend, author Chesya Burke. In August, Shadvina collapsed after working out at her Atlanta, Georgia-area high school gym and died en route to the hospital. Her family was stunned to find out that it was from a congenital heart defect that they didn't even know that she had.

Chesya and her family recently did a local news interview to let everyone know about what they are doing to make sure this doesn't happen to other students. They have started a foundation called "A Little Bit of Shadvina's Heart" and are promoting Smart Heart scan screenings for student athletes. This positive effort has already helped ID two student athletes who were unaware of their possible conditions!

If you have or know a student athlete, please encourage them to get checked out ASAP!!

Quilting Hand--Got That Itch!

2006-12-05T20:50:00.000-05:00

My hand's doing a lot better! I think I'll be able to start quilting again very very soon! YAY!

Sew Chick Go Boom! OW!

2006-12-03T16:44:00.000-05:00

I had a really nasty spill on Thursday. I was crossing the street at work and hit a groove in some uneven pavement in front of my building. BOOM! I went down. Hard. 4 or 5 kind folks rushed over to help me up I hit so hard. My hands and knees caught the brunt of it and I scraped them all, gouging out some of my right hand. I hurt so bad that when I tried to get up, my legs buckled and I fell again. I couldn't believe how hard I fell!

I was wearing all black, so my pants ended up being covered in gray construction dust. You have to imagine what I looked like--bleeding and dusty-dirty--getting onto the elevator. Despite the pain, I held onto my lunch the whole time and back at my cubicle told my open-mouthed co-worker "Wow. I smooshed my sandwish, but I'm gonna eat it anyway!"

What wasn't bruised, stings. What doesn't sting, aches. All over. Badly. I went to the doc yesterday and it's nothing that rest, compresses, soaking, and some painkillers won't help, but geeeeeesh! It's safe to say I can't quilt until my hand's better!

Cancer Awareness: Look Good...Feel Better Program

2006-11-30T23:14:00.000-05:00

The day I accompanied my mom to her oncologist app't (Nov. 1) to find out what her treatment would be, the doc matter-of-factly said, "You will lose all of your hair in 3 weeks."

Later, we ended up running into a friend of hers that worked in the "Images" clinic. My mom urged me to try to go back to work, but it was already late-afternoon and I realized that we should stop through there that day and told her so. This is a service provided to cancer patients through the Look Good...Feel Better program, which I think is absolutely fantastic! The program tries to help patients deal with treatment-related changes in their appearance through workshops that include skin care and make-up lessons, options for dealing with hair loss (wigs, hats, scarves, turbans, rockin' it bald!), and nail care techniques. It works on the principle that when we feel good about how we look, it helps our health both mentally and physically as well, and that's important!

Another friend of hers, Marian--who is the program's official contact at Hospital Center--whisked her into a room with a salon chair and we actually had a lot of fun helping her to try on different wigs. My mom had already planned to wear one and really got into it and took our advice by going with wigs and styles that were different color- and style-wise than what she was used to. One definite consideration color-wise is something that would brighten her complexion once she was really into her treatments. They really do look like her hair. You can't tell the difference at all.

She looks great and it really did make her very happy. Thank you so much Marian!!!

Dennis Quilt begins

2006-11-28T22:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I've fused it down...now it's stitchin' time!

Too Many Fans

2006-11-26T20:51:00.000-05:00

I got free tickets through my job to see the Washington Redskins (Ugh! Their name!) play the Carolina Panthers. It was my first NFL game and I'm not a football fan at all. I'll admit I wasn't following it well. My fan of a husband was in bliss though. Only love and free tickets could make me go to a football game and he was so happy. Cool seats high up in a suite with cushy chairs. On the way up, I remember a girl telling me "Carolina sucks!" as we walked up the ramp. After the game, which Washington won, I looked at my outfit as we were walking out to the car surrounded by thousands of hyped-up fans.

I realized I was wearing Carolina's colors of turquoise and black. Um, oops? Then again, given how I feel about the name, I sure as heck wasn't wearing burgundy and gold. Now that I've been to a game I don't think I will again.

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T13:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving Eve & Darfur

2006-11-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

We have so much to be thankful for. I was reminded about that this evening as my husband and I stood in the cold looking at images from Darfur in the Sudan projected 40 ft high against the walls of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. As part of the exhibit Darfur/Darfur, leading photojournalists documented the devastation as a soundtrack of haunting music called "To the Sudanese Women" accompanied it. It was very late and there was just the 2 of us and a photographer taking pics of it.

"Why isn't more being done?" I asked him. They are heartbreaking images. Villages being burned. Over 400,000 people have been killed, millions are homeless. In the corner pic were portraits. On this Thanksgiving eve I know I have much to be thankful for.

How can you help? Keep track of the news. Write letters to let others know how important it is. Support relief efforts and spread the word in your own community. You can also support museums like the Holocaust Museum because the memory of its reason for being is the driving force for its speaking out against other genocides as well.

You can read more about the exhibit here.

Hope and Remembrance

2006-11-19T20:53:00.000-05:00

One of the nicest things about working at Chorus America is being able to attend concerts of local area choruses. I took my mom with me to a performance of The Washington Chorus today at the Kennedy Center. Today's concert "Hope and Remembrance" was their season opener and a commemoration of the 5th anniversary of 9/11.

They performed Beethoven's Eleigischer Gesang, Op. 118 andMozart's Requiem. They also premiered a commissioned piece by composer Joel Puckett entitled "This Mourning." In addition to the orchestra and chorus (whose "sing-whispering" during the piece reminded me of what it would be like to have souls everywhere) was a "choir" of crystal glasses. The piece ended with the glasses fading out--keening and eerie. The new piece was my favorite and I thought it was beautiful. I had a chance to meet Mr. Puckett and tell him so.

My mom liked the concert a lot too. I'm so glad she was able to come.

Buzz Buzz

2006-11-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

Who knew my extension table could double as a lightbox? Heck I wasn't using it...
Since here I am! I love Jennifer's quilting room!
Renea doing pieceing on her featherweight.
Here's Jennifer, the hostess with the mostess! I'll miss you!
Here we all are. I'm the one in the very back with my face being blocked, LOL.

Went to a bee with some of the ladies in the guild. Our guild coordinator Jennifer, is leaving for Florida. I will miss her as she helped support my crazy idea to create a website to bring the guild into the 21st century, LOL. We had a really good time and I was really productive. You can see a bit of my piece in the corner on that striped background (which I didn't keep as the background--whew!)

Artist David C. Driskell

2006-11-17T11:31:00.000-05:00

First, I would like to think everyone so much for your kind thoughts about my mom. I really appreciate it.

The Washington Post has been running a fantastic, very interesting series called "Being A Black Man" and today's installment is a video interview with artist David C. Driskell. When asked about his parents, he says that his mother was a quiltmaker.

I think you'll enjoy it for his insights on art, his career and process, and inspirations. Enjoy!

Dennis Prep

2006-11-15T22:12:00.000-05:00

Once again, I thought I'd get a piece ready for a show and once again, I decided to take my time. Oh well, lol.

You can see the preps I did for the Dennis piece.

Where Has Sew Chick Been?

2006-11-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

A bit on the preoccupied side lately...

This is my mom. She was being "difficult" when I tried to take this photo. Geesh...my youngest sister's just like her, LOL.

Last month we found out that she has breast cancer. She just started chemotherapy and in less than 2 weeks she will lose all of her hair. She's okay with me writing this. Her doctors were surprised at her reaction when she found out, because she had a feeling, even dreams, for a while that something was wrong. "What did they want me to do? Mope? No, I move on," she told me. "Now that I know, I can get better." She worked at the Cancer Institute at Washington Hospital Center for years, so she knows what to expect. She has a lot of friends looking out for her there and good doctors taking care of her.

My siblings and I were all stunned pretty speechless at first--which is hard to do to us--but you know, she's really, really positive and optimistic. We will be too. We're taking turns going to appointments with her so that she won't be alone. While with her there recently, I noticed people looking at us because despite it all, we still managed to laugh.

In the future, I'm devoting Thursday postings to ones relating to breast cancer and cancer awareness.

Halloween Ha-Ha

2006-10-31T07:07:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought everyone would enjoy this hilarious ghostly YouTube video...

Have a good one!

New Quilt

2006-10-23T19:02:00.000-04:00

I'm about to start a new quilt. I have the photo all printed out, so now it's time to start the drawing and painting. Woo-hoo!

Carole Lyles Shaw

2006-10-15T15:33:00.000-04:00

Friday evening I had the pleasure of attending the opening reception for fellow art quilter Carole Lyles Shaw's exhibit "Memories and Dreams 2006" at the Touchstone Gallery here in D.C. Carole's art quilts have been seen in numerous publications and exhibits and she has been in all of the Mazloomi exhibits of African American art quilters. She is quite an art quilting force. She also started the website africanamericanartquilt.com, which I've mentioned in an eariler post.

Her collages were both dreamy and vibrant, some incorporating photo transfer portraits of her family. My favorite was the rose-colored "sunrise" collage. When I saw it (and not the title), I thought of sunset at first. I interviewed her about her work and art quilting and you will be able to hear it on the next Sew Chick podcast. One thing we talked about that's not on the podcast is her transitioning to collage work. She feels that she is doing fewer art quilts and more collage work. Her creative priorities have shifted and collage work is what she is feeling right now. Art quilts only comprised two of the works that she had present and I told her that you can see how one medium influences the other in her work. After all, quilting is a form of collage.

My friend Nicole likes to say that as artists, we go through creative periods where we reach a point that we are "done" with a particular form of expression and we move on. Perhaps we might come back to it again in the future, but it's the current form of expression that works for us and allows us to "get it out." As artists, I feel that sometimes you to have to challenge yourself in order to propel yourself forward. It's what keeps you from stagnating creatively.

Cousin Jo is Outta My Hands!!!

2006-10-13T07:01:00.000-04:00

Well everyone, Cousin Jo is shipped and gone and as of this morning, is in Ohio with Dr. Mazloomi. Folks have been asking me how do I feel about it being gone like that and to be honest, I am relieved, LOL! For a year I have been worried that I was going to have some kind of freakish occurence (which wouldn't be unlike me) that would damage it before it could make it to the exhibit.

Oh man, in that respect, I am so glad it's out of my hands now. Now I just have to look forward to it traveling to museums all over the country. It won't be coming here to D.C. until the very last stop (the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum in 2010). At least I'll see it in Baltimore first later on this year.

Oooooooweee...I am so excited!

Brand Spankin' New Podcast Episode!

2006-10-10T07:14:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!

A new Sew Chick podcast is available! I know, I know...it's about time, right? I talk about getting prepared for shows and the practicalities like shipping and insurance. I also talk about not rushing work to be ready in time for shows and creating a body of artwork to pull from.

Enjoy!!

Quilt Hint Photos...and a Cravat!

2006-10-04T20:31:00.000-04:00

Glimpses of photo inspirations for upcoming quilts!!! These are my grandmom, my friend and his dog, and my best friend's dad @15. And, yes, he was wearing a cravat for his school picture.

Feel the excitement!!! Ooooooo!

Fashion and Frivolity

2006-09-30T17:24:00.000-04:00

In the grand scheme of things, fashion could be rated as something that's unimportant, frivolous even. When I was a senior in college I interviewed Robin Givhan, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion editor for the Washington Post, who told me "Fashion isn't frivolous when people literally kill for it." At that time (and it still happens sometimes) teens were being killed by other teens for their expensive coats or shoes. It makes you think twice about it.

How you're dressed reflects how you feel, and how you want the world to view you. If you feel good, you project that you feel good. Right now, with all that's going on in the world, I can't argue with getting some kind of pick-me-up whatever way you can.

I was checking out different websites and thought I'd share a favorite fashion blog of mine called The Sartorialist. Great, candid shots of fashionable folks out in the world in NYC and other major cities. Of course you've got your fashion industry folks, but you also have stylish "regular" folks too. It's fun to visit. Enjoy.

Renaissance Festival '06

2006-09-27T20:20:00.000-04:00

Jousting and turkey and costumes, oh my!

Did you miss me? Sorry about that! The end of summer's been crazy and busy!

The other weekend, I had a great time with our friends at this year's Maryland Renaissance Festival. We always have a great time. The guys found a way to work the word "wench" into as much as they could. I got out my flower wreath and we ate just about anything that sounded good: Corn on the cob, smokey turkey legs, steak on a stake, cheesecake on a stick (Hmmm...there seems to be a theme here.) You actually felt a little weird not being in costume. Everyone just seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Speaking of turkey legs...I'm looking like that because when I took the first bite it was MUCH juicier than I expected. Even the little girl behind me was surprised.

Toooo much fun!

Stumped & Art Quilt Appreciation at Guilds

2006-09-17T12:47:00.000-04:00

Still struggling withthe background of the Grandma quilt. It just hasn't hit me yet as to what I'll do quilting-wise for it. Arrrgh.

Went to a guild meeting for the first time in months (summer break). It was nice seeing friends and talking shop. I also realized that my guild truly has an appreciation for art quilting. The members are just as excited about art quilting techniques as they are about traditional quilts.

Have others had this kind of experience in their guilds? I've been getting the feeling that this is not the norm.

Native American Quilters

2006-09-13T07:07:00.000-04:00

"Dress Series: Green Crow" by Margaret Wood

I was interested in finding out more about Native American art quilters, but there's such a lack of info on the Web. There are Native American quilters who specialize in beautiful star quilts, which are usually given away at honor ceremonies, but art quilters? There have to be more out there, right? I suppose that if you're thinking "art quilt" in the sense of contemporary art quilt, some of the quilts in the past "To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions" exhibit would definitely fit that category.

One that I found is Margaret Wood, who is Navajo and Seminole. She does beautiful work. Hers is one of the few Native contemporary art quilt sites that are current. I'll be interviewing her in the future for the podcast. The public really should know more info about the quilters featured in the exhibit because their pieces really are beautiful. I know that as an art quilter of color, how important is it to have different viewpoints in the creative world and art quilting's no exception.

5 Years

2006-09-11T17:16:00.000-04:00

There's so much that I can say about today. I could talk about the horror of 5 years ago. The surreal images on the TV. Seeing the black smoke from the Pentagon fill the air. Waking up frantic in my apt. across the river from National Airport when it was reopened after days and days of eerie silence except for military helicopters and jets. Or walking home from work for weeks, scared to take the subway and hearing siren after siren as I passed soldiers with machine guns in convoys along the way.

It has definitely made me value my family and friends a whole lot more. It's easy to reflect upon those other aspects of this date, but I know that the thing I'm thinking about today is being lucky enough to be able to have one more second, minute, day, breath to try to live the best life that I can.

Quilts A Bubblin'

2006-09-09T12:51:00.000-04:00

Well, I've actually been making quite a lot of progress on the "Grandma" quilt. The background has really been a cause for a lot of anxiety for a long time. I can't believe I have been working on it for that long! There was a point I had to just put her away and not think about her because it had me so frustrated. Next up in that series is my other grandmom. You can see the photos I'm basing them upon here.

I have other quilts swirling though. I only know the titles ("B2FH," "He Only Wanted It Because She Had It First," and "Tarantula Nebula") so far, but I can see them in my mind. Sometimes I lie down and think about them and I can see the colors and shapes just come to me. I'll be honest, I don't often sketch them out first. Usually by the time I'm creating them, it's like pen and paper--I just do.

I was thinking about entering a few shows this season, but I've been a bit slow. I'm not rushing anything for a show, so if I do I do, if I don't--oh well. There's always next year (although for Quilt National I'd have to wait two).

Mumbo Sauce--the Real BBQ Yummy Deal

2006-09-07T22:02:00.000-04:00

Speaking of Chicago, here was one of the most surprising things I found out...

Living here in D.C., I somehow mistakenly believed that mumbo sauce--that tangy, yummy, sweet, BBQ sauce-y goodness--was a regional D.C. thing. I've even been joking for years that the reason mosquitoes bite me so often is that I "must be covered in mumbo sauce or something." Ask most African Americans raised here (and within proximity of a carry-out) and they will know what mumbo sauce is. What it is not is that almost apricot sauce sticky sweet, day-glo-colored stuff you get at the carry-out.

What mumbo sauce is has everything to do with the late Mr. Argia B. Collins, who founded Argia B.'s BBQ Restaurant in 1957 in Chicago's South Side and supposedly invented it. His version, the tangy, yummy, sweet BBQ sauce-y goodness I tasted in Chicago, stunned us. We had never seen an actual bottle of mumbo sauce before. The closest we've come to its taste is at Wings 'n' Things on upper Georgia Ave. (and worth the trip if you're here)--and they claim that the Adam's Rib Restaurant here made it. I was told in Chicago that mumbo sauce made its way here from there.

Ms. Collins (his daughter), if you're reading this, is your Mumbo Sauce available in D.C.?? Everyone I know would have some. Okay, lol...I think I'm really hungry now.

Sew Chick in Chi-Town!

2006-09-06T19:07:00.000-04:00

First, I would like to give a shoutout to Trish Williams and the ladies of the Needles and Threads Quilters Guild in Chicago! While wandering through the stalls and stages of the African Festival for the Arts in the South Side's Washington Park, I came across a small pavilion filled with art quilts! I introduced myself and as I was about to leave, Trish asked me my name and said "You're Sew Chick! I read your blog everyday! You haven't updated it recently! Where have you been?" I laughed and said "I'm here!" Here's an interesting thing about Washington Park: Someone let some pet parakeets loose and they have bred. Their large nests are all over the place there.

In town to visit friends again, I had a good time checking out the 150-foot high geyser jet and fabulousness that is Buckingham Fountain, the Cloud Gate at Millennium Park, the Chicago Botanic Garden (check out the Japanese garden!) and the Field Museum. I love Chicago and never got used to Lake Michigan's freaky blue-green, Caribbean-colored water. Fantastic city.

Oh yeah, that's me above "running" from Sue--the Field Museum's largest, best preserved and most complete T-Rex skeleton yet discovered.

My Lovely Sam-Soon

2006-08-30T07:17:00.000-04:00

It's a K-Drama Katastrophe!

What is it with me having to go of town during the very last episodes of these?! Why?! Regular readers know that I love Korean dramas on AZN. The latest and even better than the rest has been "My Lovely Sam-Soon." One of the highest rated shows all over Asia (and Hawaii!), Sam-soon (actress Kim Soon-Ah) is a 29-year old pastries chef. Slightly overweight (by Korean standards I guess, since I think she looks fine), outspoken, and constantly teased about being an "old maid," she is dumped by her boyfriend during the Holidays. In danger of losing her home, she agrees to be a fake girlfriend to rich guy Jin-Heon (actor Hyun Bin) to throw off his mom and pay the debt. Toss in an ex that comes back from the States into his life and the supercute hottie doctor who loves her, and the hilarity ensues. Sam-soon's down to earth and truly speaks her mind--more than any other female lead character I've seen in a K-drama so far. This is a hilarious, well-written (and subtitled) show. Imagine a Korean "Bridget Jones" and you'll understand why I love it.

And, darn it, I'm going to miss the first episide of the new one "Full House!"

Quiet Peace In the Country

2006-08-29T22:53:00.000-04:00

I was down at my family's country house this weekend with my grandmom and great-aunt, which is always relaxing. We talked non-stop. I am very close to both of them and enjoy my time with the two of them. They put me--who is a very non-domestic type--through some hard manual labor, lol, washing dishes after a big dinner for an hour and hoeing and raking the family cemetery. I didn't mind at all though, as I didn't want them doing it, even though at one point I joked about "following the drinking gourd."

I brought Nicole (my best friend from college) with me--as I thought she could use the getaway, lol. I always like to share the peace and quiet that is being down there. The way the leaves rustle through the trees. The stars scattered across the night sky. The breezes and freshness of the air. The deer bounding across the field. The visits from our neighbor's dogs. The sense of being on land that my ancestors have had for generations.

She took full advantage of it by reading, writing, or painting outside on the porch or on a blanket under our plum tree. I know she just went through a bad breakup recently and hope that she found some healing solace in it all. Everything's so familiar and comforting for me there, that I'm glad that she got to feel like that too.

New Podcast Episode! Quilting Hang-ups and Emotions

2006-08-19T12:21:00.000-04:00

The second episode of Sew Chick: The Podcast is ready!!

I sat down with psychologist Dr. Cynthia Sparrow and we chatted about how to deal with clutter (I've seen your studios and stashes out there!), procrastination, self-doubt and envy. We also talk about entering shows and dealing with rejections.

I had a lot of fun talking to her and I hope that you all enjoy the interview!

I Love You Janome Sewing Machine & Table!

2006-08-15T22:41:00.000-04:00

That's it. I'm leaving my husband for my sewing machine and extension table. I love you Janome 6260QC and extension table. I LOVE YOU! LOL!

D. knows that I'm joking, but even he sat down at it (and pushed the foot pedal for a moment before jumping up and running) and admitted that my spankin' brand new Janome extension table is as "ooooooo" and "ahhhhh" as I couldn't stop saying. I can thank Mrs. Mel for that as I saw hers in a photo on her blog and it sparked an accessory envy that was so bad that I had to have one for myself. I twitched all through a Janome factory backorder, but it came. My supercool table finally came. Ooooo y'all. All sorts of creative ideas are floating through my mind to put it through its paces.

What also came was some very cool Nelson Mandela fabric that I ordered from Kyra Hicks, the author of Black Threads: An African American Quilting Sourcebook. It's a heavy cotton canvas from South Africa. It's pretty eyecatching, huh?

Back from Princeton

2006-08-13T20:16:00.000-04:00

I was in Princeton for a chorus seminar for work. It was pretty cool...

Okay, a comment in Monday's posting led me to thinking: Do we associate rejection letters with being rejected? My poster says we shouldn't , as it can lead to different thought, and I agree.

Although they don't make me feel bad or rejected, I think many of us do. How do some of you cope with them?

Addicted to Korean Dramas

2006-08-10T07:23:00.000-04:00

Those of you who regularly read this blog know that my husband and I love Korean dramas that come on the AZN network. I don't know, we find the characters engaging and enjoy the peek into Korean culture. Pretty well-subtitled, they only run for a few weeks--about 20 episodes--just enough to leave you wanting more.

On "As You Wish" (Ruler of Your Own World), Bok-su (played by actor Yang Dong-Geun) is a charming, young pickpocket who finds out he has cancer and goes about trying to live his life to the fullest. We get to follow his adventures (and trials) as he does so. Not a downer at all, it particularly focuses on his relationship with Gyeong (Lee Na-Young), a musician who sweeps him off his feet, and his ex--the bossy, fiesty Mirae. I thought it was funny, thoughtful and well-written.

I'm going to be in Princeton and miss the very last two episodes after not missing one at all! Sigh. "My Lovely Samsoon" starts next week, LOL.

Reviews and Rejections? "Fffft" on That!

2006-08-07T23:43:00.000-04:00

I've been reading Anna Deavere Smith's Letters to a Young Artist. So inspirational for creative folk. Pick it up!

I thought about how rejections and negative critiques and reviews can be so hurtful to our creative psyche. I once asked a well-known symphony chorus conductor how he felt about reviews and how he dealt with negative ones. He raised an eyebrow, looked at me and grimaced. "Fffft!" he practically hissed in disgust. "I don't. I just can't pay attention to them. I think about how I discuss and disagree with my colleagues. Imagine if we were writing the review--you'd have one person who loved it and another who hated it. It is too subjective. It is also scary that one person can wield that much power." I agreed.

As a writer, I deal with rejection letters and that constant nagging "Oh crap...do I measure up?" little voice in my head sometimes too. As art quilters, we deal with those same things, just like any other creative type: rejections from shows, envy, self-doubt, fear. It's how we actually cope with this that makes all the difference.

Art Sewciety Bleach Discharge Day Photos!

2006-08-03T23:24:00.000-04:00

Finis (ABOVE) picks up her pre-bleached fabric...
Elle lays bleach gel over plastic canvas
Bennie and some of the supplies...
Elle's stitch resist before the bleach dip
Winifred spraying bleach over gingko leaves

I'm sorry everyone! I thought I posted these already! We had a great time experimenting with different bleach discharge techniques. We used 100% bleach for dipping, 100% in a spray bottle, diluted in a spray bottle, tick and thin versions of bleach gel, Ajax-style cleanser, and bleach pens. I even went Jackson Pollock and poured/threw bleach onto the fabric!

Enjoy the pics! You can hear what happened on the Podcast!

The Sew Chick Podcast is Ready!!!

2006-07-30T23:29:00.000-04:00

OOOOO!

The first episode of Sew Chick: Art Quilt Adventurer--The Podcast is ready! You'll hear me chatting about how I got into art quilting and then it's a sound visit with the Art Sewciety as we had fun with bleach discharging and talking about art quilting.

I'll be posting about the Art Society tomorrow and you can see what a good time I had.

Enjoy the show!!!!

Retreats and Discharge and Apples, Oh My!

2006-07-27T09:38:00.000-04:00

This week's going by really fast for me so far. I can't believe it's already Thursday. I've been under the weather so I haven't been creatively productive at all lately, which isn't good, you know? However, Saturday might change that...

A few of my guild members branched off to form the Art Sewciety, which focuses on aspects of art quilting and techniques. One of its members went to an art quilting symposium given by Juanita Yeager and she's going to share bleach discharge techniques with us. I haven't tried that, so I'm pretty excited. I'll be recording some of it and talking to some of the members for my podcast (yay!), which you should look out for this weekend!

I'm also excited about the possibility of getting in a really good dye day next month. I'm going down to my family's country house (see the pic below), to spend some chill time w/my grandmom and great-aunt. I think I'll try to get some dyeing done, maybe even experiment with sunprinting too. Hmm. My best friend from college might be coming with me to "get her art on" and I'll make her assist me. She'll probably get a kick out of it--being a painter and all. Ohmigod, maybe they'll make us apples for breakfast! I love when they do. Ooooo...this is going to be fun.

Sew Chick: The Podcast!

2006-07-21T07:15:00.000-04:00

Oooo! What's that link on the right?

That's right! Sew Chick's going audio and diving into the world of podcasting with Sew Chick: The Podcast! I thought it would be fun to have a companion podcast so check it again soon, as you'll be able to enjoy my explorations of the art quilting world! And, don't think I might not call upon my fellow AQ'ers to be in on the journey!

Solo Show?

2006-07-19T19:52:00.000-04:00

I am so excited...talks are in the very very early stages, but I might have a solo show happening next March! I am so tickled that I don't know what to say right now!!!! I'm going to cross my fingers that this all works out!

From One Extreme to the Next!

2006-07-17T19:24:00.000-04:00

Do I live in Vegas? No. Do I live in Arizona? No. New Mexico? Nope.

I live in D.C., so why, why, why was this the temperature outside today--at 5:45 pm!

First the rain, now this, LOL!!!

Project Runway's BACK!

2006-07-13T09:17:00.000-04:00

Okay Deb and all of you Project Runway style mavens! It's baaa-aaaack! One of my fave designs is Michael's above--out of coffee filters!

I think this season's designers are better technically all around from what I've seen of the show so far. Last year's had quite a few dicey ones and I didn't think they were as good as the first season's. What PR has proven time and time again is that if you are not technically proficient--as in, you can't actually construct a garment--you will not make it through this show.

I love PR. Tim Gunn is the man.