Textural Rhythms in San Francisco

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

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!

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...

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.

"Wildest Dreams" Process

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!

Articles About the Sisters in Cloth RMQM Exhibit...

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

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum Exhibit Opens Tomorrow

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!

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?

Textural Rhythms Baltimore..FINALLY

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!

On Personal Quilting Style

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!

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...

Fallow Period

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!

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!

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?

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!

Stardeath: In Progress

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

More from the workshop!

Kids Quilt Workshop Photos, Pt. 1

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

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!

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!!!