For many years I made quilts, shared them with friends, gave them as gifts or carefully rolled them up and put them under the bed. Then a friend of mine encouraged me to enter a show. It was a leap of faith both scary and intimidating. But the rewards were many. Releasing them into the wild reminds me of how my children grew into independent beings. They take on a life of their own. I like to imagine a dialog between my art and the viewer. I've always thought it would be fun to install a webcam into a piece to record people's thoughts and reactions. I hope that instead of asking what was she thinking? that the viewer is inspired to ask what does this piece say to me?
Stream of Consequences is currently at the University of Central Missouri Gallery of Art and Design in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Round and Round It Goes is currently traveling with Quilt National 2013.
Several of my pieces are traveling. The next best thing to being there is to receive a photo of people actually looking at the art. The picture above was taken at the University of Central Missouri Gallery of Art and Design. The man with the backpack seems to be intrigued by the detail, his feet planted solidly in front of the piece. The other two have their arms folded standing back a bit to give him space? Waiting their turn? or bored? I love that Stream of Consequences is hanging next to Kathy Nida's piece, Wise Choice. The quilts in this show must leave the viewers with lots to think about. Thanks to Annie Helmericks-Louder for sharing this photo.
And what could be better for an artist than to see a pic like the one here of a mother showing a piece to her daughter. Thanks to Lisa Kijak who also has a splendid piece in that show for this pic.
If you see an exhibit snap some pics for the artists. Let us know what a piece meant to you. It energizes our creativity and expands our understanding of the art.
The Earth Stories exhibit will travel into 2017.
Kennedy Gallery at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio May 23 – September 7, 2015
San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA, November 6, 2015 – February 28, 2016
Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV, June 25-October 2, 2016
Erie Museum of Art, Erie, NY, January 20– June 11, 2017