More Trees

This past weekend I took my bag of scraps and various other supplies to Augusta for the bi-monthly Art Quilts Maine meeting. I had been asked to teach my Tree Bits technique to the group. With only a couple of hours, we had time to get the trees from conception to adding tulle. Once the tulle was in place, people could carry their trees home without fear of losing all those tiny scraps! Photos of trees in progress have begun showing up on our Facebook page and in my email. I wanted to share a few here--isn't it wonderful how diverse they are!

Celeste's tree with thread painted branches

Jane made two trees! And created a lakeside scene

Laura's tree casts a lovely shadow on the snow covered ground

Such a fun group to work with--I hope to see many more completed trees soon! 

MORE Trees

Tree Three Dusk
Rana O'Connor 2017

One of my students, Lisa, thought my trees would be a fine contribution to "A Taste of Tidewater - 10 x 10 Art Sale", benefiting the University of Maine Gardens at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth. The fundraiser is held annually in August. This year it is on Thursday, August 24 at the Parish House of the Episcopal Church of St Mary in Falmouth.

In addition to 75 original works of art by Maine artists, the event includes small plates and desserts created by some of Greater Portland's amazing chefs. Each piece of art is just 10" x 10" and is priced at $200. All art is displayed online prior to the event, starting August 1. I have nearly completed the two pieces I am submitting. Trees, of course, with different backgrounds, mounted on 10" x 10" wood panels provided by the organizers. Painted black, the panels create a perfect frame for the small trees.

I don't know the rules about revealing the artwork ahead of time, so the image here is a teaser--a tree I completed earlier for a friend.

Can't attend in person? Artwork not sold on August 24 will available for sale online for a week following the event, through September 4. Check it out!

Student Work

Lisa's Tree 2017

Lisa sent me a picture of her tree, begun in the "Tree Bits and Thread Paint" workshop recently! She added a bush to one side, and quilted the background with small circles, which was a great choice from my perspective, as my favorite part of her tree is the red fabric with colorful circles that appears in three or four locations.

Class trees ranged from the more realistic to fantasy, with curls and curves a la Dr Seuss. Placing tree bits took much of the day, but as the trees took shape class participants began to see the possibilities. It's fun and relaxing, playing with fabric in such a low-stress way. Watch for the class to be scheduled again later this year!

Try Something New!

I downloaded a video by Esterita Austin called "Dynamic Fabric Art Portraits." I've linked to a short video preview. The technique was intriguing and I wanted to give it a try . . . sometime. Lucky for me, Art Quilts Maine members Jane and Pam issued a challenge in October to create a 12" x 14" portrait. Finished pieces were to be revealed in February. What a perfect opportunity to experiment with Esterita Austin's technique! Her portraits begin with a piece of hand dyed fabric.

Fabric used for Face

By means of judicious cutting, the entire face is constructed from that single piece of fabric. I was amazed at the way the features came together! Part two of her technique involves using tiny amounts of light and dark paint to add a few highlights and shadows. A thin line defines the eyes, a little white paint highlights the bridge of the nose, but there is minimal manipulation other than choosing how and where to cut the fabric. Speaking of which, my fabric looked rather ratty after I cut it all apart--you must be willing to sacrifice your piece of fabric to the portrait! Having created the face from one piece of fabric, I decided to use only one other piece to finish. I found this great, colorful elephant print in my stash and began cutting it apart into separate elements.

Fabric used for Frame

Jane gave us each a piece of red fabric to incorporate in our portraits, which I did though I defy you to find it! There are 6 or 8 pieces of the dark red fabric tucked in with the elephants and plants surrounding the face. This was really fun to do and I learned several tricks to use in future portraits, my current obsession! Here's my finished piece--still working on a name--any ideas?

Portrait 2017

Kimball St Studios

I dropped off a number of art quilts and other items at Kimball St Studios in Lewiston today in preparation for the Art Quilts Maine exhibit. The exhibit opens with September's Last Friday Art Walk in Lewiston, Friday, September 30 from 5:00 to 8:00. If you can't get to the opening, the show remains on display at Kimball St Studios through the month of October.

Featuring this year's Art Quilts Maine challenge tour, "The Power of 3", the show also includes a number of embellished masks members made last winter, and several other member items. Bonnie met me at the gallery with an armload of beautiful quilts, masks, even a bag! Most of the pieces on exhibit are available for purchase. 

"The Power of 3" refers to the many ways the number "3" appears in culture and mythology. Challenge participants responded with quilts that delight and inspire. This group of 10 quilts debuted at Maine Quilts in July and will continue for a two-month stay at the Portland Public Library following Kimball St. Note that the gallery is located at 191 Lisbon St in Lewiston.

While in Friendship this summer I refilled my box of pins featuring a botanical theme inspired by morning walks to see the fairy houses in Martin Point Wildlife Preserve. The box is at Kimball St through October.

Working the Thread of Life

Watercolor sketch

Art Quilts Maine issues an annual challenge to the members. The challenge is chosen from a list of themes, prompts and ideas members contribute. This year's challenge was titled, "The Power of Three." Discussion centered on the many references to the number 3, culturally, mathematically, mystically.

I knew I wanted to work with the human form. My mind wandered to the three fates and I started researching that thought. The three fates, from Greek mythology, are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, three sisters who spin, measure and cut the thread of life.

An image from my research stuck with me: "The Three Fates," one of 54 drawings completed in 1884 by the American artist, Elihu Vedder as an accompaniment to the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, the Persian poet. It seemed like Kismet.

Detail, Clotho

Using Vedder's figures, I painted a watercolor sketch of each woman, scanned the watercolor then printed it on muslin. I enhanced the printed images with thread paint and colored pencil. Once satisfied, I cut each figure out and fused it to my starry background fabric. A scrap of brown and gold marbled fabric proved just large enough, with some judicious cutting and arranging, to give the Fates a promontory on which to stand. Swirls of sparkly purple organza provided a sense of the Fates gathering the very fabric of the universe. In a nod to Omar Khayyam, I printed out the verse, "The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on; nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all they tears wash out a word of it." 

We revealed our work at the Art Quilts Maine meeting in June, and exhibited the art quilts publicly at Maine Quilts in July. Mine is one of 10 pieces that will go on tour in Maine for the year. Among the venues are Kimball St. Studios in Lewiston from the September 30 Art Walk through the end of October, and the Children's Room at Portland Public Library during December and January. There are some great pieces in the show--hope you get a to see it!

Working the Thread of Life, 21" x 33" 

Wedding Quilt Part 2

This weekend is all about making progress on the wedding quilt, commissioned by a friend for her son's wedding. Having pieced the top, incorporating fabrics from the duffel bag full of fabric she gathered in his grandmother's storeroom and sections cut from the woodblock printed bedspread, it is time to stop procrastinating and get on with the quilting.

An encounter this summer with a woman who quilted large pieces on her home sewing machine gave me pointers on how to wrangle this quilt. I layered the center two-thirds with batting and backing, leaving two wide side sections aside. Less fabric has made maneuvering the quilt under my machine manageable. The center section is nearly complete. By the end of the weekend I hope to have figured out how to attach the sides, if not quilt them.

I am always impressed by how quilting elevates and completes a piece, adding nuance and definition, taking the piece from flat to dimensional. It is an issue I have with some quilt shows, that award prizes to the person who created the top, regardless of whether they quilted the piece or had it quilted by someone else. The person doing the quilting may be mentioned, but is often not included in the award. There are pieces that are entered as the collaborative work of two people. I believe if the quilt is stitched by more than one person, all parties should be equally recognized. Compare the photos in this post to those of the quilt taking shape but not yet quilted, here. 

Quilts at the Public Library

We just got done hanging this year's Art Quilts Maine Challenge Quilts at the Portland Public Library children's section. They have such an awesome, open space with lots of light and great wall space above the books. This year's challenge was, "Ocean, Lake, River--inspired by a body of water." The show will be on display through February, so make time to stop by the library.

As always, the challenge theme brought out a diversity of responses, from abstract images of the ocean to a favorite photo of a boat at sunset. The tour continues until May, with stops at Waterville and Skowhegan, and a return to Portland for the May 1 First Friday Art Walk at the Cathedral Church of St Luke. Artwork is returned to the artists at the June meeting. Interested in hosting an exhibit? Contact me through the comments and I'll get in touch with you.

Here are a few photos from the current exhibit:

Great venue at Portland Public Library

Art Quilts Maine signage

Sharing wall space with the library's own Phoenix

Finito!

Friendship, Maine

Done, with a week to spare! Well, except for the label. I printed it out, so it is drying. Oh, and dotting the i's on the quilted names of places in Friendship. All that will have to wait til after the weekend. But this quilt is going with me to Amsterdam (upstate New York, that is!)

I've been invited to be part of a day-long quilt workshop at Old Fort Johnson, titled "From Antique to Art Quilts: Quilting as Artistic Expression." The Fort has a new exhibit, "Pieced in Time: Antique Quilts from Montgomery County" that I am really looking forward to seeing--if I bring white gloves do you think they will let me handle the quilts?

On Saturday morning, quilt historian Kris Driessen will present an hour and a half lecture on the influence fabric, economics, politics and other factors had on early quilts. I am on after lunch, with a trunk show of about a dozen art quilts. I'll try to tie my discussion in to Kris' a bit, and talk about the tools, fabrics and techniques that influenced the modern quilt revival, and have made art quilts (and a wide variety of other styles) so popular. Should be fun!

Calico Quilt Show

Fabric pins by Rana O'Connor

I'm a member of a guild chapter, Calico Quilters. The group has a show every other year, exhibiting members' work and raising money for chapter activities. This year's show is on April 26 and 27 at the Rowe School in Yarmouth. In addition to the quilt display--which is in itself worth the drive--there are vendors, a raffle table with handmade table-top items, like place mats and table runners, and a sale table for all things quilt related. Somehow I got the idea to make fabric pins. Like miniature art quilts.

I picked up a book on Inchie Quilts--little, one-inch square bits of fabric, thread, batting and beads. Inspired, I set to work, trying out fabrics. One inch square is pretty small, for a pin. One piece of fabric had motifs I wanted to use. My pins ended up somewhere between 1.5 and 3 inches in size. Quilted, embellished with beads, baubles and paint, edged with a tight zig-zag stitch in various colors. Although I work assembly-line style, it takes roughly 30 minutes per pin. I've got 25 done. Enough to fill a little basket for the sale table. I'm hoping that will do!

Stop by Rowe School and see the quilts--I hope to have two of mine on display, and am volunteering as a white glove lady on the 27th, which will give me a chance to enjoy everyone's work.

Win a Free Online Class!

An opportunity came my way from Eric Woolf, online media coordinator from Fons and Porter to review an online class at:

 Click the link to check out their many classes for yourself! This site has lots of great classes, with new ones being added all the time. They are not liminted to quilting, either--classes on Knitting, Crochet, and Papercraft, or Sewing and Scrapbooking are also available at a click of the mouse.

I had my pick of the classes, so I chose

with several well known instructors. The class was an hour long, formatted much like a TV show, with several 10-minute segments. The focus was on enhancing quilts (primarily art quilts) by the use of image transfers, colored pencil applique, understanding color temperature and more. I really enjoyed the technique segments--Heather Thomas' image transfer techniques really got me thinking about adding photography to quilts again. I had not loved using the prepared fabric and she shows several ways to use your own fabric for fabulous results. I also love that you can move through this class at your own pace, stopping, rewinding, or returning to the information at a later date.

Because this was a series of short segments, I was aware that not all the segments would appeal to me--such as joining binding edges--but I could skip over that easily enough. Also, being short segments, I found myself wanting more--more information, maybe taking a project from start to finish. But, there are classes on the site with a single instructor and those would cover a topic in depth. Maybe Heather Thomas will do a full hour on image transfers soon!

While these classes are quite affordable--ranging from under $4.99 to $9.99--the quality is excellent, with plenty of close ups to be sure you can see what the instructor is working on.

And here's the best news--one lucky reader will win a Free Class at
   

Just leave a comment on this blog saying "I want to win!" and I will contact the winner with instructions on how to access their free class.


More quilt photos! Click here

Thread Paint Sample

Next step for Honu is to layer with batting--I considered trapunto but I want to try out wool batting which I believe will give me enough dimension without adding trapunto. It's a gamble, I know! The local stores don't carry wool batting. I could order it online, but since I plan to attend a quilt show next weekend I am hoping to shop there. So, Honu is on hold for a bit. Meanwhile, I did a quick thread-paint example to test my plan for the workshop I will be teaching at our guild this fall. I found great fabric with decent-sized bugs and butterflies printed on it at the guild 'closet clean-out'. I thought the bugs would make great bases to learn thread painting. I usually thread paint after fusing an applique or image to the background. Here I added a tear-away stabilizer, then started stitching in the style of Christine Fries-Ureel, who taught an excellent workshop on the topic. Great way to use up lots of thread! Can you see the little bit of bling on his body?

More quilts at: Slideshow Album

In the Water

Honu (Hawaiian for sea turtle) has made it into the water. He has definitely moved at a "turtle's pace" since the image was drawn onto the background fabric at last year's Friendship retreat. I'll be back in Friendship this August and hope to bring Honu with me! Next steps to consider are thread paint (or not) trapunto (or not) and quilt--no choice on that, it has to be quilted or it will be too fragile to travel. I wonder how adding thread is going to change this piece? wonder how this temporary spray adhesive technique I came up with will hold up to the maneuvering needed for stitching?
For now, though, I am savoring the moment of finally pinning Honu in place on the background and enjoying seeing him swim.

Honu 46 x 36 Rana O'Connor

More quilt photos

Center for Maine Craft Exhibit

Art Quilts Maine was offered the opportunity to exhibit at the Center for Maine Craft located in the service center off of the Maine Turnpike in West Gardiner. Eight artists contributed a total of 30 pieces. I promised to take photos when I went up to Augusta for the Art Quilts meeting, and here they are. The show looks super--such a lovely space. Amy's fabric bowls and vase are awesome additions, set on pedestals. If you are nearby anytime this month, be sure to stop by to stretch and check out the art!

AQM at the Center for Maine Craft

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Rana's Quilts

Yes! Water!

After months of placing, pasting and rearranging, I tried a different technique for the water on my turtle quilt, Honu, and I am really liking it so far. Labor intensive but so worth the liquid feeling. Here's hoping the same technique will carry through to create rays of sunshine and the coral reef. Although I worked all afternoon--I even had help cutting fabric--I got just a narrow strip completed. I tried to get a photo, but it doesn't come through on camera yet, looks disjointed. You will just have to wait a bit. If the stars align I will get more done this weekend, and be able to get a photo that reflects what I am seeing develop. It's so exciting to be moving forward though that I wanted to give you a heads up! I generally don't advertise a particular product, but I  would not be getting through this project without 505 temporary spray adhesive. I love how I can spray the foundation, put pieces in place, move, rearrange, spray again, add more layers and when I am done, find the piece is not too sticky to manage. I worked on the dining table today, then held my breath and picked up the whole piece to transfer back to the design wall. It worked! When I have the background completely laid out, I will give it a final spray and cover with tulle. I found the glue dries quickly and cleanly so I'll be able to thread paint or quilt right over it. I have tried other glue products before and have found them either too messy or they dry and pieces can't be rearranged. On Dreams I literally tore the girl's hair out in order to rearrange a section! Swore then that I would find another technique. The only drawback I see is spraying a chemical into the studio. While 505 temporary adhesive has no offensive odor and claims to be non-toxic, I still might put a gas mask on my Christmas list

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Quilt Photos

Deconstruction

Round Robin with all its borders

You may remember I participated in a Round Robin Border Exchange at my guild chapter this year. It was fun, receiving quilts and improvising a new border for each one. We each submitted a center block. The quilts were passed four times, so each returned with four borders. The reveal was in April and they were quite stunning! Many oohs and aahs as each quilt was displayed and participants discussed their additions. Well, I am in a second guild chapter, Art Quilts Maine, and we also have a challenge. The challenge title is "By These Words." We are to be inspired by a quote, poem, idiom, etc. I had hoped when I got the Round Robin back, I could finish and submit it for "By These Words". Except for one small detail. "By These Words" has a size restriction of exactly 100" in perimeter. When I got my piece back, it had fabulous borders, contributed by Ronnie Eaton--a wood-grained frame for the forest-like center; Heather Lahti--who painted her pale green batik fabric with metallic swirls before appliqueing symbols; Lise Wilson, free form curves enhanced with thread paint; and Sandy Dione who created twisted pleats with great texture on a dark blue frame. I loved it! Then I measured it. About 150"! So, determined to use it for the Art Quilts challenge, I set about deconstructing it--taking borders off, moving them around, shrinking the piece until is measured 23" x 27", a perfect 100" in perimeter. Whew! Now to quilt and finish in time for the June reveal. For those of you who worry the Round Robin participants will be upset to see their borders altered--I shared my plan and was encouraged to experiment! Wondering what 'words' have been running around my head these many months? It's a Langston Hughes poem. All will be revealed in June, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, here is the deconstruction in progress!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Rana's quilt photos.

Published!

Here's a fun piece I made for a friend who loves fairies. It was published in Quilter's Digest, a newsletter you can find, free, at your local quilt store! I'll be teaching another class with Linda Morrisette at Sew Portland May 31, June 7 and June 14. The class, "In Living Color" demonstrates a fun way to choose colors for your quilt projects, then design a small wall hanging using half-square triangles. Very easy piecing, beginner friendly. Find something with colors you love and bring it to the first class. It could be an art object, a photograph, maybe a page from a magazine. As long as you  love the colors it will work. Will schedule an optional free motion quilting class for those who want assistance finishing the wall hanging. Click here to register!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at:Photos

Honu in process





Honu in process

Worked on Honu today, adding much of the shell. Not sure it is done yet--but getting close. Loved the technique of spraying temporary glue on the background and layering on the fabrics--the only glue option I have felt OK using so far. Once I am settled with the shell, I plan to move on to free-form ocean for the background, in shades of aqua, blue and bits of bright colors. I am wondering if I should layer tulle over the turtle before jumping into the background as a way to protect all the little bits while I work around it. I think I need to head to a fabric store with some of the fabrics in hand to audition various tulles sooner rather than later, as once the tulle is in place, I am committed to the fabric choices beneath it. Does honu look ready to swim?
Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Rana's quilt photos.

Honu with re-worked shell

Round Robin

Have you ever done a round robin exchange? I have not, so this year I was challenged to join our guild's Round Robin Border Exchange. I made a center block--see photos--and will hand it off to another quilter to add a border. That quilter passes it on to someone else until there are 3 borders added, then it will come back to me. Meanwhile, I will work on 3 other quilts, adding a border to each. Confusing? You should see the schematic for passing quilts! But I am assured it all works and it is fun and challenging. I am concerned that my block may be too detailed--I've seen appliqued center blocks before but not like mine, and that it might be too thick. In order to secure all the tiny scraps on this block, I thread painted the whole thing to the muslin backing. On a positive note, it has been fun so far--I had a great time making this block, and it gave me a chance to try out Susan Carlson's collage technique. Plus I really like how it came out, so it will be fun to see it in May when it has border 1, border 2, and border 3 added on! Can't wait to see the block I will be adding a first border to--I'll be getting it Monday!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Portland Public Library Exhibit

Postcards from Away at
Portland Public Library

Art Quilts Maine's traveling exhibit, "Postcards from Away" is on view at the Portland Public Library's childrens' area, and will be on display until the end of September. The exhibit is composed of 17 small art quilts, each depicting a place the artist has visited or would like to visit, real or imaginary. The exhibit will tour Maine until June 2013, with stops in Skowhegan, Saco, Waterville and Rockland. Keep an eye out for an opportunity to see this exhibit, which features techniques ranging from thread paint to printed and embellished photos. Art Quilts Maine meets every other month in Augusta to support members in their exploration of contemporary quilt art, and includes quilters from all corners of the state. Which one is mine? The Venetian mask in the corner, below. I was interviewed for CTN5 about this exhibit. Here's the link.



Postcards from Away 2012-2013

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts