Sunday, April 29, 2007

My Quilt Guild Show

This past weekend, my home guild, Amador Valley Quilters, had its show. I went out Saturday to do my volunteer time and spent time white gloving, selling opportunity quilt tickets and demonstrating stamping with found objects.

My piece, Roots, which is black silk with hand dyed charmuese pieced in was in my section to white glove. I was doing my thing when a woman motioned me over to the front of Roots. She asked me why the piece at a $3000 price tag on it. Before I could think better of myself, out popped "because I made it!" She just looked at me kind of funny and then I had to do a lot of explaining about art quilts, art, originality, my background, show history, award history and publishing history. sounded pretty good, if I do say so...I agreed that $3000 was a lot of money. Of course, our guild is primarily traditional and contemporary quilters, with a very few art quilters thrown in. We are there just to keep everyone else on their toes and to keep them guessing.

When I was demonstrating, I was talking about how easy it was to print with found objects. I like to use a small foam roller found in paint departments of hardware stores. They clean up so easily and are handy for inking larger things. I was having a great time and some one's granddaughter, about age 9, was watching with her grandmother. She had started her first quilt. so I asked her if she would show how easy it was...and before you knew it, she had a nice piece of cloth done. I had brought several hand dyed fat quarters to work on. And before she was done three other children were there. When one of the other girls started trying printing, her brother, a couple of years older, began to tell her how to do it. I asked him if he was making a quilt and he got very bashful and turned away. Later, when his younger sister was trying her hand at printing, I did ask him to help her. He really enjoyed himself and agreed that he could make fabric for his sisters to quilt!

A long day but lots of fun getting caught up with various friends from the guild. I haven't been able to attend too often as other things get in the way so this was a nice day.

Spent today at church, working on my EFM homework for tomorrow and painting pages in my journal so there are ready for writing. I also printed out lots of pictures of butterflies from my Dover CD and printed them on velum. When cut out and put down with matt medium, they look really cool on a painted page. I also printed out antique playing cards on to deli paper which makes for pale images that just disappear (the paper part) into collages. Now I have a bunch more things to pile up in my room.

My daughter talked me into having three women she works with come over on Tuesday for a private showing of my work. They have seen my website and read my blog...I have no secrets! Now they want to see my work in person!

Also, Tuesday, I have to get everything together for another class in Introduction to Surface Design which I will be giving in Sacramento on Wednesday. That night I do my lecture and will stay overnight in Sacramento and then drive home leisurely on Thursday morning. Although it is only 1 1/2 hours away, I sure didn't want to drive that after working all day and the evening and coming home after 9 pm...ugh. So they are gladly putting me up for the night!

A busy week ahead!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want pictures of all stuff you were taling about. Especially the butterflies and the printing on deli paper. Where do you get deli paper to print on?

Anonymous said...

Liz, Your quild show was wonderful. I especially enjoyed your Roots quilt, and your friend Carol's Thurs. night girls (great write-up). Sorry I couldn't get there on Sat. to watch you print. Thanks for your clear descriptions from classes. What magazine is your next article in? Sally