February 12, 2008

QHC Acceptance


I received acceptance letters for the Quilter's Heritage Celebration today. This is my hometown show, and I've been attending it almost from the start, so it's been especially meaningful for me to have my work juried in the past several years. Pictured above is "November Pawpaw", which will be shown in the Pictorial category. I'm always pleased when this quilt gets some recognition, because it's not overtly showy; the design is relatively uncomplicated and the colors subdued. But I like to think I was successful in conveying the mood and beauty of a hike in the woods on a nice November day. The center panel is a cyanotype on silk made from the large and lovely autumn-tattered leaves of the pawpaw tree. The right panel was constructed with a piece of vintage crochet, probably originally a dresser scarf. Part of it was done in a ecru crochet thread, suggesting that the woman who made it was either very thrifty and made do with what she had when she ran out of white yarn, or that she was elderly and her eyesight was poor. The top panel is pieced from silks, some of them handpainted, and has handbeaded clouds. The bottom panel is richly textured wools and corduroys.

Here's a detail from "November Pawpaw":
My other quilt in the show will be "Skunk Cabbage and Possum", shown in the Wall category. Again, this is not a mainstream quilt, and I am happy for the opportunity to exhibit it. It features relics from an early spring hike, a skunk cabbage leaf and a possum skull, printed as cyanotypes on silk. The top panel was constructed from a vintage embroidered table runner that I painted, reconfigured, and beaded. I hope no one is put off the skull imagery--I meant this quilt as a celebration of the regeneration of life in the natural world: Here's a detail from "Skunk Cabbage and Possum":

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sue, These quilts are lovely, and congrats in having them juried into the show. I especially like your masterful use of echo quilting to define the images.

Diane Doran said...

Good for you,Sue! Grotto got in also, so I guess I'll have to try and make it up there for the show.

BJ Reed said...

Congrats Sue, always love to see your work at shows,it's like taking a walk. Do you have any at MAQF, I'm attending this year...I have a "garment" in the show.
BJ Reed

Sue Reno said...

I appreciate all the kind comments! Yes, I have two at MAQF--"Reed Run" and "Mystery Fern", and they are both walk-in-the-woods quilts. BJ, good luck with your garment, wish I could be there to see it.

BJ Reed said...

Thanks Sue, I've been taking an online workshop on making my own patterns so have been designing several garments. It's back to my quilts now. I'll be sure to spot your quilts and good luck to you too.