York County Ramble

We had a glorious New Year’s Eve hike.  We crossed the Susquehanna River and drove on increasingly narrow roads to a spot near Cuffs Run.  The weather was mild for December, into the low 50’s (F), the wind was gusty, and the sky was blue.

Our goal was a rigorous scramble over rocks and through ravines, but the fallen leaves and wet ground made the going treacherous.  Discretion being the better part of valor, we retreated to ramble a series of dirt and paved roads through the woods and the countryside.  Wonders abounded, like this tree covered in burls:

There were many hawks, or perhaps eagles, riding the currents aloft:

We passed a vineyard in stasis:

A farm gate with a reminder of our mortality:


And a spectacular dry stone wall:

That stretched off into the horizon:

We came upon a weathered barn with cool gothic shutters:

And the road seemed to roll out before us endlessly:

When it was time to retrace our steps I spied a fallen branch sporting the dried husks of tulip poplar flowers:

On our drive home we stopped at the John Wright Restaurant in Wrightsville for a late lunch. 

The food was good and the ambiance pleasant, but best of all was the view of the river and the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge.

Just as I never tire of the river, I always admire the beautiful form and proportions of this bridge.

Several years ago I made a small art quilt depicting it:


Nearby there are some historic lime kilns:

The stonework and masonry are fabulous:

May the New Year bring us all peace, good health, and prosperity, and may our travels, near and far, take us to places of beauty and wonder.

Craft Forms 2011 Preview Party

On Friday evening I attended the Preview Party for Craft Forms 2011 at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA.  It was a first class event from start to finish, and my husband and I had a wonderful time.  Here I am by my art quilt, Watt & Shand #8.  To the left of it is Mama Rebel, by Catherine Winkler Rayroud; to the right is SemiAquatic by Clay McLaurin; on the pedestals from left to right are Serving Set by John Huckins,  Folding Stools by Dan DeVos; and Platter by Fred Herbst.

Above is the  view looking into the left side of the gallery.  The artwork was of very high quality, IMO, and the buzz was that this one was of the best Craft Forms exhibits in memory.  In the foreground is a wood laminate sculpture, Mitosis_1 by David Knopp.    On the back wall (the blue section) you can see the large installation piece The Politics of Porcelain by Stephanie A. Rozene, flanked by two art quilts by Kathleen Loomis,  the large red fiber piece in the left corner, Stronger Together than Apart, by Amanda Ladymon, and a crocheted grouping, Terrain, by Donna Lish, in the right corner.  Just out of camera range on the right is another art quilt, Bluestairs, by Cynthia Friedman.  I got to meet Cindy and chat with her about art and art quilting--always so wonderful to put a face to a name!  Meeting the other artists who were in attendance and having the opportunity to learn about their inspirations and working processes was one of the high points of the evening.

Below is a view from the other direction.  In the foreground is 2368 by Lily Liu.  The circular object on the wall to the right is Implosion #3 by Beth Barron, a quilt-like construction made primarily out of band aids.  On the back wall to the left is a woven tapestry, Wind Turbine Mania, by Catherine I. Theodore.

Another view of the gallery--so many treasures!  I wish I had pictures and links for all of them for you.  These pictures were taken early in the evening, before it got crowded with throngs of art patrons who paid for the privilege of attending the Preview Party.  There’s a good article here with all the particulars of the evening and a list of the prize winners.  I want to particularly thank the juror, Elizabeth Agro, for being so open and accessible during the reception and her Juror’s Talk and the Meet the Artist event the next day.  She was very gracious about sharing her perspectives on choosing the art, the themes that developed, and the state of fine craft in general--very illuminating! 

To add to the ambiance and good mood, there was great food.  Scrumptious strolling appetizers were followed by a large buffet with a paella station, a dim sum dumpling station, and much more:

Desserts included gourmet cupcakes:

There was a wine bar and also a martini luge bar:
And live world music and jazz by Phylis Chapell and Siora:

In an adjoining gallery the Art Center is concurrently exhibiting Green  from the Get Go: International Contemporary Basketmakers.  It’s a stunning survey of world-class basketry with work by many of the big names in the field--really wonderful. 

And all throughout the Art Center is the exhibit Philagrafika, an invitational portfolio of printmaking, also wonderful.

At one point in the evening I did a brief 5 minute video interview for a local television channel, where I talked about my piece in the show and the inspiration behind it, and was hopefully coherent and articulate enough make the editorial cut.  I’m not certain when and where it’s airing, but will update if I find out. 

All in all, a fun evening filled with fabulous art, creative and interesting people, and superb food and libation.  My sincere appreciation to everyone who made it possible.  The exhibit is up until Jan. 21 and it is well worth your time to attend if you are in the area.

12/29/11  A few addendums--there's a well written and thoughtful article about the show from the Philadelphia Inquirer up online here, and a set of pictures up on the Craft Forms website here.  I'm in a picture on the second page; to my right in the pic is Camila Bryce, whom I struck up a conversation with because of her beautiful mud cloth coat, and on my left is Diana N’Diaye, who had beautiful work work in the show.

1/4/12  The exhibit is also featured on the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsman blog, with a handy listing of all the PA artists included. Read it here.

Publications, Exhibits, and Gratitude

By any measure I’ve had a great year, and I am both humbled and immensely grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way, and for all the people in my life who make it possible for me to be living the dream.    Here’s a partial survey of where  to see my work right now, starting with the newly published book The Studio Quilt, No. 6: State of the Art  by Sandra Sider. 

The cover image is by Melisse Laing, Seeing the Light (2009, photo by Bill Bachhuber).I’m waiting for my copy to arrive and will post more about it once I’ve had a chance to enjoy it; based on the artists involved, I know it will be just excellent.  It’s available on Amazon.
My Groundhog and Green Bean was selected for inclusion.

Also recently released is Portfolio 18,  the latest edition from SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates)  documenting the art quilt movement.

Portfolio 18 contains 241 full-color plates of SAQA Professional Artist Members' works, with geographical and genre indexes.  I’ve had work in the last several volumes and am pleased to be a part of this one as well.   It’s available in the SAQA Bookstore.

This next publication came as a happy surprise.  International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene 2011 is an annual special edition magazine, a collaboration between Quilting Arts Magazine and Quilts, Inc.,  with  feature articles, projects, and beautiful photography celebrating the best in contemporary quilting. I was thrilled to discover that this year’s edition features my Watt & Shand #6, representing the special exhibit Tactile Architecture. 

That’s a peek of Cynthia St. Charles’ beautiful Springtime in the City on the facing page.

In exhibit news, The Art of Fiber opened at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA last week, and I’m hearing a lot of good buzz online about it.  It includes two of my Watt & Shand works, #4 and #9.

Also just opened is Art Quilts XVI: Something to Say at the Chandler Center for the Arts in AZ.  This is a  highly regarded show, and I’m thrilled that Watt & Shand #3 is a part of it: 

And last but definitely not least in my embarrassment of exhibit riches is Craft Forms at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA:

Watt & Shand #8 is a part of this international exhibit featuring fine crafts in all media.  The opening reception is tomorrow night (12/2) and I will be attending--I am really looking forward to it as it sounds fabulous! 

I will also be at the Meet the Artists event the next afternoon, and welcome the opportunity to share my work and the story and inspiration behind it.

Lest you think I’ve been resting on my laurels, assuming I had laurels and the time to rest on them, be assured that I am currently hard at work in the studio; a lot of what I’m working on needs to stay under wraps for the time being……..but stay tuned for further adventures and updates.  And as always, a huge thank you for reading and commenting!