INSPIRATION: FEBRUARY 2023 by Barbara H.
Water Featured: The John M. (Jack) Walsh III Collection can be seen in an online virtual gallery from the International Quilt Museum. “Water FEATURED includes pieces commissioned by Walsh to celebrate his love of water, inspired by his career in water utilities and the proximity of Lake Michigan in his childhood and later, by the waterfalls of Watkins Glen, New York. Walsh requested that the artists use the water theme, but otherwise gives no guidance, encouraging the artists to work freely in their own artistic style. The resulting work encompasses many of the trends developed in quilting in the last decades: threadwork, hand-dyeing, digital printing, machine quilting and embellishment.” A well-travelled exhibit. https://www.internationalquiltmuseum.org/exhibition/water-featured-john-m-walsh-iii-collection
“The Quilts of Gee’s Bend in Context” offers an online slide show with pertinent details on a number of quilts. https://auburn.edu/academic/other/geesbend/explore/catalog/slideshow/index.htm More about the project at https://auburn.edu/academic/other/geesbend/about/index.html
While “Threads of Power” has closed at the Bard College Graduate Center, the virtual portion remains online. https://exhibitions.bgc.bard.edu/threadsofpower Magnificent exhibit at my fa vorite small museum in NYC. Incredible historical, political, technological, sociological scholarship! Two new exhibits opening February 17th. Previews here “Staging the Table in Europe 1500-1800” https://www.bgc.bard.edu/exhibitions/exhibitions/117/n-a and “Shaped by the Loom: Weaving Worlds in the American Southwest” https://www.bgc.bard.edu/exhibitions/exhibitions/117/n-a
“Refashioning: CFGNY and Wataru Tominaga” is the first exhibit on contemporary fashion at the Japan Society. The exhibit examines one designer working in Japan, the other in NYC, how they experiment beyond clothing. Closing February 19th. https://japansociety.org/gallery/refashioning-exhibition/
“Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style” debuts at the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology on February 8th. “…what hip hop has started, mainstream culture has adopted, adapted, and appropriated…” Themes of sports, celebrity style, outerwear and denim, Hip Hop Glam, and expressions of Black pride help organize a view of this worldwide phenomena. Book from Rizzoli; several museum programs. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/hip-hop-style/index.php “Designing Women” exhibit continues https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/designing-women.php
Quilts, Inc. is seeking entries for 2023 shows in Long Beach and Houston https://www.quilts.com/enter-your-quilt/
Sample sale at Jordan Fabrics. Going fast at https://jordanfabrics.com/collections/sample-sale
Friday night, January 27th free online “Quilt as You Go” tutorial at Batting Supersale site. Registration required. https://www.battingsupersale.com/lectures-classes/
Congratulations to Marilyn Gold-Mandell, now an artist member of the National Art League. https://www.nationalartleague.org/marilyn-gold-mandell
May our dark winter days bring us the light of creative inspiration!
Barbara
INSPIRATION FOR THE NEW YEAR – WELCOME TO 2023 by Barbara H.
A bulletin for the quilting year…the much-loved Vermont Quilt Show is back! June, 21-24, 2023. https://www.vqf.org/ Sign up, they are on a new web service. Enter soon, be one of the lucky exhibitors. Seeking vendors and teachers, too. Here is a chance for you!
Thinking about Paducah? https://www.americanquilter.com/quiltweek/paducah-2023/
Lancaster show(s) in March: https://lancasteronline.com/features/entertainment/lancaster-quilt-show2023-learn-more-about-the-30-sewing-classes-at-the-areas-biggest/article_e57aee94-5c71-11ed-8d6a-eb03Vca1646fb.html and https://www.aquiltersdestination.com/ and https://10times.com/quilt-show-lancaster
Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle provided my early introduction to modern quilt patterns. They are jumping in with a Modern Mystery Quilt Along 2023 at Modern Quilt Studio beginning January 1. https://www.modernquiltstudio.com/product/mystery2023/
Closer to home/actually on Zoom: Judy Doenias and Diane Schneck will offer a retrospective via Sew Right Sewing Zoom, January 9th. Many of us know them from City Quilter. You won’t be disappointed. Sign up for Virtual Coffee Chat: https://www.sewright.com/module/class/480396/virtual-coffee-chat (Sew Right and Gotham Quilts have each recently launched a YouTube channel.)
Does your quilting space/stash need a some “renovation” to make your “inspirations” a reality? Karen Brown of Just Get It Done Quilts hosted a series of presentations last January on organization. (She’s merciless!) More is promised for January 2023. Go to her YouTube channel and sign up. https://www.youtube.com/@JustGetitDoneQuilts
January offers time to catch up with weekly episodes of “Textile Talks” which will begin again on January 4. I usually link via https://quiltalliance.org. New programs are presented live on Weds. at 2:00 pm EST. Preregistration required. Past talks make great sewing companions. YouTube channel lists it under Textile Talks SAQA Art. International Quilt Museum, Surface Design Association, and others also contribute content.
Pushing Boundaries: 60 Years of AFAM Exhibitions samples important events and rare documents from the history of the American Folk Art Museum. Ends January 29. https://folkartmuseum.org
Road Trips: Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes, organized by NY Historical Society, will be at the James A. Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, PA through Jan. 15. www.michenerartmuseum.org Two in upstate NY at the Schweinfurth Art Center: Quilts=Art=Quilts features 64 artists. And a second show Judy Kirpich: Emotional Constructs examines stability and loss via her family’s experience with Alzheimers. Both through January 8.
Check hours, rules, reservations for any public exhibit or gallery before you go.
Hope to meet all of us working in person and/or online for the next charity meeting. Kindness counts, especially among quilters.
Coming off a sugar plum induced high. Looking forward to lots of quilting fun in 2023.
Barbara
INSPIRATION: DECEMBER 2022 by Barbara H.
WE MADE IT TO DECEMBER! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
“Dressing Wakanda” – Vanessa Friedman’s article about the costume designs for the movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” details five favorites critiqued by a renowned costume designer. https://artdaily.com/news/151810/Dressing-Wakanda#.Y3fq4MfMK38 Originally from the NYTimes, now reposted on Art Daily, available to all, no paywall.
Bucket list: Some of us have been to the International Quilt Show in Texas. The rest of us still aspire. I enjoyed a short video that illustrated the incredible artistry and variety of this international event. Watch “Alex Anderson LIVE-The Photographer’s Quilt Favorites from Houston 2022.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J3pyrrZ1c4
“Thierry Mugler: Couturissime” continues fashion related themes at the Brooklyn Museum. This is “the first retrospective to explore the…edgy universe of French designer and creator of iconic perfumes…one of the most daring and innovative designers of the late twentieth century. His bold silhouettes and unorthodox techniques and materials—including glass, Plexiglas, vinyl, latex, and chrome—made their mark on fashion history.” Through April, 2023. Tickets and details: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/thierry_mugler From the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
“Nick Cave: Forothermore” surveys “the entire breadth of the artist’s career…and it will feature sculpture, installation, video, and rarely seen early works.” Cave has always committed to recognizing those who feel marginalized. The show looks at his art practice and how he honored his commitment at each phase. I am familiar with his famous “Soundsuits” and have seen them in exhibition, video, and (best of all!) live performance. It will be exciting to see a wider view of his career (and hard to keep my hands folded behind my back.) Guggenheim Museum through April, 2023. Organized by The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. https://www.guggenheim.org/exhibition/nick-cave-forothermore
“Thread Power” lace exhibit continues at Bard College Graduate Center Gallery through January 1, 2023. Highly praised. (There is a lace guild in Brooklyn.) https://www.bgc.bard.edu/
Always check details before you go; many sites require advance reservations, timed entry, etc. and holidays may alter times and days. Bring your phone, pencil and small notebook.
Wishing you and yours healthy and happy holidays! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMncIuI4-vY
Barbara
INSPIRATION: NOVEMBER 2022 by Barbara H.
A favorite inspiration is all over the yard, yellow, orange and russet falling from my neighbor’s maple tree. They almost glow in the rain/fog. Toss in some plum, dark green, or red. I guess that’s why my scrap bag is full of fall colors I could play with forever…
A different palette of colors, this time in paper, recently caught my eye. The textures and colors speak to quilt lovers as well. https://www.yankodesign.com/2022/10/17/these-massive-collages-are-made-out-of-millions-of-hand-rolled-colorful-paper-quills/
Winners at the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show 2022 are posted online, along with interviews from the live event. Go to https://quiltshow.com
New Cherrywood Challenge or 2023. Karla Overland revealed the next topic on Alex Anderson’s show at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtcjEzUlTVU . Shop early for the fabric bundle. Details on the Cherrywood website https://cherrywoodfabrics.com/products/monarch-challenge-2023
At the museums:
Fashion Institute of Technology: “Dior + Balenciaga” ends Nov. 6. “Shoes” continues through end of December. Still free; check days and hours.
Lace exhibit continues at Bard College Graduate Center
Kimono exhibit still shines at the Met.
Best inspiration of all is our Twentieth Anniversary (plus) Quilt Show November 5th and 6th. See you there!
Barbara