Today I set up for my first show as an exhibitor/vendor in over 15 years. With the help of my friend Liz House, her husband and my husband that is.  I had nearly forgotten how much work something like this is.  It can be rewarding not only in possible sales, but it gives the artist an idea how the public will react to your work. That personal feedback can’t be purchased on a website or ad.

It is a small show with a little over 100 vendors, some from out of state.  It is 2 days, this Friday and Saturday so if you are in the Mountain Home, AR area, come by and see us at the fairgrounds.

 

I took these scarves out of the steamer yesterday before leaving for my Master Gardener class.  I was so excited when I hung them to dry I wanted to stick around until they were dry. Above is what greated me on the drying rack this morning.

The tan piece was done with only vinegar and folded on itself, not rolled.   The colorful bottom piece is a complete success. I started with wigelia leaves and rolled it around a wigelia branch, all sprayed with vinegar mordant as I worked. Then I coated only the outside of the piece with a copper and rust solution I had been steeping in a jar.

The other pieces are all mordanted with either vinegar and the copper/rust solution or just vinegar using wigelia or a combination of oak, fern and dogwood leaves.

I am linking this post to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

A quick note . I am exhausted!  I spent the day in a Master Gardener class sponsored by the University of Arkansas and the Home Extension. I want to take the class to learn a bit more about the plants we have growing here in Arkansas. There is also a Master Naturalist group but I don’t think I can do long hikes in the woods or other labor intensive activities.

I may get some eco bundles done tomorrow. I still have an indigo vat on the porch that isn’t depleted yet so I may dig out some of the vintage linens to give them a dip before it gets too cold here.  The color on the trees has been outstanding this year. Take a look!

 

I was watching QA TV this morning and something hit me. I had an ah-ha moment.

 

There used to be art quilters who were all original and inspiring, they  created edgy art. Once upon a time when Pokey and John owned the magazine they called their show art quilting. Now they call it contemporary quilting and it is owned by Interweave press.  When this happened there was a lot of scratching our artistic heads. We wanted our art magazine back!

 

Contemporary quilting TV and QA magazine among other media  is producing a generation/ genre of cut and paste, follow the directions and make an art quilt aka: contemporary wall quilt, hobbyists.  There is nothing wrong with that, but they aren’t my definition of a fiber artist. 

Then there are the studio artists who are exhibiting in museums and art shows.  I aspire to be that kind of art fiber artist rather than the kind that gets the magazines and follows directions to make a wall quilt.   It seems to me it is in the same category as the old paint by number kits.

I know that the last piece I did for the American Craft Council comes under the category of art and not contemporary quilting. What do you think?