Paper Quilts Ala Carte

March is "Art is Education Month" in Alameda County and Dublin Library hosted an event on Saturday, March 3.  Families came out to work on paper quilt blocks that addressed the theme of Building a Better Future Together with healthy eating habits.  Participants were encouraged to work individually and together to design and create their quilt blocks.  All participants overcame any fears they may have experienced about art making in the past and plunged ahead with various colorful and experimental creations for the paper quilt that finally measured 40"H x 64"L.  The quilt will be on display all month in the library.


                           
 A perfect afternoon for a bit of family time together while thinking about healthy eating, sharing meals and having fun.
 
 There's nothing like taking art to the next level.  As you can see one participant, Kyle loves origami and made a bowl and beverage container for one of his quilt blocks.   You get to make new friends with these events too.


Don't you just love the food in the bowl and the straw in the glass.  Awesome!


Think Green including gardening, green vegetables , greens for salads and green fruits...apples, kiwi, pears and yummy grapes.



Meal planning for today's family...Think About It.

 Yes father's know about meal planning and art making.  Our young artist couldn't part with his quilt block.

 There's nothing like teamwork to speed up the process.

Making quilt blocks was just what this participant need to get over her fear of art making.  She was a great help with cleaning up too.

 It is always exciting to see students think of different ideas to present a theme.  I really like Lose the Fat, Not the Flavor.

 As you can see all ages attended the workshop and that's exactly what we like to see for Art Is Education.

 

The paper quilt will be displayed around one or more pillars in the Dublin Library through the month of March.  Drop by and see it and think about making your own paper blocks using the theme of Building a Better Future Together.

A special thanks to the library team for inviting me to give this workshop and helping me set up, prepare the paper quilt for display and cleaning up afterwards.   Remember SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY.

Paper Piecing

Well it has been five months since I've made a post and lots of art has taken place.  I had fun making a paper quilt with my dearest friend and art partner, Nyls.  The work was exhibited at the Berkeley Art Center for approximately  two months last fall.  The collaboration involved Nyls drawing trees and I stitched the paper quilts together.  Here's what it looks like.

 

It has the appearance of  Eucalyptus trees peeking through the East Bay Hills on a foggy morning.  We  painted paper, stitched it, cut it apart,  sandwiched it between two pieces of vellum and stitched it again.

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 As a teaching artist the trend is continuing as I prepare to work with families in Alameda County.  I'll be conducting workshops at Dublin Library on March 3, Union City Library on March 10th and Newark Library on March 24th.  If you live in the San Francisco area drop by and join the fun.  Times vary so check the Alameda County Library website for details.


These workshops are in connection with the Art is Education Program and addresses the theme of "Creating A Better Future Together".  These are samples of the work we'll be making together.  These are 8 1/2" blocks using assorted scrapbook papers, magazine papers, markers, pens, crayons, etc. 

The blocks are attached and make a 9 block or more  paper quilt.  There are three layers to this 9 block paper quilt and it illustrates the quilting concept quite well.

Starting tomorrow I'll begin my In Home Artist in Residency Program and I'll be posting what I am doing so it will be just like visiting me if I were in an art center sharing my work.  Please feel free to share you thoughts and ideas.

Personal Stories Rewind

Well my January vision for myself was to be in Kaunas Lithuania about now but as with so many things, life had other plans for me.  But I can truthfully say that the journey to not getting there has been wonderful. I learned about various grant opportunities even if I didn't get one. I taught myself to make a video so I could plead for money on Kickstarter.  Didn't reach my goal on that either.  I figure folks were not really interested in the project and I can always use that information to get better next time.  But I remain thankful to Bertrijs Sterk of the European Textile Network for letting me know about the Kaunas Textile Biennial.  She has been EXTREMELY (and I mean that in all caps) supportive in my efforts to get to Kaunas.  An additional thanks to Virginija Vitkiene, curator of the Personal Stories Rewind project,  for her support and encouragement throughout the process.

But my travel efforts did not seem to fall into place and now I know it was with reason since my sister's husband, Micah Reynols, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Thursday morning and I am needed here more than I was needed there.

In the meantime, many wonderful opportunities continue to come my way.  The Personal Stories Rewind Project has been exciting to participate in in and I am including one of my favorite pieces in the project.  I had the chance to lecture at a couple of guild meetings this summer and this pieces was among the best received works in my presentation.  You will be able to see all of the pieces on the opening page of my website on Sunday. 
 


Downtown is 58" x 51.5" and includes several found objects, photo transfers, thread writing and machine quilting.  It reminds me of my childhood when we dressed up on Saturday to go shopping.  Of course this is reminiscent of the time period but it was also a safety factor for "Negroes" so we would be less suspect to shop keepers.  This is all part of my personal story of growing up in the segregated south of the 1950's and 1960's.

You will be able to see the work of other artists participating in the project by visiting this link.

http://www.bienale.lt/2011/?lang=en

I'll keep you posted on my other upcoming projects including the 1st Annual Cultural Arts Award Ceremony and Quilt Exhibit honoring Faith Ringgold beginning Thrusday October 6, 2011 through December 2, 2011 at Aaron Davis Hall Center for the Performing and Visual Arts, West 135t Street at Convent Avenue, New York, NY.  The show is curated by Dr. Myrah Brown Green.  Also I'll be showcasing the Paper Quilt Project opening in October 15, 2011 at the Berkeley Art Center.  The paper quilt for this project  was made in collaboration with partner, Nyls Jongewaard.  This exhibit is curated by Lena Wolff.  I'll be showing these pieces after they open for exhibit.

This week was the closing of the Civil War Quilt Exhibit at the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum in Athens, TN.  I'll be showing that quilt when I get it back later this month.

In the meantime, enjoy this first day of Fall 2011 and be good to yourself.  Here's to Micah Reynolds and all his good deeds to so many people.

Paper Quilt

Starting this month I'll be posting more frequently as I prepare for the Paper Quilt Project.  I've been invited to collaborate with an artist of my choice to make work for exhibition at the Berkeley Art Center in October.  The exhibit will include a catalog and I'll be posting about the process including images.  I'll be collaborating with my husband and fellow artist Nyls Jongewaard.  The theme of the project is interdependence or interconnectivity.  We are looking at relationships between people, places, the environment and the economy.  If you have ideas about the topic let me know.  I promise to keep better track of the comments.  As always thanks for checking on me.  If you are on Twitter you can also follow me there.

In the meantime, this piece is in the initial stage for my last Lithuania piece that will be about the 70's.  I'm looking at old photos of me with my Afro and platform shoes.  Gee I wish I had kept those.  Right now I'm excited about including clothing in work along with imagery, words and anything else I can find that fits the theme.

Happy Fourth of July weekend and happy art making to all.

Separate Worlds

Marion working on Downtown Story Quilt--yes, this is a full size dress, hat and gloves.

First let me thank you all for your comments.  It is nice to see your interest in the workshops.  We certainly had lots of fun.  Today I'm sharing my latest project Separate Worlds, a six part story quilt project that is headed for Lithuania late this summer for a fall exhibit for the 2011 Textile Biennial in Kaunas, Lithuania.  I am also asking you to consider pledging to this project on the Kickstarter fundraising platform.  See this link for more information.  Any amount will help and you get a reward depending on the category you select.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/677269521/separate-worlds

Please share information about the project as I pursue this method of presenting my work to a larger audience. 

Now for a different story.  I was lucky to be a semi-finalist for a library public art project in New Orleans earlier this year.  I wasn't selected but I certainly had fun learning more about their jazz/music traditions.  Following are images for one of the mini quilts (maquettes) I made.  I plan to make them to full size and develop them more later this summer.  There will be three connected pieces. I'm still thinking about the Mardi Gras Indians and how to present them.

This is the second piece before I stitched it.  For the final pieces I'll add more detail for the figures.  These were just to get the idea across.

While researching this work I became aware of the rich diversity of musical forms for New Orleans and I look forward to getting them completed and I will be sharing them on my updated website.

Don't forget to check my Kickstarter project and please make a pledge for any amount.  This is the new way for each of us to be art patrons and benefactors.

MOAD FIBER PLAYTIME

FIBER POSTCARD MANIA

 
The Textural Rhythms exhibit at the Museum of the African Museum has come and gone but there were so many exciting moments that it has taken me a while to calm down from the beauty of it all.  In March I lead three art quilt workshops that started with fiber postcards, a mainstay of my short workshop program.  Students who are interested in art, fiber, thread and needle work find themselves inspired and the quilt projects easy to accomplish no matter their skill level.  I usually do the sewing and introduce them to using new materials and using a sewing machine.  Some students attended all three workshops and made several projects for themselves and for gifts.  I am looking forward to seeing and working  with these creative students again in the future.

No matter how organized I try to be I always manage to forget something.  For the first workshop I forgot my sewing feet and thread.  I left them in the studio nicely packed in a plastic bag.  Thank goodness for an understanding and accommodating husband.  He made the 40 minute drive from our home in Castro Valley to San Francisco to bring these essential items so I could actually conduct the class.  Thanks Nyls.

Niambi and her mother Ora came to all three workshops and were very prolific.  Ora has a natural ability to create fabulous mask and portraiture quilts.  She gravitated toward using imagery within the fabric to drive the design of her pieces.  It was a delight to see her work.

Ora started saying she didn't know what to do but she moved past that quickly and designed some dynamic pieces using ethnic fabrics.  She also began exploring what type of sewing machine she would use in the future.  Mother and daughter used this workshop as a time to share and develop a mutual interest in fiber.  It was great to work with them.


Deborah helped save the day when she used her iphone to provide music for the workshops.  Thanks girlfriend!..She created a variety of work including postcards, a 12" square mini quilt and started designing a memory quilt for her father.  I demonstrated making photo transfers via computer and scanner in the second workshop.

Anita and I know each other from  African American Quilt Guild meetings.  She is an experienced sewer and used this experience to create a variety of work.  Like me she has a background in making garments.  She was also interested in embellishing using beads and other materials.  She came to all three workshops too and by now has probably completed many additional fiber projects.

These events have a funny way of connecting people who didn't even know each other.  Patty came to two workshops and made fiber postcards and a 12" mini quilt that included a nature photo transfer.  Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the piece but I remember it well.  Patty and another student in the second class had mutual acquaintances at work and had lots to share although they did not know each other prior to the class.

Allison watched attentively as I worked on he postcard.  She was only able to attend one class because of  inevitable Saturday time conflicts.  I wish her well on her expressed desire to make a baby quilt for a family member.

 Although we had a small space we optimized every bit of it.  Don't you just love the organized chaos of working with fiber!

My neighbor, Virginia, and I weathered the rainy weather to trek into San Francisco to indulge our passion for fabric.  Once she got the hang of it she was very productive.  I really like this African mini quilt she designed.

She and I both agree if we can't get to Africa anytime soon we'll just bring pieces of Africa to us.  And so she did.

This nice fish card looks great and make us all want to go to the beach.  Maybe it also helped us escape the rain and wind outside with  fantasies of the great sea and San Francisco Bay.

I can't remember who made this beautiful piece but it looks like it was done by Christine since I see her signature at the bottom.  It certainly has the spirit of the jazz quilts in the gallery.

For the third and final workshop Doris made this excellent mini quilt.  She had a vision and implemented it with great care. She graciously send me this photo after she completed the piece at the end of the day.   The final class was absolutely full after the workshop was designed in the San Francisco Chronicle as an event to attend.  Whoopee!

Yes, we can thank Doris and Louis Armstrong for reminding us what  that it is a wonderful and diverse world.

Another jazz inspired piece includes this work that uses paper, braid and photo transfers.  Very nice.

Pride shows all over Deborah's face as she presents her ethnic mini quilt.  So many nice beginnings.

For sure I'll treasure the creativity and energy expressed by the students in March.  We were all uplifted by the process and the results.

Mardi Gras Sunday

There's nothing like smiling faces to bring joy to our hearts.  These students joined me on Sunday afternoon to celebrate Mardi Gras and participate in Art Is Education in the Castro Valley Library.  Although it was a cool and cloudy afternoon we happily explored paper mask making with vigor.  The child in all of us came to the forefront as we cut, pasted, attached sequins, feathers, ribbons and anything else we could creatively add to our parade of masks.

 

Feathers were a surprise hit with all students be they young or older.  Older holiday papers worked wonderfully for providing a bit of sparkle to the masks.  The golden star looks beautiful in contrast to the stripes on the youth mask.

All three girls make their own uniquely different masks that they can wear with pride and joy.  I am always thankful to the parents to come in and help make these events so successful.

These quick learning students came near the end of class and managed to finish in plenty of time.

The same can be said for these two.  She was still wearing her mask when I was leaving the building.

This gives new meaning to  the description of Pretty in Pink.

This star crested mask is a standout as it sports the two golden feathers.

These are returning students from the Altered Book workshop.  They have both grown and changed in the last few months.  It was great to see them.

Now this is a star adult student who made these wonderful jungle/tropical themed masks.  I love the monkey and she didn't think the piece was complete until she added the bananas.  Donna and I have worked together for many years in book sales organized by Friends of the Library.  I'm looking forward to having her help me with with future workshops now that I see how creative she is.  Check out that iguana on top of the mask she's wearing.  Makes me think of St. Thomas, Virgin Island.

My reliable partner in art, Marjorie made several masks as we prepared to have a display in the youth exhibition case.  Marjorie and I did double duty last weekend as part of Alameda County Art Is Education programming.  On Saturday we conducted an Altered Book workshop in Union City.  Thanks Marjorie!

Here's the teaching duo.  I was attempting to work with a youngster who was about 3 years old.  He started to cry.  This mask might have been just a bit too much for him, especially when you add all the beads.  Overall we had a lot of fun and here's to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebrations around the world.