SAQA auction piece sold!

Brooklyn #5, Heather Dubreuil

Thank you for your good wishes, Hilary, included in your recent post. Thought I would post an image just to clarify the context.

This 12" x 12" piece was donated to the annual SAQA fund-raising auction. It was one of about 100 that went up on the SAQA site on Monday. Bidding opened at $750 and I was thrilled that a buyer chose my piece within the first few minutes.

Nysha Nelson of Tennessee has bought my work before, and I have met him at the two most recent SAQA conferences.

Fire and Ice, Helena Scheffer

Helena's gorgeous Fire and Ice will be up for auction when the second lot opens for bidding, beginning on Monday, September 22.

Finishing off things

Finally got time to finish the bits I said I would on a couple of pieces.  Feels good to be getting on top of things at last!

Grey: Caitlyn

Apricot:  Apricots in a Bowl

Also, congratulations to Heather on selling her SAQA piece so early on.  Well done, Heather.

Hilary

Blog and Website updated

Sorry.  A bit late but I finally had a moment to update the blog ('Grey' page added) and the website (Jinnie added and also a page for past members).  Let me know if there are any problems.  Hope you like the page for our past members.

How is the turquoise inspiration going?  I have a couple of ideas but nothing concrete - yet.  Please don't say someone has finished already!!!

Hilary

That's my work on the cover!

Surprised and delighted to receive this photo from Maggi Birchenough, incoming co-rep for SAQA's UK, Europe and Middle East region. She recently received a shipment of Portfolio 21's for next year's Festival of Quilts, and recognized one of my pieces on the cover. I had no idea! A pretty good-looking cover, I have to say.

That's Camden Town #2 on the lower right.

Art by the Lake

One can hardly imagine a more beautiful setting for the Lakeshore Artists' annual fall show than the beautiful, terraced grounds of Stewart Hall in Pointe Claire. The event was held on September 6 and 7, and though the first day was compromised by showers and lower attendance, Sunday more than made up for it with glorious sunshine, a gentle breeze off the lake, and constant traffic.

Helena was the show coordinator, managing more than 50 artists and their work, and I was honoured to be a Guest Artist. Our secondary mission was to raise the profile of fibre as art, and we did the cause proud.

Here is Helena in a rare, quiet moment. Her tent was thronged with visitors all day, and she made a number of nice sales.

And here I am with my display of Cityscapes. Though I didn't make any significant sales, I was busy all day, answering questions and accepting compliments from people who were excited to see something they considered to be truly unique.

The Lakeshore Artists Association is considered to be an elite group in the Montreal area, and having fibre represented in the context of their show is a welcome opportunity.

Inspired by Chatham Dockyard

For my teaser I posted an image of one of the covered building slips at the Chatham Dockyards built in the nineteenth century. The covered slips really have a cathedral like feel because of the vast roof space. See http://www.thedockyard.co.uk/Dry_Docks__Building_Slips/Building_Slips/building_slips.html for more images
But as I said in my last post it was the contents that inspired this piece. I'm not 'into' naval history but all that metal, the welded joints and the patterns of rivets on the exhibits kept me entranced whilst my other half explored.
As well as being inspired by the colour of the exhibits I also had in mind the working conditions, the heat and the noise in particular, of the boat builders that worked on the iron clad ships:

COBBLESTONES

    I have spent a lot of time in the last three weeks looking  for grey in my surroundings and it has opened my eyes to a colour that I have never really considered before. I found myself looking at pavements and the cracks in between and finally decided to try and replicate the cobblestones outside the mairie. Another pavement  nearby had cushions of almost emerald green moss growing in the cracks and I put the cobblestones and moss together. I sponge  painted a light grey commercial fabric with various shades of grey for the cobbles, using trapunto to make them stand out a little bit more. The moss was made with velvet.