New Book by Judi Blaydon

Judi's vision is now a reality! COLLAGE+CLOTH=QUILT is finally a book.

C&T did a fabulous job with the book design and photography. Included in the book are photo montage collages that inspired the quilts made by Judi's students from both the east and west coasts - - - as well as some of Judi's own work.

Judi's book shows techniques you can use to create an endless array of adventurous quilt designs inspired by your favorite photos. You'll discover simple ways to transform your photography into collage-inspired quilts that speak to your soul and you'll see your fabric stash in a whole new light!

If you would like to have an autographed copy, send a check for $27.95 plus postage (total check for $30) to:
Judi Blaydon
555 E. Commerce
Milford MI 48381

Congratulations, Judi!

Busy Summer for Laurie Ceesay

Our own Laurie Ceesay has been having a pretty good summer!

Her art quilt "1974"Good Hair" was juried in the wall quilt-pictorial category and will be on display at the Wisconsin Quilt Expo, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI, Sept. 9-11.2010. You can check out the show at www.wiquiltexpo.com

Another one of Laurie's art quilts, "Geisha", has been selected to be part of the traveling exhibit for the 2010 Hoffman Challenge. This quilt will travel the rest of 2010 and through next summer at various quilt venues.

And one more piece of good news for Laurie, her art work has been selected to be on the website, ArtShow as an associate artist. So congrats, Laurie for a great summer! You can see more of Laurie's work on her website.

'1974 Good Hair'

40.5" x 33"

'Geisha'

Upcoming Exhibit & Reception

Looking for something to do this weekend? How about starting it out by attending the opening reception for one of our SAQA members and your Co-Rep for the Michigan region! Mary Andrews is having a show at Gallery 194 in Lapeer. The show runs through September 4th with an opening reception on Friday evening, August 6th from 6 to 8 PM.

The exhibit, "Glass and Fibre", will also feature hand blown glass by David Hilte along with the art quilts by Mary, which were inspired by Chihuly glass from the Botanical Gardens in Arizona. This is a great way to start your weekend out or just add to your 'places to go' sometime in the month of August! The gallery is located next to the Pix Theater at 194 W. Nepessing, Lapeer. For more information, check out the Gallery 194 web site: http://www.gallery194.com/.

Drum roll, please!

And the winners of our give away this month are:

Donna Hamilton &

Ruth Anne Olson!

Congrats, ladies! Your catalog, SAQA: Creative Force/2007, will be in the mail this week! Don't forget to keep watching our blog for SAQA member updates, exhibits and our next give away coming in September!

August SAQA Michigan Profile

August SAQA Michigan Profile:

Gretchen Jackson
Ann Arbor, Michigan

How long have you been sewing and when did you begin to make art quilts?

I began sewing while in Junior High School and made my clothes and those of my family for many years. I hand pieced my first bed quilt at age 16, using scraps from my sewing and I continued to do traditional functional quilts for many years always using traditional patterns. Following my retirement in 2000, I decided to see if I could create my own designs which gradually led to art quilting.

Describe your art and its inspiration.

My art and its design takes many forms. Some of my pieces are quite contemporary and abstract. For others I draw my inspiration from nature. Recently I have been dyeing much of my fabric, often utilizing various Shibori techniques. This has led me to a number of pieces that employ hand dyed fabrics in simple designs which have been heavily stitched and embellished with beading. Even though my current work is more contemporary, I still hand quilt all of my pieces.


Where do you do most of your artwork?

My studio is a small room at my home and this is where I do my design and construction. My dyeing is done in the basement and my hand quilting, stitching and embellishment are done on the sofa while I watch movies on TV!

What are your goals?

My goals are to explore many different techniques and styles, to entertain myself, to share my work through exhibits both locally and nationally. I am blessed by not having to support myself or even the expenses of my work – having a very supportive husband. So while I do occasionally sell a piece and/or do a commission, this is not my focus.

Where can your work be seen?

My work can be seen in various locations in Southeast Michigan. I occasionally have a one-person show, but also exhibit through two fiber groups of which I am a member: Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild and Paradigm Art Quilters.

What are your interests outside of art?

My education and early professional career was in music where I was an organist, church choir director and public school music teacher. Music continues to be important to me and I attend concerts regularly. I have also restored 5 old homes that had been badly neglected as well as created extensive perennial gardens for each of them.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Gretchen and look for her work in venues throughout South East Michigan. Here are two of Gretchen's art quilts for you to enjoy.

URBAN ABSTRACT

STOPPING BY THE WOODS

SAQA Michigan July Give Away!

It's SAQA Michigan give away this week! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post (only) and you’re automatically entered to win the publication, SAQA: Creative Force/2007.

If you are NOT a blogger, select 'anonymous' as your profile in the comments section and then make sure to leave your full name or email in the comments section. Remember we have many members with the same first name so we need to know who you are to contact you. As an added bonus, we're giving away TWO publications so your chances of winning have just increased!

“Creative Force 07/A Sense of Place” is a double catalog which has two front covers, one for each exhibit. Printed in gorgeous color, “Creative Force ’07” includes 50 large works by 35 artists, juried by Rebecca A. Stevens, curator at the Textiles Museum in Washington, DC, while “A Sense of Place” is an invitational exhibit curated by SAQA board member Peg Keeney of small works created in series by 16 artists which explore various landscapes. The catalog includes introductory essays by juror Rebecca A. Stevens, curators Kim Ritter and Peg Keeney, and the president and vice president of Janome America.

This give away will remain open until midnight on Friday, July 30th. The winner will be announced on Monday, August 2nd. Thank you so much for participating! The WINNER will be selected using random.org and yes, you can comment more than once!

“One of a Kind” Fiber Exhibit

Blackbird on November Winds

By Kathie Briggs

The “One of a Kind” Fiber Exhibit curated by featured artist Kathie Briggs will be at the Charlevoix Circle of Arts on July 16th. Artists include Pamela Allen, Mary Andrews, Jill Ault, Kerry Bowes, Barbara Bushey Kathy Campau, Laura Cater-Woods, Rosemary Claus-Gray, Sheri Cooper, Lenore Crawford, Carolyn King, Virginia Spiegel, Patricia Turner, Desiree Vaughn and Gera Witte.

The Fiber Artist Coalition (FAC) traveling quilt exhibit, which was inspired by the Wallace Stevens poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird", will also be on display at the gallery. The FAC is a group of SAQA PAM artists in the Great Lakes area. Members of FAC are: Frieda Anderson, Astrid Bennett, Kathie Briggs, Shelley Brucar, Cheryl Dineen Ferrin, Clairan Ferrono, Peg Keeney, Pat Kroth, Casey Puetz, Joan Potter Thomas, Laura Wasilowski, and Trish Williams.

As an added bonus, you'll also be able to see the SAQA 20th Anniversary Trunk show on exhibit. As part of the celebration of SAQA's 20th anniversary year, SAQA created and organized the SAQA Trunk Show. SAQA members responded to a call for small works which would represent their artistic voices. Each 8"-square art quilt was matted with archival mat board. This is a great opportunity to view these pieces of art up close!

Opening Reception for the 'One of a Kind' Fiber exhibit is Friday July 16th from 5 – 7 p.m. The exhibit will run July 16, 2010 through September 18, 2010

Charlevoix Circle of Arts

109 Clinton Street

Charlevoix MI 49720

The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 – 5 p.m.

And while you are visiting Charlevoix, drop by the Charlevoix Library to see the final showing of the Michigan Quilt Artist Invitation “Ciao Italy” exhibit. July 1 through August 31, 2010

Hour and directions to the Charlevoix Libary can be found on their website here.