Newest SAQA Michigan member

Burning Bush

Fabric Collage by Gwen Jones

30" x 42"

Gwen Jones is a SAQA PAM member who is in the process of moving her studio from Chicago to Bridgman, Michigan. Her "guest house" is currently being renovated to be her new studio. To see more of Gwen's work go to her web site here.

Welcome to Michigan, Gwen! Spring is coming!

Most of you are familiar with Ami Simms and her AAQI project. For those who are not, and for those who are!, check out the current YouTube to see the panels From Heartbreak to Hope premiered at the Hands Across the Valley Quilt Show in Amherst, MA last month. And while you're at it, check out some of the donation quilts that you could bid on each month or purchase and own one right now!

April SAQA Michigan Profile

SAQA Michigan Artist Profile

Carol Tamasiunas

White Lake, Michigan

How long have you been sewing and when did you begin making art quilts? I have been sewing since I was a teenager. I started by making clothes for myself. I made my first quilt when I was in my 30’s. It was squares sewn together with an army blanket as the batting. I remember my step-daughter & I sitting in bed with the quilt laid out before us while we hand tied it. I didn’t make my first art quilt until 20 years later. I found it totally nerve wracking to work without a pattern at first. Describe your art and its inspiration. My work is pretty representational. I started out doing appliqué, but transitioned into painting most pieces. I like the freedom of creating my own “fabric”. I’m inspired mostly by what I see. One of my favorite pieces “Crocotile” was inspired by a mosaic done by a child. I’m currently doing work for an exhibit called “Inspired by the Masters”. By studying those artists I come up with ideas to incorporate into my work though we work in entirely different media. My van Gogh (see picture below) was a painted portrait of my mom to which I added hand stitching to imply van Gogh’s heavy paint strokes. I’m also inspired by my friends. They all do beautiful handwork which adds so much texture to their work. My latest pieces both had a lot of hand stitching which took me longer than the painting. Where do you do most of your artwork? My quilting/piecing is done in my “office”. My painting is done in the family room where I have a space with a table and cabinet. My husband trusts I won’t make too much of a mess since I have to tote all my water/paint pans up and down the stairs. What are your goals? To learn to add more depth and texture to my work, continue to explore other art avenues to open my eyes and add other techniques to my skill set. Do you teach, lecture, curate or have a business of your artwork? I don't teach or lecture but I do curate the Inspired by the Master's exhibit, which is shown at different venues in Michigan. Where can your work be seen? My work is traveling in several exhibits. Inspired by the Masters, has five of my pieces. I've also participated in the Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational for the past eight years. What are your interests outside of art? I’m a book lover who is currently work part-time at Borders. Spending time with my family & friends is a priority especially if it involves dessert. I enjoy my garden, museums, and attending concerts.

Hot Spot

20" x 24"

2010

"Hokusai"

16" x 20"

2010

"Mom Van Gogh'd"

16" x 20"

Carol's Mom and Carol

2010

New Websites

Not just one but two websites are up and running for two of our members!

Check out Marilyn Prucka's new site here
and
Judi Blaydon here.

You may remember both Marilyn and Judi were each an Artist Profile on our blog. Now you can check out more of their work and what they're up to on their web sites.

The Winner Is!

Our Valentine SAQA catalog winner is:

Mary Vinovskis! You may remember Mary from our December Artist Profile. You can reread that post and see who won our catalog here!

Congrats, Mary! Your catalog will be sent out this week sometime!

February 2011 Artist Profile

Beatrice Hughes
East Lansing, Michigan

How long have you been sewing and when did you begin making art quilts?
Sewing was part of my rearing. I used my mother’s fabric scraps to make doll clothes for my and my niece’s dolls. Home economics formalized my sewing and quilting sprang upon me when I discovered and purchased a box of sewing notions and Mountain Mist quilt batting at an estate sale. Once I found that batting with a Lone Star quilt pattern wrapped around it, quilting gradually grew into a passion. Yes, my first quilt was the Lone Star and I made two—but oh, the centers, how they peaked! Now that I’ve been sewing for over 50 years, my centers lay flat. I am both an art and traditional quilter. My first “art” quilt came together in 1990 and my philosophy is that a well made traditional pattern is also a piece of art.
Describe your art and its inspiration.
My art is inspired by graphic design, in which I have a degree. I like line and texture and love color. Many of my designs begin by using computer graphics, where I can test shapes, colors, change arrangements and print patterns. Photos also play a part in my work and I take most of the photos that appear in my books.
Where do you do most of your artwork?
I have been blessed with and appreciate space dedicated to quilting, sewing and an occasional craft project. There are no picturesque views or finished ceilings but my well lighted large basement area houses myriad fabrics, tools and supplies. My old model 2010 electronic Singer sewing machine and my new 2010 Janome Memory Craft model 11000, which includes quilting motifs, get along fine. I now realize how much I like having two machines. An 8’ x 8’ pin-up board is an important spot where I pin quilt designs before sewing. The 4’ by 8’ work table, covered which cutting mats, facilitates cutting, piecing and design layout. Other quilters also gather from time-to-time to work on projects. A 2’ x 5’ ironing board, which my husband made (he has helped quilting friends make a similar board), is ideal for ironing a full width of fabric. An office upstairs is where I physically draw, design, and publish on computer and work on business related tasks. It has a pleasant view where I can watch birds at the feeder.
What are your goals?
Striving to improve my quilting and computer skills is an ongoing goal. I am still thinking about 2011 quilting resolutions and usually vow to complete a project that is in the design stages and sometimes I get that done. My next quilting book, which is in progress, will continue to keep me busy. That can take so much time that art and traditional quilting both take a back seat. And of course this year, I want to get my recent, “Crazy for Lemoyne,” quilting book into more hands. The web site, FullCirclePublications, features this book. Creating a photo gallery of my quilts to post on a web site is another task on my to-do list. Learning more about digitizing is another goal so that I can create and stitch my own quilting motifs.
Do you teach, lecture, curate or have a business of your artwork?
For many years teaching has been a part of what I do. Four wives of Japanese visiting professors were my first students and I taught basic quilting skills. Each student got a “quilting diploma” to frame after finishing their project. At least one of these women went on to teach in Japan. In 1991 I began co-teaching a group of MSU women who initially came together to make a scholarship raffle quilt. After completing that project, we continued on to learn new techniques and to make and donate quilts to International Aid and MSU Safe Place. That group has grown to about twenty members. I continue to belong to this group and teach on occasion. I have also taught at local quilt shops and at the MSU Adult Evening College. In 2009 I gave a trunk show and slide presentation to the Roanoke, Virginia Star Quilters.
Where can your work be seen?
Lou Anna K. Simon is the 20th president of Michigan State University. To commemorate the Sesquicentennial of MSU and honor women, like her, who contributed to the development MSU, I steered and worked with women in the MSU quilting group to make the photo quilt that hangs outside the president’s office. The foyer of MSU Safe Place houses another quilt. More recently I had a quilt in the SAQA “A Sense of Humor” travelling show with venues in places like Houston, California, Chicago and New York. This quilt can be seen in the SAQA publication that features all the quilts in that show. Three of my quilts can be seen in my book, “Crazy for Lemoyne.” And some are featured here.
What are your interests outside of art?
I just finished a wood working project (with a little help). I have strips of fabric in a rainbow of colors that were part of past quilting projects. I made a decorative wall-mounted hanging board with 7 long dowels. I now have my fabric strips hung by color. I also play trumpet in the Meridian Community Band, at church and sing in choir.

My best wishes to all quilters, Beatrice

Nebulae

80.5" x 85.5"

Broken Hearts

45" x 45"

Ties at the O ffice

29.5" x41"

Crazy Patch Lemoyne

52.75" x 52.25"

We hope you enjoyed meeting Beatrice and seeing some of her work! Be sure to check out her book 'Crazy for Lemoyne' which can be purchased here.

If there is a SAQA Michigan member you'd like to see in one of our monthly artist profiles, just email us at robbiespawprints@aol.com.

Valentine Give Away!

Sure, you'd like to have some chocolate for Valentine's Day but how about one of SAQA's catalogs instead!
Our February give away is the SAQA catalog, Transformations 2008: Icons & Imagery.
The following is a description from the Transformations 2008 exhibit:
Each of the artist members of Studio Art Quilt Associates who are represented in Transformations 2008: Icons and Imagery used the idea of an icon, with its ability to elicit symbolic meaning beyond the object represented, as a starting point for the quilts in this exhibit. German textile expert Rudolf Smend, who served as the sole juror of Transformations 2008, chose work he felt "focused primarily on artistic originality, perfect craftsmanship and innovation," while providing a new take on the meaning of iconography through the use of fresh imagery and interpretations. Transformations 2008: Icons and Imagery, is composed of 32 quilts from nine countries, traveled to South Africa and the United States after opening in the UK.
This catalog contains 72 pages including the juror's essay, full and detail images and artists' statements. You'll find some great inspiration from this catalog.

Just leave a comment on this post only. If you don't have a blog or website, you can select 'Anonymous' in the comment section and leave your name and email address. You can enter more than once but make sure to leave your name along with your email address!!

You have until Friday, February 11th @ midnight! Winner will be announced on Valentine's Day. Good luck!