Illinois Quiltscape - update.

Greetings All,

Here is an update via a slide-show of the exhibit at the McLean County Art Center "Illinois Quiltscape"and I hope that you enjoy it.

Illinois Quiltscape explores the complexity and diversity in contemporary quilt making across Illinois. Twenty quilters from across Illinois have been invited to exhibit a quilt of original design. Inclusive of Art Quilts, Modern Quilts, Functional Bed and Wall Hanging Quilts, the exhibition highlights how traditional and contemporary quilting techniques are used to best tell each quilt's unique story.  For more information and to register, visit www.mcac.org or call (309) 829-0011.

McLean County Arts Center is located at 601 N. East Street in downtown Bloomington, IL. MCAC hours are Tues., 10am – 7pm; Wed. – Fri., 10am – 5pm, and Sat., Noon – 4pm. For more information, please call 309/829-0011. McLean County Arts Center is supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency.

P.I.E.C.E.S. Gally Walk 2014

Greetings All,

The exhibit P.I.E.C.E.S. 2014 at the Peoria Library has been met with good acclaim and I am so very humble and honored to be there. I have upload a slideshow of the gallery walk and I hope that you will enjoy.  The exhibit runs until Feb 26th and if you are in the area do stop by.

http://www.peoriapubliclibrary.org/

107 NE Monroe
Peoria, Illinois 61602-1070
1-309-497-200

B/G World Opening Reception

Greetings All,
Here is the slide show from the opening of B/G World.  Enjoy

CAM Update @ the Switching Station Artists Lofts.

Greetings All,
Here is the slide-show from CAM opening house at the "Switching Station Artists Lofts".  Enjoy:>)

Greetings All,

Greetings All,

This is Chicago Artists Month and the event have started with a bang.  Friday night was the opening of SDA regional exhibit at Human Thread titled "The Blind Eye: The Result of Doing Nothing"and it was a good started to this months happenings.  Enjoy:>)

Piece of the Week, FYI, and Updates

Greetings All,

People share all types of things with me and below are some of the latest gifts. "Following is an interview by Lydia Shepard, a writer from an organization called Sixty Inches from the Center, a non-for-profit group dedicated to archiving Chicago area artists. The files, digital and otherwise, are archived at The Harold Washington Library and are accessible to the public. I think all Chicago area artists should avail themselves of this service. The directions about how to do this are on their website. The people who head "Sixty Inches", Tempestt Hazel and Nicolette Caldwell are very professional and efficient. Check out their other activities on their website. There are so many great things happening in Chicago in the arts!"

http://sixtyinchesfromcenter.org/archive/?p=16644

I was gifted a box of buttons and was wondering what I could create with some of them and below is my "Piece of the Week" creation. I love the multi-color, sizes, and vintage of this piece and I've created three thus far and I working on others. I don't like turning down any gifts and want to show appreciation to the givers.

Below is a sideshow from our We Too Are Chicago opening at the Human Thread gallery. It was wonderful that so many came out and a good debut for our first time exhibiting artist Gerald Brown. Enjoy

South Side Community Art Center

Greetings All,
Today I spent 3 hours at a very informative panel discussion at the South-side Community Arts Center and today's panel was titled "Preserving a Legacy: A " How To" on African American Art Collecting.  Panelist included Kimberly M. Harmon, Archie Listenbee, and Patric McCoy.


Next week May 12th panel is titled, Look Within - Collective Origins and Inspirations: Women and African Art.   Panelist are Dr. Robert Starks (Chicago/Mississippi),  Dayo Layoe (Nigeria), Diabby Diarra (Mali), and Patrick Woodtor (Liberia).  In Conjunction with SSCAC's current show of African artifacts, Shona sculpture and other works, join a distinguish panel of artists, educator and cultural leaders to discuss the presence of feminine ideas and imagery in art from Africa and by African artists.  Below is a preview of some of the wonderful art that will be on display.  Enjoy:>)

May 19th, Look Back" The Chicago Art Renaissances.  Nigel Freeman, director and founder of the African-American Fine art Department at Swann Auction Galleries in New Your City.

May 26th, Look Around: American Jazz in Europe and Asia.  Guitarist and composer Donovan Mixon shares his personal stories of an American jazz musician and educator's travels and musical work in Turkey, Italy and other parts of Europe.

If you are in the Chicago-land area this month do stop by the SSCAC on the above mention dates from 2 pm until 5 pm for a most informative afternoon.

CCNY 1st Cultural Arts Arward - Faith Ringgold - 2011

Greetings All,
Faith Ringgold to Receive CCNY’s First Cultural Arts Award Artist, CCNY Alumna to be Honored October 6 with Ceremony, Quilt Exhibit Faith Ringgold, renowned artist, author and quilt maker to be honored by CCNY.

Faith Ringgold, the renowned artist, author and quilt maker has been selected to receive The City College of New York’s First Annual Cultural Arts Award. An alumna of City College, she will be honored at a ceremony Thursday, October 6, at CCNY’s Aaron Davis Hall Center for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Ms. Ringgold is the first recipient of the award, which recognizes those who have made substantial contributions to the world through the cultural arts including visual, literary, music, performance and community. It has been introduced by City College President Dr. Lisa S. Coico to strengthen the bonds between the institution and the community at large through the arts. Ms. Ringgold is a Harlem native.

“The City College is immensely proud to be honoring one of its own, an internationally acclaimed artist, writer and activist who has touched many around the world,” said President Coico. “Faith Ringgold is a uniquely talented woman in whom her Alma Mater continues to rejoice.”

A commemorative quilt exhibition “In Honor of Faith Ringgold,” in the Aaron Davis Hall Gallery is a free and open to the public. Curated by Dr. Myrah Brown Green, a master quilter who is also executive director of art and culture at CCNY, who described Ms. Ringgold as an artist of uncommon ability and an inspiration to generations of artists. “She has excelled in the various art forms that she’s pursued, earning recognition worldwide. It is our privilege here at The City College to celebrate her life and accomplishments.” Below is a slide-show of the quilts. Enjoy;-)

ELCA Gathering 2011

Greetings All,

For 4 days I was in Spokane Washington with a group of 2100 women of the ELCA (the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and I worked in the in-kind venue where we made quilts for Lutheran World Relief and we created 80 twin size quilts for this effort during the gathering and many more have/will be sent in from congregations across the country. Here's a slide-show of some of what happened.

This wonderful person below stayed all day to learn how to put together one of the quilts. She's a 58 year old women who had never quilted before and was so excited by the process. She will be taking this knowledge back to her community too share with them and we were glad to be a part of her learning how to create her first, but not her last quilt.

The women also created an art quilt exhibit that focus on the theme of the convention, Renew, Respond, and Rejoice! Enjoy;-)

Cultural Connections-2011

Greetings All, Here is the slide-show from the Cultural Connections-2011 and I hope that you enjoy my view.

Opening of Blackbirds and Midwest Meditations - 3/4/11

Greetings All, Here is a slide show from last night opening of "Blackbirds and Midwest Meditations" at Simply Chicago Art gallery. The exhibits are there until March 26th and if you are in the area do come out and see the exhibits. There was a nice crowd and I thank all of my family/friends that came out. Much love to all of you and also thank you to all the FAC members that were there. Enjoy.

Textural Rhythms In Jazz at MOAD 2011

Greetings All,
Friday was the opening for Textural Rhythms in Jazz at the Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco, CA. Here is a slide show of the opening and the panel discussion. Enjoy;-)

RELATED PROGRAMS and EVENTS

ARTIST’S PANEL: Panel discussion with local and featured textile artists Marion Coleman, Ed Johnetta Fowler-Miller, Alice Beasley, Adrienne Cruz, and Olaitan Valerie Scott, moderated by Dr. Patricia Turner, author of Crafted Lives: Stories and Studies of African American Quilters. Saturday, January 29, 4-6pm.


WORKSHOP: Join master quilter Ed Johnetta Fowler-Miller for a two-day Improvisational Quilting Workshop. Saturday, January 29 & Sunday, January 30, 11am-3pm

LECTURE & PERFORMANCE: A Tribute to Charlie Parker with the Jetta Martin Dance Company. Choreography inspired by the music of Charlie Parker. Sunday, February 6, 2-4pm.

ARTIST’S DEMONSTRATION: Quilting in Process: Quilting Demonstration by the African American Quilt Guild of Oakland. Saturdays -February 12, March 5, and April 23, 2-4pm.

FILM SCREENING & DISCUSSION: Director Lauren Cross will introduce The Skin Quilt Project, her documentary that explores colorism in the African-American community, followed by a Q & A and discussion with the audience. Friday, February 18, 6-9pm.

FAMILY DAY: African American Quilting Traditions Art Activity. Led by Artist Nicole Brown. Saturday, February 19, 12-4pm.

LECTURE & PERFORMANCE: Jazz in the Gallery Series featuring faculty members from the Berkeley Jazzschool. Drummer and percussionist Jaz Sawyer on Sunday, February 20, 2-4pm. Trombonist Wayne Wallace on Sunday, March 20, 2-4pm. Pianist and percussionist Kwame Coleman on Sunday, April 17, 2-4pm.

WORKSHOP: Join master quilter Marion Coleman in creating quilts inspired by jazz, memory, family stories, cultural change, and a world filled with color. Saturdays - March 12, March 19, and March 26, 11am-2pm.

LECTURE & BOOKSIGNING: Dr. Patricia Turner speaks on her authoritative account of the powerful bonds between generations of African American quiltmakers, Crafted Lives: Stories and Studies of African American Quilters. Saturday, March 12, 2-4pm.

FILM SCREENING: Adire: Indigo Textiles Amongst the Yoruba. Screening of the award winning documentary film on the traditional indigo dyeing and textile design amongst the Yoruba in Oshogba, Nigeria. Friday, March 18, 6-8pm.

CURATOR’S TALK: Lecture presentation by exhibition Curator, Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, discussing the quilting tradition in African American culture, jazz quilting, and the themes present in Textural Rhythms. Saturday, April 2, 2-4pm.

FILM SCREENING: The Quilts of Gees Bend. Set in the Gee's Bend quiltmakers' homes and yards and told through the women's voices, this music-filled documentary takes viewers inside the art and fascinating living history of a uniquely American community and art form. Friday, April 15, 6-7pm

FAC - C.I.S. Opening - Jan 2011

Greetings All,

Here is the slide-show from the opening of C.I.S. (Conversations in Stitch) a Fiber Artists Coalition exhibit at the Anderson Art Center in Kenosha, WI. The exhibition will run until March 20, 2011 and if you are in the area do stop by and check it out and let us know what you think. Enjoy.

P.I.E.C.E.S. Opening Reception Slide-Show

Greetings All,

Here is a slide show of the artist reception at Concordia University's opening of P.I.E.C.E.S. I'm so very grateful to BettyAnn Mocek for offering me the opportunity and thank you to all my family/friends that come out to support me. I love you all for always being there. The students were just wonderful and I look forward to tomorrows artists talk. I hope that you enjoy the slide show.

Closing, Opening and Piece of the Week.

Greetings All,
This past weekend I check out two different venues. The "Fiber Art Divas" had their opening at the Naperville Arts League in Naperville, IL at 508 N. Center Street. The show has art quilts, knitted, felted, mixed fiber media and more on display until October 30th. Below is a slide show of some of the pieces that caught my eye.Fiber Art Divas exhibit and check out their blog at: http://fiberdivas.blogspot.com/

Also this past weekend Sapphire & Crystals Friendships Exhibit closed and I preview my piece for Ruinart Champagne. I was contacted by a representative of this company and asked to donation for an event that they do to raise funds for art centers that focus on children. You will see it in the background behind the JaNille Price who so graciously pored champagne during the salon. I'd like to thank Charlotte Duntz for asking me to participate. Pat Mangan that you for the inspiration and Chicago Gourmet.

The Piece-of-the-Week are some more of those wonderful/colorful Bark-Cloth pillows that take me back to my youth. These are going on Sylvia's sun-porch and will add a bit of tropical all year long. I love the mixing of the plaids/stripes with the floral and I can here the birds singing.

Updates - Piece of the Week.

Greetings All,

Below is the slide show from Needles and Threads Quilters Guild. I love seeing all of my old guild members and there wonderful works. Enjoy the slide show.

This past week I created pillows and I've gotten to the point that there are somethings that I must do just for the love of it. I love Bark-Cloth and the persons I made the pillows for collects it and loves it more that I do. She has all types of Bark-Cloth and colors. Below are just some of the pillows that I'm making for her and I mixed these with velvet and other fabrics.

CWCA-Urban Pulse-Opening reception slide show.

Greetings All,
Here's the CWCA - Urban Pulse Opening Reception Slideshow. Enjoy.

Sapphire & Crystals Friendships Opening Slide-Show

Greetings All,
Last night was the opening of the Sapphire & Crystals Friendships Exhibit and I hope that you enjoy the slide show.



Before I went to the opening and had my weekly meeting with my mentee, Myia Esper and she taught me how to make Roast Turkey Alfredo pizza. We only meet for an hour to meet and it's become a challenge to come up with something that we can create in that time frame. This young lady loves all things Alfredo and this was great and will become a part of my recipe files. Tonight is the opening of CWAC Urban Pluse exhibit at Tom Robinson Gallery at 2416 W. North Ave. and if you are in the area come on by 4 pm until 8 pm.

Caffeine IV Opening Night Slide-Show

Greetings All,
Caffeine IV opening night was a big hit! Big art! Big crowd and great fun. I'm sorry that I didn't take more pictures of the art, but I did get all the pictures of the fiber/art quilts and plenty of artists and friends. Enjoy.

Midwest Meditations Opening Slide-Show

Greetings All,

Here is the slide-show from the opening reception of "Midwest Meditations" a SAQA IL/WI group exhibit at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum in Bloomingdale, IL.