Fiber Diversity - 3 Artists

Greetings All,

I got a postcard for an exhibit that my friend Anita Knox in Wichita, KS is a part of called "Fiber Diversity - 3 Artists" at the City Arts Main Gallery. The three artists are Valerie Doran Bashaw, Marilyn Grisham, and Anita. Quilts, thread collage, weavings, mixed media, and watercolor.

Artists reception: 6 pm to 9 pm, Friday June 19, 2009 and the show dates are May 29 through June 20, 2009. Also showing: Chief Oloruntoba, Linda Metsker, and David Self. City Arts, 334 N. Mead, Wichita, KS. For more information please call: 316-462-2787 If you live in the area or planing to be in that part of the world do check it out. Congratulations to all the artists and thanks Anita for the postcard.

Textural Rhythms:Quilting the Jazz Tradition Opening

Greetings All,
I got an email the other day with photos of the opening of "Textural Rhythms: Quilting the Jazz Tradition" at the American Folk Art Museum in New York and thought that I would share some with you. I am so very proud to be a part of this exhibit and I do enjoy seeing some of the other artists with their work and if you would like to see more you can check out this link at www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=86255&id=7460441259. Also you can purchase a copy of the catalog at Paper Moon Publishing. The exhibition will be traveling until 2010 and Smith Kramer has a list of dates and locations or if you would like to book the exhibit. Thank you for stopping by my blog and enjoy.

Cleota Proctor Wilbekins's "Red Composite Transitional Jacket" ( below right)

Cynthia Lockhart's "Jazz On My Mind" (below)




Catherine M. Lamkin's "Blue Syncopators: Benjamin Smith" (below left)

Myrah Brown Green's "Afro Blue" (below).

Linda Gray's "Tribal Melody" (below right)

Kelly Fleming's "Stormy Weather" ( below left)

Wendell G. Brown's "The Somber Farewell before the Joyful Band Playing and Dancing" (below)

Canvas Book/Piece of the week.

Greetings All,

These are my final pages of my canvas book. The piece on the left is the front cover and it's titled "Bug Juice". The piece below right is "The Keeper" and it's the inside front cover. The piece below left is "Heaven and Hell" and it's the back outside cover. This was a pure labor of love and I'm ready for the next.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother, grandmothers, aunts, and sisters who've had a part in helping someone in their growth/development.

Looking Good

Greetings All,
I am a Chicagoan. I love this city, the good, the bad and the ugly. For the past week or so I have been seeing it from up on high and I love what see, including the new Trump Towers/Hotel. Thursday night I went to an even for "Good City" and the city was looking good. For the past 21 years, Goodcity has worked to empower leaders and build community and I went to their Gala event with my camera in tow.

I am not only in love with my city, but I'm also in love with my canvas book. I found myself each day this week working on a page or two and here is my latest rendition "Moth Flight" (below) enjoy.

Canvas Book/New SAQA Reg. Reps.

Greetings All,

Here's a new page for my canvas book (above) and also a photo of the new SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) regional reps (below). Laura Wasilowski, myself, and Frieda Anderson. I am excited by this new journey with my canvas book and being a representative SAQA along side of Frieda and Laura. Frieda and Laura are best buds, business partners, and world known teachers/artists. They are also founders of the "Chicago School of Fusing."

Last week they celebrated the May birthdays of Frieda and Laura in Chicago at Judy Coates-Perez's and I was also in attendance. Judy and her daughter Nina had prepared a lovely lunch (below) of Spanokopit, Greek salad and strawberry short cake made with pound cake, whipped cream and some of the strawberries were dipped in chocolate. WOW! We all had a great time.

Knock! Knock!

Greetings All,

Someone sent this video to me and I just wanted to share it because it's so very powerful. I don't know who this young man is, but I thank him for his spoken words. Knock Knock.

Canvas Book/The Piece of the Week!

Greetings All

This week I didn't want it to go by without me posting some new work. So I have deiced to post images of a work in progress that I started a couple of months ago. My friend Judy Coats Perez made a canvas book and I like the idea so very much that I started one of my own. This is a mix-media project of paper, cloth, paint, beads, etc. I used Lumiere, Setacolor, and Dye-na-flow.

I painted cotton batting, cloth, paper and I also used some hand dyed/painted scraps of Frieda Anderson and Sonji Hunt. I will add some metal scrapes from Judy and beads from Michele Hardman by time I'm finish. Thus far this has been a very cathartic experience.

Artropolis Chicago

Greetings, All,

No "Piece of the Week" again. I've been painting and collage my fabric for my new piece and hanging out with friends and going to meetings. Monday night I went to a meeting of the CWCA (Chicago Women Causes for Art). This was a first for me and I met a interesting group of women. Arelen Rakoncay, Judith Roth, Joan Minsky, Sandra Holubow, Laura Cref-Dahl, and Sandra Bacon to name a few. I look forward to this month's meeting. You can click on their link to see all about organization and local and national. They also had some passes to the opening night of Artropolis Chicago and I was lucky enough to get them.

Artropolis Chicago is one of the premiere events at this time of the year. It's all about art, antiques, and culture. This is a 4-day event and it's non-stop eye-candy. I was wowed and perplexed at the same time. I am always amazed at what pictures I take and what people create. This took place on Thursday night and you can check out my photos below. I too pictures of mix-media, painting, paper/paint, big draws, balloons, and toilet paper rolls. Why? I can't answer.

Friday night I went to the opening of sculptor Richard Hunt (below) at G. R. N'Namdi Gallery. Again the art, people, food, and WOW! Richard is one of my favorites and a beloved son of Chicago/World. You can see his work all around Chicago and that's a joy to behold.

This is me standing next to one of Chicago and the worlds best sculptors Richard Hunt.

On my way out of the gallery I ran into two more of my favorite people. David Philpot (left) and Daniel Parker (below). David makes the most incredible staffs or walking sticks and are not just walking sticks. He gets his inspiration from the environment. His art comes from weed trees that grow in vacant lots, next to abandoned buildings, and alongside railroad tracks and expressways.

Daniel T. Parker is co-founder of Diasporal Rhythms and the author of African Art: The Diaspora and Beyond. Dan's collection of art is know around the country and I love visiting his space and it was good seeing him out and about.