Road to California 2008
I was bedazzled by the quilts, the shopping, and low on energy this year, so I apologize--I didn't write down the makers of the quilts. None of these are mine, and some may be found on the website for the quilt conference . They usually post the winners as well as put out a CD for purchase.

I focused my camera a lot on the quilting this go-round, interested to see if the quilters escaped the "stipple jail" and broke out some new patterns, new ways of filling in background. I also tried to find the new, different and interesting as I feel my quilting could benefit from a fresh way of looking at things.

The quilt on the left uses black tulle for an interesting effect. The snippets of fabric are layered in, then covered with a veil of tulle and quilted. More bright dabs of colors were laid over that and quilted down, creating an interesting foreground-background effect. (As always, click to enlarge.)


A faculty exhibit? The quilter depicts scenes from Australia in an interesting way.

I loved this one--looking up into treetops.

Fish! A great scrappy quilt.

Detail of fish. Notice the interior patterns on the fish--many variations: nine-patches, strip-piecing, diamonds. The variety keep the eye moving.

The colors of this applique quilt are not the least bit traditional.

Nor is the subject matter, nor the quilting.


Butterfly Bonanza?

We both liked the quilt as it said "hot chocolate, good movie and a quiet night," of course, while cuddled up in this.

How can someone not be drawn to this razzle-dazzle quilt?

A woman made this quilt in honor of her husband's car and their road trip. The quilt docent was enthusiastically lifting it up to show everyone the back. After admiring it, we walked around the corner.

I guess that last time she was a little too enthusiastic, as a series of quilts and frames and drapes came tumbling down. I looked over and she was standing there, still holding the corner of the quilt, looking shell-shocked. Many tried to help, but the show officials came and made it right.

Cinq Terre--one of the places Dave and I want to go to in Italy.

Perfection in a Bear's Paw.

This orangey quilt vibrated right off the wall--the use of the cool blues and greens really made it pop.

Pictorial quilts struck it big this year in the awards.


Look Ma--no stippling!

Now you don't see it. . .

Now you do. This represents the four seasons--the quilting was stunning.

Dave and I had been to see Cristo's The Gates in 2005 in New York City's Central Park. They had a quilt there that responded to that amazing art installation.

Okay, here's some shots we took of the Gates--can't resist.





Now, back to the quilt show.

If I had this, I'd wear it everywhere. Maybe.

A more traditional applique quilt.

There was a special exhibit there about antique aprons--very fun.


The end!

So Where Was I?

Black & White & Catrina All Over

This was the black and white challenge quilt I sent to my guild--got it done, although now as I look at it, I think: I've got to change than, fix that, move that over to that side. . .

For early birthday fun I went up to see my sister Christine and the Joseph Cornell exhibit in San Francisco. She took me here first: the Asian Art Museum, the converted SF library. I loved the scale of grand against intimate. We saw an exhibit of dress designers from Japan, who certainly pushed, pulled, extruded and pleated the proverbial edge.

The grand staircase--the light was dim as it was raining out and the focus is a touch blurry--but grand nonetheless.

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do--do it with they might."
The carved aphorisms make me think.

Christine liked the one over the opposite doorway:
"Silence at the proper season is wisdom and better than any speech."

Downstairs a trio of visitors led the museum-goers in the creation of a rubbing, using mulberry paper, an inked plate, and some elbow grease.

Getting the corner stamped with vermilion ink.

He's trying a different technique here, of making an impression print--draping a moist piece of paper over a mold, and pouncing it to give it shape and form.

Christine creates hers.

Next to MOMA, where we met Rachelle for my birthday lunch and to see the Cornell. This pictured exhibit had a prismatic rainbow constructed on the bridge. Click to see it close-up.
The Cornell was intriguing, fascinating, and made me think about the intersection of text and visual illustration. They showed for one of his boxes he wrote out his concept, highlighting phrases, which then were translated into the visual elements of his box. I don't know how many other times he did this, but it neatly joined a circle for me.

Every time I think I have no time to spend in a museum, I find myself wanting to prolong a visit, wanting to talk art/idea/creativity. This feeling is heightened when in the company of fascinating people, like the two women who were with me that day.