Friday, February 12, 2016

Revisiting our origins as artists

 Along with our usual chit chat and show and tell, members of the ArtCGirlz dug out old projects, representing our first "art" quilts.

Mary Ellen started things off with this baby quilt she's working on.  She wasn't sure about the grey, but we all liked it!






The baby is coming in May, so will need a sweater.  This one zips up the back.


















Back in the early 90's Mary Ellen started entering contests she saw in magazines.
This was her interpretation of "the Ugly Duckling" for a Danish cookie company.  It hung in Denmark for a time after she submitted it.  

The AQS issued a challenge (sorry, I've forgotten the theme).  Mary Ellen was inspired by historical events happening at the time, and made two pieces.  These both hung in the challenge collection at AQS for a time.



















Mary couldn't find her oldest portrait quilt, but she did bring the little needle felted animals she has made lately.


Connie said she hasn't been making art quilts for long.  This paper pieced flower was one of the first things she thought fit.  I think she said she doesn't care for doing the pebbling.


Chris said her first foray into art quilting was at the "Iron Art Quilter" day we did at guild in 2010.  This piece was made using items Kathi had put into a bag.  (We all brought a certain list of items and then traded)

Chris made this for one of the guild challenges, using an old curtain for the texture on the beach.


This was supposed to be Chris' entry for this "architecture" challenge, but she didn't quite get it finished.


 Emmy brought some non- quilted art pieces she has made.



While recovering, she made a few of these book albums, which the recipient can customize with their own photos.

























Everyone's favorite piece was "Bookhead Barbie"!!


(especially Kathi)


 Emmy made this dress form just to use as decoration.  It's a size four, made with duct tape and stuffed with plastic grocery bags.

 Susan doesn't have many of the older pieces she has made, except for this one which hangs in he house. 

So she brought photographs instead!  This one was made with the same technique.

This "Totem Toad" was made for her son

 Susan designed these two herself.


Lori Anderson  says her art quilting journey began with this group project, created by Kathi, and started at an ArtCGirlz meeting in 2011.



Lori's art quilt in progress- based on an image of a motorcyclist on a cross country road trip. 

 This was the first photograph Elaine could remember taking to turn into a quilt.


Another early piece got Elaine through a sleepless night.

Elaine made this fun piece to enter a Quilting Arts reader challenge.

Elaine's entry in the Guild's "black and white and.."  challenge from 2008.


It was a very fun meeting!