No Holds Barred!

Grief c.2009  36" H x 22" W.

The opening reception for the SAQA NE Region "No Holds Barred" exhibit was on Saturday. There was a big turnout, with most of the artists attending. The New England Quilt Museum did a professional job of hanging the show. There are some amazing pieces of art in the show. The show will be at the museum until April 9, so if you can get to Lowell, it is well worth the effort.

I was proud to have two pieces juried into the show, but couldn't post a photo of them until after the opening. The one above is "Grief", which I have thought was one of the best pieces I've made, but it hadn't been accepted into a show before. I'm glad it was able to make it's debut in the show. You just never know what the jurors will see in different entries, or what other entries will be. The jurors brought a very cohesive show together.

Before/After  27" W x 22" H

 

The one above is "Before/After". Both are made with my own hand dyed fabrics, which I love making!

More Than Skin Deep 2

More Than Skin Deep2 by Jeanne Marklin c.2011 Dimensions: 32" H x 54" Wide

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                                                          Detail of More Than Skin Deep2

Last summer, I posted a piece on the blog titled "More Than Skin Deep" that I had made for an art quilt exhibit on racism. The art quilts were exhibited at a conference on racism in Chicago. A staff member from the General Council on Religion and Race had attended the conference, and contacted me about buying the quilt. The exhibit was already scheduled to travel for the next year and a half, so I offered to make another piece that was similar, but they could choose the finished size. I received a commission to make a similar piece for the General Council on Religion and Race in Washington, DC.  They wanted a larger piece for the reception area of the organization, and I was thrilled to be asked to make a work that would represent an organization with the goal of raising consciousness about racism.

This was the first time that I needed to produce a piece with a similar design. I wasn't that happy with the first piece, but it had a deadline, and I had made the deadline. And it had led GCORR to contact me, so it was a good introduction to a new organization. I had been unhappy with the proportions in the first quilt, so I decided to make the background much more variable in sizes and shapes, and the black line, stronger. I think this piece is much stronger than the first one. Do you agree?

The piece was meant to represent the variety of skin colors in the human race, and the blood, and heart beat that we all share. The artist statement went something like this "Our skin is meant to protect us from the elements, but is a very small part of who we are. So many judgements and prejudices are made on the basis of skin color, that really have nothing to do with the human being within that skin. We need to look inside each other, to see the person within, what makes them tick, what their heart tells them. We have much in common." GCORR asked for an artist statement to frame and post near the art quilt so visitors can understand the meaning behind the work.

I was in the DC area and delivered the quilt to the organization. The staff all gathered for the "unveiling", and it was a warm, welcoming, and appreciative group. They made it a special time for me. It is gratifying when people who are "simpatico",  get the meaning of one of my art quilts, and want to share it with others. If I can influence anyone to be more open to connecting with others, the goal of the work will be reached!

Bird Photography - Audubon Awards

The Audubon Society Magazine has published their Annual Photography Awards. The photo's are stunning! They capture birds while feeding, hunting, resting (do they rest?) and mating. The photo's have exquisite composition and color. The photographer's must have been incredibly patient and observant to make the photo's. Any of these photo's could be an inspiration for art, using the colors, lines and texture of the birds.
Check out the photo's at the website: http://www.audubonmagazine.org/features1101/photoawards.html
There is a screensaver as well if you're a subscriber. The snowy owl with one wing across his head is my favorite - but the green-breasted mango (don't you love that name?) is gorgeous too. What's your favorite?

Get in line

"Get In Line" was created in response to an article on White Privilege. The quilt is the second piece in a series about Racism. The article is a thought provoking paper written about "White Privilege" by Peggy McIntosh. This paper is well known in the field of sociology. Read it here: http://www.nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf

The author lists the multiple ways a white person doesn't have to think about their race. Easy examples such as "will the drugstore carry hair, skin and make up for my race?" To more difficult ones, such as if "I moved into a new neighborhood, would my neighbors accept me, and maybe even welcome me?" and, "when I"m part of a group conversation, do I have to parse my words for fear that a statement will be taken as representative of my race, rather than my own experience?" It's a list of thought provoking questions about the unrecognized privileges that come with being White. 

Get In Line, Jeanne Marklin c. 2010, 40" H x 50" W. I dyed the fabrics, using the shibori pole wrapped method. The shadows are black tulle.  Click on the photo to make it larger.

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all!

It always takes me until December 15 or so to get into the Christmas swing. I love the Tony Bennett album "Snowfall", and that usually does the trick. My nephew got married on Dec. 18, and it was a beautiful wedding with Christmas decorations everywhere, shared by family and friends. Christmas has always meant family time to me - the presents are nice, but the best part is being with family.

The age old saying of Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all still applies!

New England Quilt Museum acceptance!

Great news in the mail today - I had two Art Quilts accepted for the SAQA sponsored "No Holds Barred" exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum. I'm very pleased and can't wait to see the full show. It opens in January, and will run through March. The museum prohibits artists from posting images of the quilts until the show opens, so I'll have to wait until January 20 to post photo's. http://nequiltmuseum.org

Matting Small Art Work

The New England members of SAQA are making donations for the New England Quilt Museum. The donations are all going to be 11 x 14, with the opening in the mat to be the option of the quilt artist.

My friend Fern Leslie mats and frames most of her work, and was generous enough to show me her method. The supplies are simple: purchased mat (the example is from Dick Blick), thread, small strip of archival sketchbook paper, double sided adhesive tape, and a small art quilt that will fit behind the opening.

Directions: Cut a thin strip of archival paper, slightly wider than the art quilt. Sew the top of the art quilt to the strip of paper. Place a piece of double sided tape on the back of the strip of paper. This way the fabric does not have tape on it.  Draw a line with pencil to guide you to taping the piece of paper to the back board of the mat. See below - the backing of this small art quilt is larger than the front, and the thin wool used for batting.

The art quilt sits better behind the mat if it doesn't have the bulk of a finished edge. Once the art quilt is taped to the back board of the matting, you can either put the double sided tape on the top edge of the mat board, or use a linen tape to hold the front mat board to the back. Be sure to sign your name on the front of the matboard, and include all information about the art on both the back of the art quilt, and the back of the mat board.

Doesn't this look great? Note Fern's signature on the mat, and how neat and finished the whole piece looks.