Gallery Presentation

On Sunday, June 10, I gave an informal talk at the McCree-Goudeau Gallery in Vallejo, where the 'Textiles and Tea' exhibit has been showing. Five of my quilts are hanging as part of the exhibit, and I was asked to talk about what I do, where I came from, and where I'm going with my art. I had an incredible turnout of my beautiful and supportive friends and fellow quilters, and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did! My sincere thanks to everyone who joined me. Special thanks to gallery owner, Jeannette, and to Nathell, who conceived and organized the show.

This is the gallery, at the corner of Marin and Florida Streets.

Talking about my early life and influences that sparked my quilting lust...

One of my first quilts - an Attic windows pattern featuring cats and roses. I loved the fabric, but was less than enthusiastic about making the same quilt block over and over... and over...

A mystery quilt from a class given by my quilt guild, The Vallejo Piecemakers, For a mystery quilt, participants are given specifications for fabric choices and are expected to do some pre-class cutting, but no one knows what the finished work will look like. It's qulte wonderful to watch the quilt develop before your eyes!

A 'Yellow Brick Road' pattern made from 1930 reproduction fabrics. Egads! These colors are SO not me... I can hardly believe I ever made this thing. Maybe that's why I never finished it!

This is more like it! Now I'm starting to seriously get into African Fabrics and improvised piecework... the niche I currently occupy, and have no intention of leaving! This piece is called 'Shaman' and is my first attempt at an African inspired art quilt. It's the one behind me in all of the pictures...

This is a piece from a class taught by Guatemalan quilt artist Priscilla Bianchi. It incorporates regular cotton fabrics, batiks, hand-dyed, and Guatemalan fabrics, and is the first time I (gasp!) mixed various textures of fabric in a single piece.

Here's a top waiting to be quilted. The actual quilting is a big job, and, while I enjoy the 'Zen' of the process, I prefer the design and piecing part of making a quilt, so I confess to having many unquilted tops, or UFOs (unfinished objects).

Two of my quiltlets from my 'Bug' series. Whimsical and fun. I expect to have seven or eight in the series.

Explaining the 'stitch-in-the-ditch' process...

My Piece de Resistance (so far)... 'Elephants, Leopards and Cheetahs, Oh, My!'

Some of my guests... Dale, Susan, Janet, donnio, Jeannette, Barbara and Nathell. Love you ladies!

My other quilts in this show...  'Elephants In the Mist'

'Freedom'

'Self Portrait'

'Fruit Loops'