Category: Art

SAQA Auction: Susan Lenz

The last 5 years, I’ve made an effort to buy one piece from the SAQA Auction in September. They’re all about 12″ square, so they’re easy to hang around the house, and they’re affordable if you’re willing to wait (and possibly lose the piece because you waited too long for the auction to come down in price). This year, there were (as always) a couple of pieces that caught my interest…I ended up buying Susan Lenz’s grave rubbing…

Death of Desire. It’s a grave rubbing on silk, which is even nicer in person than it is in the photos. It’s been quilted and hand-stitched around the edges. The girlchild expressed interest (uh oh). The back is also interesting…

with the information about whose grave it was from, and the addition of doily tatting in a 9-patch pattern.

Now I just have to hang it…before the girlchild wanders off with it.

I’ve been reading Susan’s blog for a long time, and have always been interested in her use of antique fabrics and graves, as well as her work in the Decision Portraits, so I’m pleased to own a piece of hers. She has a piece in my curated exhibit I’m Not Crazy and is a Quilt National 2013 exhibitor, so if all goes well, I should meet her in May.

Hellooo Quilt National!

Well, finally. I have gotten into Quilt National 2013, and I’m in Quilt Visions 2012. Now I can stop making art. I have accomplished my two goals and there is nothing left to do. It was nice knowing y’all…I’m going to move on to something else.

…

Yeah. Right. Because I don’t have 1700 quilts still clamoring around my head to be made. Because I haven’t been an artist since the day I was conceived (sorry mom, dad…I know it wasn’t necessarily something you planned.). Because it’s not in my blood, my heart, my brain, my…well…probably uterus. Home of all creation, right? Well, this is the creation I’ve been working on since very early on, and I’m unlikely to stop now.

Do I have permission to buy more fabric?

It is a strange feeling, though. I had convinced myself again that all the acceptances had gone out yesterday, per the calendar, and that I was just waiting on rejections. I got the email about 20 minutes before school started. I called the boyfriend, who wasn’t even awake. I called my mom during my prep, and she’s already calendared the opening. I emailed the ex to save the weekend now, before he plans another trip to Vegas. I danced around the house for my kids, who are of course supremely annoyed by me and confused by my art, all at the same time.

Here are all the accepted artists, an interesting list to say the least. I’m looking forward to seeing quite a few of them in Athens. Woo hoo!

Art Quilt Portfolio: People and Portraits

Exciting! Martha Sielman’s new Art Quilt Portfolio is up for pre-order on Amazon here.

That’s one of Maria Elkins‘ pieces on the cover, Windblown…I’ve seen it in real life and it’s gorgeous. I know that Sherry Davis Kleinman is one of the featured artists, as am I, so I’m really looking forward to seeing it. Unfortunately, it’s not due to release until April 2013, so we will have to patiently wait. The copy states that there are 21 featured artists and the works of more than 100 other artists included in the book, all focused on People and Portraits. Sielman’s previous book in this series, The Natural World, is absolutely beautiful and inspiring…

so I think this one will be too.