Thursday, October 30, 2014

End of season approaching

On Monday I returned home from Veldhoven, Netherlands. A long drive, and bringing back more fabrics than I had hoped. But it was an interesting experience, and it will be interesting to see how the planned change of location to Maastricht, beginning next year, will influence the set-up of the visitors. I won’t be there next year, as the date coincides with the IQF in Houston, which I plan to attend for the first time, but I am scheduled to have a solo exhibition in Maastricht in two years. It might well be worth a second attempt with taking the fabrics.
Since my return it has been ugly grey and cold, the typical November-weather which I loathe, although it hasn’t affected me as badly yet as it has before. I spent some time time unpacking the car, getting myself ready to be back – there is only one more trip with teaching this year, then the year’s traveling for work is done.
Have not really cleared up my studio yet, and haven’t got started on all the projects which I thought I would take up immediately after my return – it seems I needed a bit of a break. The only sewing I have been doing was a cuddly blanket for my son, nothing with any art assumption. 


Practised the piano quite a bit, thinking I would have my next lesson next week, but received a surprise text message today and had a lesson this afternoon.
My son came back from camp this afternoon, too, and we will go off to visit my parents tomorrow, before school starts back on Monday.
Today I found an article in the local newspaper that one of the environmental organizations is starting a project mapping old trees, and I have just entered both ‘my’ Daily Art trees – Daily Oak from three years ago, and this year’s Linden tree, of which I have been posting photos on my German blog.

Just a few nice and quiet days of relaxing! Including plans - it is now settled that in July I will have an exhibition in a small local church with a Bauhaus connection through its architect, Otto Bartning. The (protestant) church is part of a series of churches he designed and built after World War II, which was supposed to give the many refugees a religious space. As a matter of fact, the overall body of these churches might become UNESCO Heritage Site, at least an application is currently under consideration.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

1000 Quilt Inspirations

A few days ago I received notification that just in time for the International Quilt Festival in Houston the book “1000 Quilt Inspirations” has been published. I am in it – and although it is not my style to sound the bell loudly about something that I myself haven’t seen for real, I wanted to announce it here. In case anybody is in Houston this year – this weekend – now – you have the chance to buy it there as editor Sandra Sider is going to be there.
This is what the book cover looks like.


Here is the official book description:

As one of the core, traditional crafts, quilting is enjoyed by countless enthusiasts around the world - and its popularity is only growing. This collection of one thousand quilt DETAILS builds upon this interest, showcasing some of today's most innovative and beautiful WORK. See how others utilize color and design elements to craft creative pieces. Gain inspiration from their variations and intricate techniques. Maybe even CONSTRUCT your own original quilts. Whether YOU ARE a quilter or a collector, a craft-lover or an art enthusiast, 1000 Quilt Inspirations is sure to inspire your admiration and appreciation of the art of quilting. It's also likely to get you itching for some fabrics of your own!

And in case you can’t make it to Houston to get your own copy, here is a buy link to the publisher's site.



I will have to find a place where I can get it in Europe...

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Heading for Veldhoven

Having been to markets with my fabrics several times now I thought I had developed a certain routine. I felt safe, because, after all, I know what to do! Feeling safe is dangerous, though. Especially if you leave too many things until the last minute. This includes buying new (light) tables for my stall, which the supporting quilter wanted to have a say in, but he was away on Monday, so it had to be done on Tuesday. It also includes wrapping 58 new colours onto cardboards for presentation, which my expert wrapping assistant Hildegard could only do on Tuesday. 




And then I realized that some of my boxes which had been bought for transport of fabrics had been taking on lives of their own and needed to be emptied... And many other things, which I won’t go into exact detail about.

But I made it.  
The new tables changed my packing of the car, but fit in well. 


The huge storm during the night was ‘over’ in that there were only many rain showers on the way, gusty winds to deal with (I could now point to several suitable locations for wind mills along the German autobahn!). 


I left 45 minutes later than I had planned, caught the morning traffic jam and a following extensive detour right at the beginning of my trip, and then there was one road construction site following the other. And then I had not realized how difficult a city like Cologne could be to get around – on the right number of autobahn I mean.
After 760 kms, exactly one hour before the closing of the halls for the night I arrived at the venue, and managed to set up my tables and the wooden holders for the fabrics.


Fine tuning will have to be done tomorrow, between eight and ten. I am pretty sure I will sleep safe and sound tonight!

My stall is no. 23 – if you find me here during the next four days, and tell me how many kilometres I drove to get here, you will get any fabrics you buy for the pre-Oct.-15th-price of €19/m! Looking forward to seeing you here in Veldhoven.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

High Noon

1 - slab figures 

2 - found art

3 - last day out on the lake
4 - planning for spring

5 - through the windshield, waiting at a construction site traffic light

6 - late bloomers, just about to open up

7 - los palabres del día

8 - making apple strudel
9 - late bloomers, feeding the bees
(which is the reason why I let them be in the garden)

10 - take a guess: which one did I buy for my son?

11 - Andreas, supporting quilter husband, and Gabi-Julia Weimer,
while hanging the exhibition in Alfeld

12 - official opening

13 - back in Bavaria

14 - el eléfanto de mi profesora en espanol (I am fully aware that the n 
needs the little twiggle on it, but I don't know how to get it 
on my German computer keyboard...)

15 - in a little Italian style eatery

Monday, October 13, 2014

Exhibition „Inspiration Bauhaus – textile art“ in Alfeld

Saturday was a beautifully warm and sunny day in Alfeld, somewhat south-west of Hanover, Germany. But I did not really get to see much of the sun that day. We – Mary Schliestedt, Gabi-Julia Weimer, both their husbands and I (my husband’s kind of help was the child-minding at home!) – spent almost eight hours downstairs in the basement of Fagus Werk, hanging our exhibition. Fagus Werk, a factory for shoe lasts, was the first building planned and executed by Walter Gropius after setting up as an architect in 1911. It has been beautifully restored for its centennial, and was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage title. In one part of the building, which houses an exhibition on the history of the building, art exhibitions are also possible. 


Because of the Bauhaus association of the building, we had chosen the title “Inspiration Bauhaus – textile art” for our joint exhibition, and have spent the better part of one and a half years working towards this date.


Mary’s husband, who had never hung an exhibition before, seemed rather surprised on Friday evening when I tried to tell him that his expectation that we would be finished by noon was highly amibitious... The decisions of where to place the almost eighty pieces that are on display were taken by just before one o’clock. But it took all afternoon after the lunchbreach to finish the fine-tuning of lights, straightening the quilts, determining the distances, putting up the signs with information.
Thanks to the tall men and the fact that the ceilings in this unique kind of venue were on the lower side saved us a number of trips up the ladder - two more worthy candidates for the title "supporting quilter husband".


The janitor of Fagus Werk, Mr. Dogan, was a very considerate and patient helper, too. He adjusted all the lights for best illumination, even suggested some changes in arrangements.


In the evening, we had a cohesive and beautiful exhibition on the walls.









And on late Sunday morning, the guests arrived.



A local politician came up to me after my brief introductory talk, 


in which I mentioned the position and role of many of the female Bauhaus students, and congratulated me on stressing this fact. She thought probably most of the attending visitors were highly surprised that there had been female students at Bauhaus at all!

I left Alfeld in the afternoon, after once again looking at this inspiring building. The site has a slightly magic feel to it, I think. 


I am really happy with our exhibition there.
It will be on display until December 19, open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Inspirational Pictures of Fall

Every year, again: amazement at the color of the Gingko tree

Early appearances this year: spider webs, beaded 

Last visit to the boat this year: reflections on the lake

I did not go swimming...

Looking across fields

Funghi studies

Funghi studies II

Looking across fields II

Just after sunrise 

Almost bare

Contrast

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Finished. My last quilt.

A good hour ago I put the last and finishing stitches into my last quilt - for the exhibition that is opening a week from today.

No.25 in the series "Shapes"

It is one out of five 16 x 16" quilts that I had to make for this exhibition, and had started like this:



(In fact, it is number six, as I decided that I did not like the first one well enough to show it like it is - it will be re-sized, and then find a place to be shown somewhere else.) By now I have pretty much mastered putting a finishing edge around a quilt that is to be  mounted on a frame. Could do more of those. But I won't do Shapes for a little while, so many other ideas floating in my head, pieces to be finished...
I have four full days before I leave for Alfeld, and need to sort out the hanging rods, print the labels to go on the walls - I am not finished, I know. For example, three of the little ones need to be mounted onto the frames yet.



But no more sewing for this exhibition. Feels good!

The opening in on Sunday, October 12, at 11:30 a.m., at Fagus Werk in Alfeld, Germany. Anybody who is in the area is cordially invited - would love to see you there!