FASA chose the Arizona Historical Society as the site of the world’s first quilt bomb because it is co-hosting the exhibition ‘One Hundred Years, One Hundred Quilts’ with the Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame as part of the state centennial celebrations.  A reception for the quilters was held this morning and was virtually a ‘Who’s Who’ of Arizona quilters.  You can see the exhibition through the end of 2012.

The work of  FASA artists has roots in the quilting tradition, and we thought it was a great way to honor our past and celebrate the state of today’s art quilt.  People who come to the exhibition can see that quilts can come off the bed, off the walls, and even onto the trees!

FASA is Barbara Hall, Trisha Hastings-Sargent, Joanne Krawchuk, Sandy Lambert, Sharon Nemirov, Aimee Smythe, Peggie Thomas, Mary Vaneecke and Kay Wild.

UPDATE:  The Arizona Historical Society has offered to make the quilt bomb a part of the exhibition’s history….Needless to say, we are thrilled.  The installation will be removed on Monday, February 27.

Photos follow.  Please share this link with all your quilt/fiber art friends….

World's First Quilt Bomb, Tucson, AZ, February 18, 2012.

World's First Quilt Bomb, Tucson, AZ, February 18, 2012.

A long view of the quilt bomb. A total of nine pieces were installed.

Aimee Smythe's colorful piece.

Viewers are asked to write their own inspirational words and attach them to the work.

Barbara Hall installed prayer flags of quilt blocks she made during her mother's final illness.

Joanne Krawchuk used several experimental pieces for her installation.

Kay Wild's festive contribution to the quilt bomb.

I used a hand-dyed, painted piece from my 'Samaras' series.

Peggie Thomas' work includes rust dyeing and some of her ranching family's brands.

Sandy Lambert's 'Bird House' installation includes a string of charming felt birds.

Bird House, detail

Sharon Nemirov's piece is 20 feet long, hand-painted and machine stitched with messages like 'Embellish Our World."

Trisha Hastings-Sargent's installation is inspired by the color palette of her stitched landscapes.

I recently sold a very dark work I call The Fabric of Our Community After January 8.  It is a piece I created believing no one would ever purchase, but one I needed to make all the same.  I tried to evoke the despair I felt for the victims and my hometown that day and in the aftermath of the Tucson shootings.  I completed the work within 3 weeks of the tragedy.  Because  made the piece so soon after the event, there are no rainbows or happy transformational symbolism in the work, just the delicate golden husks of a few Indonesian silk cocoons. The work was spotted on my website by a collector and now hangs in his corporate offices.

Over the holidays, I purchased two works I have had my eye on for some time.  Aspen and Copse are both by my friend C.J. Shane, who is known for her abstracted ‘big sky’ landscapes.  They would perfectly fill some corner wall space that had long been empty in my home.  The sizes and colors are terrific for the space.  The pieces themselves were soothing–the yellows appear to glow softly against the blues.  I will see them every day and wanted something calm and tranquil.  They remind me of Hart Prairie in northern Arizona, which has a large aspen clone in a meadow below Mt. Humphreys.  I love the way they looked when installed (see below).  The fact that I know Shane, like her work, and want to support it is ‘icing on the cake.’

I suspect the answer to my question has as many variables as there are art purchases, but I’ll ask anyway:  why did you buy a particular piece of art?  Was it the theme? Color? Size? Subject matter? Medium?  Did you buy it as part of a charity fundraiser?  If you are an artist, tell me why you think people buy your work.

'Copse' (left) and 'Aspen' (right) by C.J. Shane

'Copse' and 'Aspen' installed

This year I will move my studio for the weekend to Flux Gallery in Plaza Palomino at Swan and Ft. Lowell.  Artists Lee Beech and Sheryl Holland will also be there.  It will be lots of fun.  Hope to see you there.

Shibori Chic scarves hang in the studio.

Shibori Chic: before

and after:

Shibori Chic scarves ready for gift-giving.

That is my favorite part.  There is always a happy surprise or two. Here is a little bit of what I have created over the last few days….

Hand-dyed rayon in 'celery'

Hand-dyed 'turquoise' linen

Shibori hand-dyed rayon

Can’t wait to get these puppies into some artwork!