Tag: art quilts

No Censorship at THIS quilt show!

The Tucson Quilters Guild Quilt Fiesta! 2017 is all over, but this one was even more interesting that usual for me. One of the show co-chairs confided in me that my entry Abuela Reads the Headlines caused some controversy at the quilt show.  Apparently at least two people asked that it be removed from the show show.  Here is a pic of the piece:

quilt by Mary Vaneecke
Abuela Reads the Headlines, 55” x 84”

I believe the controversial part is the 2015 headlines from mainstream media that appear on the quilt.  They are:

U.S. looks to detain more mother, child migrants, sometimes for months

 

Judge blasts ICE, says immigrant children, parents in detention centers should be released

 

Border detention of children shames America

And, what is for me, the kicker:

Cribs replace bunks at new immigrant detention center

But my quilt was not the only one to cause a stir.  My friend Sandy Lambert had an incredible piece called ‘Lest We Forget.’  It is entirely hand quilted and embroidered with quotations by Republican presidential candidates, along with tombstones with the various dates of their campaigns’ demise.

quilt by Sandy Lambert
Lest We Forget, by Sandy Lambert.

 

Lest We Forget, by Sandy Lambert, detail.

 

Lest We Forget, by Sandy Lambert, detail

Several people confronted the show co-chair, Reilly Zoda and asked (perhaps demanded?) that the quilts be removed from the show due to their political content.  She said that there was a Quilt of Valor at the show (and that was a political quilt), and a patriotic Baltimore Album quilt, and that was political, and if the show was going to censor political quilts, they would have to take them all down.  What a brilliant response.

I am so proud that the show chairs refused to remove the ‘offending’ quilts.   They were courageous in refusing to censor free expression at the show.  We all know women have long expressed their hopes, dreams, and political beliefs in quilts, and the Tucson Quilters’ Guild honored that part of our tradition this weekend.  The actions of the TQG stand in stark contrast the actions of the AQS over a quilt by Kathy Nida.  (If you are unfamiliar with the case, google it, or click here, here, and here.)

Our foremothers would be proud!

I am holding my breath, however.  I fear that this will be a hot topic at the next board meeting, and there may be a new policy in place for next year….  I will keep you posted.

I know from experience that the guild will hear 10 negative comments for each positive one.  If you agree with their decision to allow ‘political’ quilts in the show, please let them know!

A Wild Winter Whirlwind

A Wild Winter Whirlwind

Wild and WonderfulIt has been a busy winter in the studio and a lot has happened since Wild and Wonderful 3-D Quilts debuted at Houston Quilt Festival last fall.

  • For starters, Brewer Sewing is now distributing the book to quilt shops.  Ask for it at your local quilt shop.
  • Individuals can buy the book from me at Amazon.com for the full $14.99 sticker price. (click here for more information)  I want to support local quilt shops and won’t undercut their prices online.
  • The National Quilting Association’s Quilting Quarterly will publish its book review this spring.
  • I hope to bring my 3-D quilting classes online later this summer. Stay tuned for details.
  • My friend Lea McComas and I are making plans to promote our books  at Houston Quilt Festival again this year.  It’s a Jungle Out There will be touring with the Studio Art Quilt Associates Wild Fabrications show, and Houston will be the first stop on the tour.
  • The National Quilting Association’s Quilting Quarterly will review my book in its next issue.  How cool is that?

Last but not least, I am going to the Chicago Quilt Festival this month to demonstrate my techniques at the free Open Studios booths on Thursday, March 26, and Saturday, March 28. Superior Threads will be selling Wild and Wonderful 3-D Quilts at the show, along with all their gorgeous threads.

Will I see you there?

What I did on my summer ‘vacation’

What I did on my summer ‘vacation’

Yeah, I know, I have not posted much here lately.  I was travelling.  And writing a book.  And working my fingers madly to the bone to finish some work for upcoming shows.

Book? You ask.  Yep.  When my 3-D monkey quilt was accepted in Quilt Festival at Houston this year, I realized that up 50,000 people are going to see that sucker.  And it was the most fun I have ever had making a quilt.  You know how you try something on a piece, but you are not sure it’s going to work?  And then you see, once it’s done, that it doesn’t work, and you have to try something to fix it?  That didn’t happen with this quilt.  It was one long, fun process from start to finish.  The quilt just makes me smile.  I wanted to share that with my quilting students.

I’d been toying with the idea of writing a book.  My friend Lea McComas was in the process of writing her thread painting book.   I decided to jump in with her and go for it.  We will be taking our respective tomes to Houston Market and Festival.  My Wild and Wonderful 3-D Quilts is in the final editing stage and will go to the graphic designer, my friend Janet Windsor soon.  More on that later.

For now, I leave you with some detail shots of 2 pieces that I recently finished.  For now, back to the quilt pile.

Weaving Traditions, detail
Weaving Traditions, detail
New Wave, detail
New Wave, detail

 

Open Studio Tour a Fiber Art Extravaganza! November 10th and 11th

Join me and five of my fiber artist friends when we move our studios to a convenient location at 3231 N. Craycroft (St. Gregory’s School near River Rd.) for the Tucson Pima Arts Council’s Open Studio Tour 2012.

Meet all 6 artists in one place and see how we work:  thread painting, handwork, machine stitching, dyeing and painting fabric…  The tour is Saturday and Sunday, November 10th and 11th from 11 am—5 pm each day.

I am working on some small, matted pieces suitable for framing, as well as my Shibori Chic clothing line (this time with dyed silk scarves as well as the discharged/painted black ones!)….  Stay tuned for photos as the work progresses….

These wonderful fiber artists will be joining me:

  Trish Hastings-Sargent

Joanne Krawchuk

Aimee Smythe

Peggie Thomas

Kay Wild

‘Samaras Really Do Grow On Trees,’ 29” x 29”