Warped Milwaukee 2014 Fiber Arts Show

Here's my applique art quilt entry for the Warped Milwaukee 5th Annual Fiber Arts Exhibition at the Jazz Gallery, 926 E Center ST, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The theme is "Motif," and I tend to do a lot of Day of the Dead-themed art and have wanted to do a larger format (11 x 14" is large for me) fabric collage.  This is raw-edged applique with shapes being cut from my hand-painted fabric (except for the light blues which are commercial print colors) and heat-fused to a black background and then secured with free-motion machine quilting.  I like to use brightly colored variegated thread for the quilting.

The show opens Friday, November 14, 2014 with a reception from 6-9 p.m.and will be up through November 30. The gallery has limited hours but is generally open on Tuesday nights 6-8 p.m. (for live jazz sessions) and Saturdays 12-5 p.m. but also check the Jazz Gallery website for other events.  On the last weekend of the show, the gallery will be open Nov. 29-30, 2014 from 12-5 p.m. for the Crafters Marketplace, which I will also be participating in, where local artists will be selling handmade items, if you want to get your holiday shopping done!  Both events are organized by the ABK Weaving Center and coordinated by Susan Buss.

Participating fiber artists this year are Liala Samir Amin, Carolyn Brady (yours truly), Susan Buss, Shayla Clements, Taylor Easton, Sarah Eichhorn, Jan Falk, Andrea Havens, Katie Haws, Brittany Kieler, Carley Knight, Susan Knorr, Mel Kolstad, Judy Larsen, Shannon Molter, Jane Moore, Alonzo Pantoja, Jill Pitterle, Lori Pruessing, Maggie Sasso, Maikue Vang, Sarah Westphalen, Nicole Woltman, and Josephine Yanasak.

Work in Progress for Upcoming Shows

As it has been some months since my last post, here's an update on a few things I've been working on.  You can also "Like" my Facebook page, as I am somewhat better about posting little updates and photos there. (Somewhat!)

 I'm submitting work for two shows this fall and also participating in the Crafters Marketplace again.

Opening first is "Books Unbound II," the second show by the Binders Guild book arts group. (The first show was in 2010, and you can see photos here.) This year's show will be up November 9-30, 2014 at the Marian Gallery on the Mount Mary University campus in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The book on the far left in the announcement above is one of my books, and I will try to post more photos in a future blog post. UPDATED:  Also see my Books Unbound II Flickr set here

Each participant is also doing a 12 x 12 inch canvas for the show, and this is mine:

I'm also planning to participate in the annual Warped Milwaukee fiber arts show again this year and am working on my submission this month (as the application is due October 31!), and you can see a sneak peek here:

The fiber arts exhibit will be up from November 14-30, 2014 in the Jazz Gallery, 926 E Center ST, Milwaukee, and on the last two days of the show November 29-30, 2014 (the weekend after Thanksgiving), I will also be in the Crafters Marketplace there as well. If you're interested in participating in the Warped Milwaukee show or the Crafters Marketplace, here is the overview. (You may have to click on the image to enlarge it to a more readable size.)

You can also find the info and the links for the separate applications for both the fiber art exhibit and Crafters Marketplace on the ABK Weaving Center blog and the Warped Milwaukee Facebook page or Google+ page.

So even though I have not been blogging, I have been busy!

Warped Milwaukee 2013 Artists & Hours

Following up on my last post about the 2013 Warped Milwaukee 4th Annual Fiber Arts Exhibition, if you don't live in the Milwaukee area, you can currently see a slide show of the exhibit on the Riverwest Artists Association website here. The Jazz Gallery is located at 926 E. Center Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Participating artists in alphabetical order are Carolyn Brady (yours truly), Susan Buss, Elizabeth Carr, Taylor Easton, Jill Engel-Miller, Jan Falk, Darlene Hagopian, Katie Haws, Judy Kabriel, Mel Kolstad, Peter McMasters, Jane Moore, Mary Rutkowski, Phyllis Schlessinger, Jennifer Nicole Triolo, Maikue Vang, Nicole Werner, and NicoleWoltman.

Big shout out to Harmonie Baker for organizing this exhibit! Read more about the great work she's doing running an afterschool fiber arts program for Milwaukee school kids here.

And here's an updated listing of upcoming times when the Jazz Gallery will be open, and you can also find the gallery calendar on the RAA website.

Sun. Nov 24th, 12-5 pm
Tues. Nov 26th, 7-9 pm Live Jazz Jam
Fri. Nov 29th, 12-5 pm
Sat. Nov 30th,  12-5 pm (Artist Gathering) and 7-9 pm (Live Jazz)
Sun. Dec 1, 11 am-4pm -Winter Farmers’ Market
Tues. Dec 3rd, 7-9 pm Live Jazz Jam
Thu. Dec. 5th, 5-8 pm
Fri. Dec. 6th, 5-8 pm

Some art may still be up Dec 7-8, 2013 as artists will be picking up their work that weekend, and the gallery will be open for the ABK Weaving Center's Crafter's Marketplace (Sat Dec 7 from 10-5 and Sun Dec 8 from 12-5).  You can do your holiday shopping and may be run into some of the artists as well.  If you are interested in participating in the Crafter's Marketplace, they are accepting applications through December 1, 2013.

Please note that the Jazz Gallery is dependent on volunteers to keep the doors open, and the above schedule may be subject to change. There is a suggested $5 cover for the Saturday night Jazz Series. Otherwise admission is free, but donations to the Riverwest Artists Association are appreciated.

Warped Milwaukee 2013

Can you believe it's November already? Time for Warped Milwaukee's Annual Fiber Arts Exhibition! I have two pieces in the show, which opens this evening, November 9, 2013 at the Jazz Gallery, 926 E Center ST, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and will be up through December 7, 2013. Above is a sneak peek detail of my art quilt "Three Sunflowers" from the show.

Because the Jazz Gallery relies on volunteers to keep the doors open, the gallery schedule will vary, and I'll post the open times when I know more, but it will generally be open Saturdays 12-5 and Tuesdays 6-9 pm with additional hours expected on Sunday afternoons depending on volunteer availability. (On Tuesday nights they have live jazz.)

On the weekend of December 7 -8, 2013, I'll also be participating in the associated Crafter's Marketplace at the Jazz Gallery selling handmade goodies in time for your holiday shopping. A percentage of the sales benefits the ABK Weaving Center.

The Facebook event page for the Warped Milwaukee show is here. More information about Crafters Marketplace is here

UPDATED 11/15/13 Here is the Jazz Gallery schedule showing various times when it will be open for jazz concerts, winter farmers' market etc. Warped Milwaukee volunteers will also be gallery sitting from 12-5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays when the gallery is not already open for another event as well as Nov 29, the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Crochet Cthulhu and Other Yarn Craziness

I didn't mean to start crocheting again, but last year in one of my half-hearted attempts to clean and organize, I pulled out the box labeled "Knit & Crochet supplies" and thought I should get rid of this because I haven't knitted or crocheted in years. Then next thing I know I'm reading books on crochet flowers and amigurumi and then I'm pinning hat patterns on Pinterest and buying more yarn. My rationalization is that I needed to make things to sell for the MARN Artibles and Warped Milwaukee holiday craft shows, of course... The nice thing about crochet is that small projects are easy to carry around and work on in my spare time.

I had made a crochet Cthulhu as a (belated) Christmas present for my dear big brother, starting with the pattern posted on the Cthulhu Crochet blog but adding more rows and stitches to get the shape I wanted. Then some of my brother's co-workers also wanted Cthulhus (see above line up & what is the plural of Cthulhu?). Apparently they have "Take your Cthulhu to work" day there. If you're interested in a basic Cthulhu, check out my Etsy shop. Not satisfied with that original pattern, I also decided to add some legs and a tail, so I now have a deluxe Cthulhu available as well.

I was also looking for a fun hat pattern and found this design by Leslie Nelle-Urinyi of Wool Mountain Studio on Etsy. I made this hat to donate to the Southeast Wisconsin Alzheimer's Association fundraiser this spring as they had a wearable art auction.

So obviously that box of knit and crochet supplies did not go away. If I am a better blogger this summer, I'll take some photos of the experiments in yarn made from old t-shirts....

Warped Milwaukee Fiber Arts Show

I am happy to have my three quilted house squares selected for the 3rd Annual Warped Milwaukee Fiber Arts show organized by the ABK Weaving Center and opening tonight at 6 p.m at the Riverwest Artist Association's Jazz Gallery, 926 E. Center Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The gallery hours are Saturdays from 12-5 p.m. and Tuesday nights from 6-9 p.m. (with live jazz on Tuesdays). There may be additional Sunday hours depending on volunteer availability. And on the last weekend of the show, Sat-Sun Dec 1 & 2 the gallery will be open 12-5 with handmade items available for sale from the show's participants.
[Update: Here is the current gallery schedule as of 11/11/2012.]

I won't be able to attend tonight's opening as I will be at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival for the premiere of the short western that my husband worked on (and which I participated in last spring when they filmed in South Dakota). But if you are in Milwaukee on Nov. 24, 2012, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, to do your shopping at Art Vs. Craft, then swing on up to Riverwest to stop by the Jazz Gallery between 12-5 to say hi to me.

I hope those are enough links to keep you entertained and make up for my not writing a blog post in over a month!

Art Marathon - Finish Line!

Made it to the finish line of the Cream City Illustrators Art Marathon by completing 26.2 works of art in 30 days.

  

  

For my fractional portion, I counted the pieced and quilted background, part of which became an experimental 3-D fabric house ornament. After free-motion quilting, I used some fabric paint and stencils to even out the patchwork a bit.

 

There's actually slightly more than 26.2 things in the Flickr set here.

More Art Marathon fiber art

This past week I've been doing some fiber art for the Cream City Illustrators Art Marathon, including some fabric collage ATCs:
 
I finished a crochet poppy pattern from the book Crochet Bouquet and did my variation on a jellyfish pattern from Amigurumi Toy Box

When I started the amigurumi jellyfish, it looked like a little Rastafarian hat so it is now known as the Rastafarian jelly fish....

I also finished these wee quilted houses, which may eventually end up in my Etsy shop.
 
You can see all my marathon art in my Flickr set here.

Art Marathon!

I'm participating in the Cream City Illustrators Art Marathon, which challenges you to make 26.2 works of art in 30 days from June 14-July 14, 2012. I've primarily been doing ATCs (of course), and here are some of my favorite ones so far.

Day #4 - Jellyfish (fabric collage)

  

Day #5 - Bird of Paradise

  

 Day #8 - Amigurumi Bear

  

Day #11 - Alone

  

You can see the full set to date on Flickr. Also check out what other participants have posted on the Cream City Illustrators blog.

Warped Milwaukee Fiber Art Show

I'm in a fiber arts show! If you're in the Milwaukee area, check out the Warped Milwaukee show at the Jazz Gallery, 926 E. Center Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, presented by the ABK Weaving Center and Riverwest Artists Association. The other participants are Harmonie Baker, Ellie Brooks-Derzay, Pame Bueno, Susan Buss, Taylor Easton, Jan Falk, Kari Garon, Betsy Hoover, Kathleen Hughes, Mel Kolstad, Shannon Molter, Jane Moore, and Stephanie Ponto. The show is up through December 4, 2011, and the gallery is open Saturdays 12-5 p.m. with other dates to be announced.

There are some stunning pieces on display, including this giant wing by Stephanie Ponto:

and these printed pouches by Susan Buss, entitled "Not Just a Bunch of Old Bags."

My friend Mel has a cool mixed media piece combining embroidery with vintage anatomy illustrations:

I have one of my mini Dia de los Muertos art quilts "Amigos" on display:
.
You can see some more photos on Flickr.