Finding Your Voice

I’ve mentioned Art with a Needle, the relatively new blog by Kathy Loomis before but I feel compelled to mention it again. Kathy is writing a series of posts about the process of finding your artistic voice and, to me at least, many of her observations seem right on target.

Australia Wide Two: Call for Entries

Following the success of Australia Wide, Ozquilt Network Inc is inviting members to submit quilts for consideration for Australia Wide Two, the second travelling exhibition organised by Ozquilt Network Inc. Australia Wide Two will be launched at an exhibition at the Fairfield City Museum & Gallery from 22 October to 5 December 2010 and as a virtual exhibition on the Ozquilt Network Inc. website. The quilts will then tour until 30 June 2012.

The exhibition is designed to
- Showcase the talents of Ozquilt Network members
- Introduce members’ quilts to a wider audience
- Demonstrate the scope and variety of art quiltmaking
- Publicise Ozquilt Network Inc.

Entry is only open to paid up members of Ozquilt Network Inc. The Ozquilt Network membership year runs from 1 April -31 March. Accordingly, NOW is a great time to join Ozquilt Network or to renew your membership. See the membership page to download an application form. The annual subscription is $30 and may be paid by cheque or EFT.

Embellish a Bag Challenge

Looking through my copy of the new magazine Down Under Textiles, I see that the magazine is sponsoring an “Embellish a Bag” challenge in conjunction with the Textile Art Festival in Brisbane, 25-27 June 2010. All you have to do is make a piece of textile art – approximately A3 in size – then turn it into a gorgeous bag following DUT’s easy instructions and using some elegant handles that are included in the $30 entry fee. All entries will be displayed at the Textile Art Festival.

The theme is “Flights of Fancy” anad you could win $500! See the Embellish a Bag entry form (400KB PDF) for further information.

From the bolt

I have three sisters - none of them are quilters as such (although Amy once made this baby quilt) but all of them are supportive and enthusiastic about my work and often send me links to events or articles that catch their eye. That is how I found out about Bolt of Cloth who stock beautiful home decorating fabrics including some local design talents from Australia and New Zealand such as Bird Textiles, Ingrid Anderson, Bianca van Meeuwen and Lara Cameron.

And if you are itching to design and print some fabric of your own, I can recommend the Prints Charming Screenprinting Workshops. Here’s the quilt top I made at a Prints Charming workshop last year. I’d love to return and work with some more abstract motifs:

Remember the AP&Q AQC Challenge!

In 2010, my quilt Magic Carpet travelled all over Australia as part of the AP&Q AQC Fantasy exhibtion.

The AP&Q AQC challenge is a wonderful opportunity to share your contemporary or traditional designs and I encourage Australian readers to enter this challenge in 2010.The theme is “Remember”. Prizes are awarded based on the interpretation of theme, excellence in design, and craftsmanship.

• FIRST PRIZE: $5,000 cash
• RUNNER-UP PRIZE: $2,000 cash
• AGE 18 AND UNDER ENTRANT PRIZE: $500 cash

Each work must measure a minimum of 100cm (39 1/2in) on each side up to a maximum of 150cm (59in). The participating quilts must be available for eight months, from April 2010 to November 2010 and will be exhibited at the Australasian Quilt Convention, Melbourne April 29 – May 2, 2010 and selected Craft & Quilt Fairs around Australia and in New Zealand. Download the entry form. Remember - completed entry forms must be postmarked no later than 10 February 2010!

Bid-4A-Cause Auction Starts Today

The Bid-4A-Cause reverse auction starts today at 10am. Fourteen unique, A4 textile works are available for you to add to your collection. All funds raised are donated to the National Breast Council Foundation. Your support is gratefully appreciated.

My contribution is Roseus Goddessii:

“Roseus Goddessii” comes in all shapes and sizes. This piece includes eleven fine lines – ten pale pink and one deep pink – to represent that one in eleven women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 75.

Bid-4A-Cause Auction Starts 27 November

It’s time! Get ready to support the Bid-4A-Cause fund raising activities for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. On Friday 27 November (Australian time), the reverse auction will begin, so please help spread the word to all your friends.

There are 14 unique A4-sized textile artworks available including Roseus Goddessii by me. All money raised will be sent to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. There are no administration or artist’s fees, so every cent you spend will go to this extremely important and worthwhile charity.

Go to Bid-4A-Cause to read more and to see photos of the textile pieces. Don’t forget - bidding starts on Friday!

A New Look Coming

Behinds the scenes here at the Serendipity Studio, I am undertaking a revamp of my logo and associated promotional materials. My current banner, prepared by my brother many years ago, is bright and cheery and has served me well but a new look is quite overdue. It’s exciting to consider all of the possibilities and I look forward to sharing more with you in the new year.

Meanwhile, Candy Glendening has recently conducted her own branding makeover with stunning results and this week she launched her attractive new website - www.candiedfabrics.com. Not only is her site clear and easy to navigate, you have the opportunity to win one of Candy’s beautiful creations in her welcome giveaway. Treat yourself, check it out!

Roseus Goddessii

The textile works for Bid-4A-Cause are starting to appear online. They will be auctioned to raise funds for breast cancer research. My contribution is Roseus Goddessii:

“Roseus Goddessii” comes in all shapes and sizes. This piece includes eleven fine lines – ten pale pink and one deep pink – to represent that one in eleven women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 75.

AMQAS 2009

If you are in Brisbane this weekend 26 and 27 September, you might like to skip to the inaugural Australian Machine Quilting Association Show at the Auditorium Eventide, Beaconsfield Tce, Brighton for a machine quilting showcase. The show is arranged by the Australian Machine Quilting Association and includes entries from domestic and commercial quilters from across the country in five categories:

• CUSTOM – HEIRLOOM/TRADITIONAL:Machine quilted to imitate the customary techniques of our ancestors. Techniques might include, SID; block motifs; feathers; coordinated border designs; crossıhatching or gridıwork as well as continuous curves, wavy lines, outline stitching etc. No embellishments such as metallic threads, fibres, fringe, crystals or painting, etc will be permitted in this category.
• MASTER QUILTER:Quilts which have won a best of show, or first in its category at any Australian State Guild Show or Internationally recognized quilting show are eligible to enter this category. Open to any size and any
  technique.
• ART/PICTORIAL:Involving thread play and/or a mixture of mediums and embellishments. All embellishments must be firmly attached and quilt must be able to be hung conventionally and with minimal care required. All quilts entered in this category must be the original design of the quilt maker and not made under the direction of another person in a workshop/course situation.
• FUNCTIONAL CUSTOM: This category is for those functional or utility quilts that we do for ourselves or for our customers that are meant for daily use. No embellishments, metallic threads or thread painting of any kind are permitted in this category.
• EDGE - TO - EDGE (E2E): An “all over the quilt” pattern which is a continuous line derived from a pantograph or freehand quilting. The quilting design must cover the quilt completely from edge to edge. Computerised quilting systems excluded from this category.

In the spirit of participation, I have a small quilt entered in the Art Quilt category. Let me know if you spot it!