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Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt

Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt

Creating with Brenda Gael Smith

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Creative Backstory: Celebrating 20 Years – Year 2015-2016

28 June 2020 Filed Under: Contemporary Quilts, Creative Backstory, Exhibitions, Twelve by Twelve Leave a Comment

To mark the 20th anniversary of my first baby quilt, I  have been reflecting on what I have learned along the way. Creative Backstory is a series of blog posts each highlighting a different year. I invite you to share your creative backstory. Each day, I will post an optional prompt. Leave your response as a comment below or on my Serendipity Facebook page or use the tag #creativebackstory or Instagram and I will add your name to my Creative Backstory Giveaway. I look forward to reading about what has shaped your creative life.

For the years 2015-2016, my creative backstory looks at High Country Lupins #3 (80x143cm HxW) . This artwork was first exhibited at Golden Textures Contemporary Art Quilt Exhibition at Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough, Victoria in 2015. The following year it was juried into Art Quilt Elements 2016 at the Wayne Art Center, Pennsylvania, USA.

highcountrylupins600

ArtQuiltElements2016-1

Art Quilt Elements 2016 catalogue

This High Country Lupins #3 post outlines the process of creating this particular work. This overview shows the development of my lupin-inspired works in my Botanica series since 2010. You will see that I started out with a complementary-2-hued work and progressively experimented with variety and complexity in palette, materials, design and scale.

Lupine Series - Brenda Gael Smith

Sharing Stories: Prompt #10 & Giveaway

I invite you to share your creative backstory. Here is an optional prompt: have you tried working in series? have you seen an evolution in your creative output?

Leave your response as a comment below or use the tag #creativebackstory on Facebook or Instagram. I look forward to reading about what has shaped your creative life and will put your name into my celebratory giveaway. At the end of June, after I have completed Creative Backstory posts, I will select one commenter and, pandemic postal system permitting, this King Parrot textile sketch will wing its way to a new home.

King Parrot - creative backstory giveaway
King Parrot (15x15cm mounted on 20x20cm canvas) Creative Backstory Giveaway

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Brenda Gael Smith
brenda@serendipitypatchwork.com.au

PO Box 131, Avoca Beach
NSW 2251 Australia

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This year (2026) marks the 20th anniversary of the
This year (2026) marks the 20th anniversary of the Australasian Quilt Convention. The entrance features a display of the brochure covers over the years and it was fun to identify 3 covers that include snippets of exhibits that I was involved with.

⭐️ 2009 was my first AQC. I was a tutor and my contribution to the “teach me” exhibit was “Grass” that you can see in the lower right corner.

⭐️ in 2013, the Twelve by Twelve International Art Quilt Project shared the Colourplay series which included a piece by @studioconway highlighting the plight of refugees in drought (see centre left)

⭐️ in 2020 the chronology was disrupted by the Covid pandemic but not before the brochure was published with “The Fuchsia’s Looking Bright m” by @darlingdi from @vision2020textiles who poseda poignant question: Will my optimistic dream of a brighter future turn out to be 2020 vision, or just a fun and fabulous fabric fusion of my favourite colours?

Congratulations to @craft.events_  on the 20th Anniversary 🤩


I am driven to abstraction. Abstraction is a persi
I am driven to abstraction. Abstraction is a persistent and insistent force in my creative practice. Working improvisationally, I capture the essence of my subjects to impart a sense of wonder of the natural world and a deep affinity to place. 

As part of the Rajah Award that I received last year, I will be sharing a selection of my textile paintings in a special exhibit at the Australasian Quilt Convention in  Melbourne presented by @craft.events_ 

Textile enthusiasts from across Australia and overseas gather at this exciting event. If you see me at AQC, please do say hello. I am looking forward to seeing everyone😍

#australasianquiltconvention  #rajahaward  #brendagaelsmithart #australasianquiltconvention2026