Saturday, August 9, 2014

To The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK!

I'm slow to post about my adventure to the Birmingham Festival of Quilts.  Nose to the grindstone in my studio since returning as I have had a lot of work to do and was behind!
What an adventure!  Three best parts:  my husband Tim went along with me and it was his FIRST-EVER quilt show! Second best part was reuniting with my dear friends from Committed to Cloth!  I used to see them every year as they would travel to San Antonio for a week-long independent study.  Times changed and we haven't seen each other for a number of years.  What fun we had!  Tim and I elected to stay in the small village of Knowle at the same place as our friends so we had wonderful times together throughout our stay.  Third best thing:  I had a quilt juried into the "Art Quilt:  Masters" portion of the show.
Heading back to the UK for the second time this year!

Working on a "Sweet Little Something" in-flight

Here are some more....

Wha..?  Quite a shocking change from the 100' S TX weather!

A lovely piece in the Art Quilt Masters by Marion Hall,
a student of my friend Claire Benn


Posing with the sign and my quilt.

Ann Johnston had an exhibition of her work at the show.
It was great to see her again!
Her work was stunning and I adored how well it was hung:  gallery-like setting and 
some of the pieces were free-hanging.  
Really impressive!

The Virtual Studio:  such an incredible thing to see at a quilt show!
A true working sink and all the rest of the wet studio bells and whistles.
Now this is truly an Open Studio.  I was gobsmacked.

A wonderful piece by my friend, Susie Koren


Okay, if you know me at all (rock-obsessed) you already know 
how much I adore this installation of "Granite Pebbles" by Jacqui Cotterill


Afternoons sitting outside under the market umbrellas with Daline Stott and Claire Benn
stitching, chatting, drinking tea...

and Pimms

The sweet village of Knowle.  
Enchanting!
An installation of wearables...

Meeting Sandra Snowden in-person after years of virtual friendship.
I was so impressed with the entire show, but one exhibition really stood out in my mind:
The collaborative group "Art Textiles:  Made In Britain".  Wow.
Eleven women artists who make very different sorts of work, creating a show bound by the 
theme, "Identity".  Powerful work.

This piece by Rosie James really struck a chord with me.
Here is Claire Benn walking through it.
So beautiful and ethereal.  Sigh.

machine stitched organza panels.  Beautiful!
Also the work of my friend Cas Holmes.
I was fortunate to take a workshop from her this spring in San Diego.
So fun to see her!


And then there was Eszter Bormemisza!
Just....wowza!

Her work is absolutely thrilling.


I got to meet the lovely Deborah O'Hare.
She had just seen my husband's film so I took him over to meet her.

Our final gathering was for dinner at a Thai restaurant.
What fun to have all these wonderful people together on the 
night before my 60th birthday?!  I headed home on my birthday with a full heart.
So thankful to know these amazing people.




Friday, August 8, 2014

A Little Jaunt Into London

Along with the wonderful trip to the Festival of Quilts I was able to tag along with my husband into London via the train for a day trip.  While he had a business meeting, I had an adventure!  Thanks to my London friends I was all set to wander in a new (to me) outdoor market and go to the Tate Modern to take in the Matisse Cut-Outs exhibition.
Taking a picture of the guy taking a.....well. #nerd

Nice train ride into London with my guy.
I. Love. Trains.

After parting ways I heading into the Tube..

I love subway travel and people-watching.

And double-decker London buses.

Claire told me about the Borough Market (she is a foodie, too)
and I was so happy she did.  I loved wandering here!

wonderful.


truffles

color and texture...

The Shard

I sneaked this photo in the Matisse Cut-Outs exhibition because I simply
adored watching this little girl.  She approached this large installation 
and stood right in the center looking at it, then broke into dance.
She is twirling around and around, so exuberant.  She captured the true 
essence of being inspired by a visual experience, in my mind.

Claire encouraged me to go to the members lounge for tea.
The view up there was stunning!  I sent this image to my 
youngest daughter and she responded by saying,
"I thought the Death-Eaters destroyed that bridge!"
If you are a Harry Potter person you will get that.


Rotko.  Love.

The ruins of Winchester Palace.


Texture on the wall of a church.  So interesting!

Back to the Tube.

Back to Birmingham on another train.
I had such a good day!
Thanks for coming along with me!