MAQ's third and final challenge reveal of 2012 was held October 24th. The titles of the challenges were: Black and White and One Color, Self-Portrait, Unconventional Materials, and a group challenge titled Whisper. The room was buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm as members and their guests gathered to view the beautiful results of the challenges.



Challenge Title: Black and White and One Color
Ardy Tobin
"Circles & Squares"
43"x47"
An on-line class showing that if you can draw it, you can piece it! Getting all the pieces to fit and lie flat was my biggest challenge.  I'm really happy with the piece.
Winner of MAQ's "Best Original Design," also tied with member Darlynn Evans.

Lorri Wolfe
"Black & White & Red all Over"
16 1/4" x 28"
Part of the challenge for me was a personal challenge to use the magic product that makes the bumps on the black & white check.

Joy Waggener
"Fugue in Fuchsia"
I was inspired to tackle this challenge by the "Black & White with a Twist" exhibit at the Long Beach Quilt Show.  The background is a rectangular grid with curvy shapes in fuchsia overlaid. New things I tried: working with silk and Terial Magic, couching yarn and floss.

Carol Walsh
Untitled
311/2" x 22"
Technique used from Quilting Arts article "Batik w/soy wax" by Melanie Testa. Biggest challenge was the removal of soy wax.  I should have used a thinner paint (not thinned Versatex), such as a textile paint Jacquard, Lumiere, or neopaque brands. This was a lesson in trying new techniques, problem solving and making do.

Pam Berry
"Lone Tree"
14" x 11"
I wanted to show the stark whites of winter.  The tree was made several years ago in Suzanne Schmidt's studio. 

Margaret Vodicka
"Impermanence"
45" x 30"
I began working on this quilt when several events were occurring in my life that reminded me of the concept of "impermanence" - that there is nothing that is fixed and permanent; everything is subject to change and alteration. Symbols of our ever-changing world are represented in my quilt--nature, love, life and chaos.

Karla Rogers
"Do Not Grieve"
25" x 25"
I used a Crayola Colored Pencil, no fabric medium, and as you can see had issues with smearing!  This is a technique I will revisit once I can spend some time researching the options further.  The quilt is entitled Do Not Grieve, for, as most of us do, I often turn to fiber arts as am working through the more difficult issues of life.  The center motif of Joy was chosen as a reminder that no matter what losses we face, if we look, there are always things that can bring us joy.

Challenge Title: Self-Portrait
Robin Hart
"Myself in Eclipse"
17" x 60"
I have decided to do a self-portrait with the theme of an eclipse in phases. This suits me as I am involved with amateur astronomy and it is part of the art I do as a fine artist.  The phases of the eclipse are also a metaphor for phases in life to which we travel.

Lynda Lasich
Self-Portrait
24" x 29"
To start this challenge, a digitized portrait was done thanks to Beth Donley, a member of Needle Nellies, who provided me with the plans from a computer program which involved placing 3/4" squares together like a puzzle determined by numbers for the fabrics.

Lynda Lasich
Self-Portrait
23" x 28 1/2"
I read an article in the Oct-Nov Quilting Arts magazine, "Working With an Artist Coach" by Jane Davila.  Here within Mountain Art Quilters we have 50 artist coaches who have shown to me that they are willing to share their knowledge, or teach a class, and cheer me on.  I want to thank specially Jan Reed for being my coach on this challenge.  I wish she would teach a class.

Sandra Bruce
Self-Portrait
80" x 80"
I wanted to make a quilt inspired by portraits done by painter Chuck Close.  I put a grid on a photo of my face and worked in squares of 4"x4."  There are forty rows of forty, 1600 total.  The features, particularly the eyes, were the most difficult.  I had to resist making things line up at all times.  I stitched things about me into the background to complete the concept of "self-portrait".
Winner of MAQ's "Best Interpretation of Challenge"

Darlynn Evans
"Contemplation"
44" x 42"
I wanted to do a quilt with a whole cloth approach to stitching. I got the idea of doing a self-portrait of myself doing my favorite thing, going to a quilt show.  I chose the nautical shell because its sections would naturally highlight my different stitches and colors. I chose a split complimentary color scheme in the dominant areas of the quilt to highlight myself and make the body come forward. 
Winner of MAQ's Best Original Design 


 

Lin Schiffner
"Feeling Crazy"
20 1/2" x 25"
My most "crazy" times occur when I become overwhelmed by worries that at times can deeply affect my body and soul.  This piece was inspired by and created during one of those particularly stressful times while working on a drawing in my journal. Interestingly, I developed a case of shingles while making the piece and began to heal when it was completed.  Hand and machine quilting; trapunto; hand embroidery, Jaquard Dynaflow and textile paints; embellished with beads. 
Winner of MAQ's Best use of Color



Carolyn Woods
"Heritage"
25" x 20"
A self-portrait consists of many facets, and since I've been doing a lot of genealogy research lately, I chose to evoke the women, my mother, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great, great-grandmothers, etc., because they each and every one contributed to what is my modern day genetic DNA profile.  I am descended from each woman whose name is written on the quilt, including many women designated "unknown" whose names have been lost in history.

Jan Reed
"Coming of Age"
27" x 33"
I began this quilt in a class taken from Esterita Austin at Asilomar this March.  As much as I didn't want to be constantly looking at an image of myself, it was educational learning how to find all the values needed to get a decent likeness from one yard of hand dyed fabric. Batiks, metal chain and turquoise stone, colored pencils and ink pens were used.

Challenge Title: Unconventional Materials
Dee Jones
"Contrary Mary's Garden"
24" x 17"
Materials used: handwoven rayon/linen, rice paper, pet screen, scribble scarf, cut up handmade tube beads.

Challenge Title: Whisper  
Whisper #1
Pat Nelson
"Super Nova"
24" x 24"
Inspiration for quilt: Went thru color & design & art quilt books until I had an idea. 
(After Super Nova was completed, it was passed onto Rita who in turn creates a piece based on or influenced by Pat's piece).

Rita Stevens
"Bali Flower"
25" x 25"
Whisper #2
Batik fabrics were used. Leaf template.  Rayon, silk cotton and metallic threads.  Crystals and sparkle netting was also used.  (Rita now passes Bali Flower to Nan Curry who creates a piece based on or influenced by Rita's piece.  Super Nova is returned to Pat Nelson without Nan Curry seeing the piece).

Nan Curry
"Leaves #1"
24 1/2" x 25"
Whisper #3
Raw edge appliqué  machine quilting and embellishing-heat set crystals. (Nan passes Leaves #1 to Lorna Straka who now creates Whisper #4.  Lorna returns Leaves #1 to Nan Curry).

Lorna Straka
"Poppy"
24"x24"
Whisper #4
Inspiration for quilt/Georgia O'Keefe and Nan Curry. 
The participants of the Whisper Challenge viewed all four pieces for the first time on the Challenge Reveal date.

Ruth Robinson
"Dance of the Black Swan"
18"x18"
Whisper #1
I was inspired by the dance performed by Miss California. When I saw how she turned her body, I grabbed a pencil and sketched her body movements. She was dancing the Black Swan.

Millie Ruffalo
"Swan Lake"
18"x18"
Whisper #2
Whisper #1 is a ballerina all in black and bent over backwards.  The first ballet that came to my mind was Swan Lake.  I went on-line and looked up the story of Swan Lake.  The story is that of a young prince, who on his birthday must find a princess to wed.  The prince goes down to an enchanted lake where he finds swans that are under a spell.  One of the swans is the princess the prince is looking for.

Pam Berry
"Three Birds"
27"x21"
Whisper #3
Used upholstery fabric, shiny fabric, real Chinese coins and chiffon.  It was hard to translate the piece before me.  Tried several backgrounds after I had the birds. 

Pat Gillings
"Winged Goddess"
18"x18"
Whisper #4
Received Pam Berry's quilt, which was an Asian-inspired portrayal of 3 flying cranes. It made me think of cranes being the symbol for long life and how symbols seem to give us comfort.  Also how we as humans are fascinated with wings and flying creatures. So I decided to create a winged goddess in a mandala form to covey that idea. I used a new technique to piece one circle inside of another. The main challenge was to create the individual units of beading and then to get them to fit together along with the fabric dress.  I had to make each unit separately as I had to improvise each shape as I went along.  

A room full of enthusiastic artists and guests. 

Marylee Drake's show and tell piece.
"Gearing-up for the Future"

Show and Tell at the September meeting.

"Flight of Beauty"
Lorna Tiller

Broderie Perse technique
Ardy Tobin

"River of Gold"
Jo Hathcock

"Bargello Bay"
Lorna Straka

"Lighted Mountains"
Rita Stevens

"Serenity Sings the Moon over the Mississippi"
Karel Hendee

"Resilience of McCarthy Creek"
Karel Hendee

"Kool in Ketchikan"
Fabric collage technique
Ingrid Cattaneo

On July 25, 2012 MAQ featured its Second Challenge Reveal. The titles of the challenges are as follows; Shiny Shit, City Scapes and Underwater. Also featured was a Group Challenge; Things That Come in Fours.

 

Challenge Name:  City Scapes
"Genesis"
 Ruth Robinson
There is a hidden braille message in the crystal lights that light up the building, 
Genesis 31:49
21" x 16 1/2" 
This will be donated to a  school for the blind in Loomis, CA

"Los Angeles"
 Michelle Peerson
View of Los Angeles  from the east looking west, with the Los Angeles river in the foreground and the city scape in the background.  The new downtown LA is an urban center that burns brightly with new energy. 
17" x 20"

"Deco City"
 Ardy Tobin
This piece grew from an online Quilt University class called "Good Bye to the Grid" taught by Dena Crain. Started with 5 pieces of tracing paper, drawing horizontal lines on one, vertical lines, diagonal lines, circles and squiggles on the other four. Then layered them to see what kind of design emerged, turning the tracing paper in different directions. 
19 1/2" x 21 1/2" 

"Cinq Motifs des Rues a Lyon"
Kate Grant
While on a walking tour of the historic section of Lyon, France, I was struck by the design of the manhole and drain covers in the streets.  Each design inspired me to use a different construction technique or embellishment--weaving fabric strips, stenciling onto the fabric, couching braid, embroidering and piecing by making templates of a design. 
22" x 30"

"Sydney Harbor"
 Norma Keeley
Inspired by my photograph of the Sydney Opera House, my challenge was to replicate the photo in a quilt.
28" x 18"

Challenge Name:  Shiny Shit
"Iron Galaxy I"
 Linda Waddle
A large stash of iron paraphernalia in our garage made for an interesting "rusting" technique for this piece.  This quilt borrowed gears & washers which were rusted to fabric and used as stamps. The background is rusted grills & paintstick rubbings.
34" x 29"

"Singapore Sling Bling"
 Ingrid Cattaneo
This piece was inspired by the silk fabrics purchased in Singapore.  Fabrics from the Bahamas and Hawaii are also included. Beading, hot-fix crystals, beaded woolly elements add texture and shiny bling. 
19 1/2" x 34"

"Shadows & Shine"
 Patricia Porter
Silk gold fabric, satin silver fabric, blue ribbon, printed gray, gold & white cotton fabric and handmade white paper made for a fun mixture of different textures. 
38" x 24"

"Miracle Grow"
Lorna Straka
Inspiration for this piece came from Valerie Hearder's book, Landscape Quilts.  After making 7 shiny hills, I decided that one hill needed an out house.  This is the hill where all the shiny flowers grow, hence "Miracle Grow"  Along the side is shiny sewage spewing (made with hundreds, and hundreds of beads).  
24" x 18"

"Eclipse"

Heidi Emmett

12 1/2" x 12 1/2"

"Butterfly Effect"

Lin Schiffner

Butterflies were constructed using Inn-spire which gave the butterflies  3-dimensional viewing. "If the flutter of a butterfly's wings can change the weather on the other side of the world, just imagine what you can do to make the world a better place.  The sky's the limit!"

12 1/2 " x 25 1/2”

"Shiny Things"
Edith V. Gregersen
I didn't think I had many shiny things until I looked in my special fabric drawer.  I found a lot! It was fun to create a base and build it up with shiny materials.  (the "shit" part came when I broke 4 needles trying to sew it to the back ground!
29" x 22"

Challenge Name: Underwater
"Mermaid's Retreat"
Cathy Stone
"Fibreart Montage" by Judith Baker Montano was the inspiration for this piece. Using batik background, tulle, hand-dyed cheesecloth, beads, shells, ribbons, hand embroidery, and anything I could find that would work.  Also used was  Susan Carlson's method of mounting onto a stretched canvas frame.  
15" x 19"

"Undersea Secrets"
Patti Henderson
Hand-dyed velour, cotton-dyed and stamped silks and netting.  Also used were metallic threads and needle felting technique.  Favorite material used was luscious Black Magic Persian yarn. 
36 1/2" x 24 1/2"

"Lost Reef"
Gloria Fickle
21" x 17"

"Underwater Kelp Forrest"
Robin Hart
A trip years ago to the Monterey Bay Aquarium was the inspiration for this piece. Cotton batiks, wool batting, metallic threads and yarn, and jewel embellishments were used for the fish eyes.  In my challenge project, I have tried to capture the feeling of an underwater kelp forest with its gentle swaying kelp plants and the marine life that coexists within it. 
26 1/2" x 50"

"Big Star Maiden"
Sandra Bruce
Alexander Calder's "Star Maiden" statue at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, CA was the inspiration for this underwater challenge.  After photographing the statue with my cell phone, I spent the most time of all creating the art in Adobe Illustrator using quite a few layers and transparencies. 
35" x 62"

"Gentleness and Grace"
Karla Rogers
A  Susan Carlson's collage technique inspiration.  Seahorses exude a grace and gentleness in motion.  "Hippo Campus" became my friends while studying them in college. This quilt is a reminder of those days of joyfully observing their species and also to remind me to "Let your Gentleness be evident to all" (Philippians 4:5)
16" x 24"

"The 12 x 12's"

ARTful Women Contemporary Fabric Artist

Pam Berry, Jo Hathcock, Joan Dyer, Sandra Poteet, Ann Sanderson, Lin Schiffner, 

Gail Sims

Group Challenge "Things That Come in Fours"

Thirty-three 12 x 12 blocks represents this group challenge.  The goal was to create a compilation work that can be hung in a myriad of configurations according to the space it's in and the inspiration of the artist hanging it. 

Squares come with four corners.  With a couple of exceptions, each 12 x 12 is a large square with a smaller square anchored in a corner.