I have 8 new works in this group exhibit, "Fine Art / Fine Craft" New work by Kansas City Fiber Arts Group. Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2010 Baltimore in KC Crossroads. I am showing with a diverse and talented group of artists, curated by Valerie Doran-Bashaw. At the Artist Talk, each artist will speak about their work for 5 minutes. Light refreshments will be served.
AUG 2, 2018 KC Group Fiber Art EXHIBIT OPENING
June 8 KC WEAVERS GUILD Presentation
I've been invited to deliver a presentation of my work next month at The Kansas City Weavers Guild. According to their website, the group was organized in 1954 to promote hand weaving, spinning, and other fiber interests in KC area. They warmly welcome all fiber enthusiasts. The Kansas City Weavers Guild members are weavers, spinners, knitters, crocheters, dyers, basket makers, quilters, sewers, doll makers, tatters, felters, sheep and goat herders, jewelry makers, and lace makers. They paint, dye, embroider, embellish, batik, bead, marble, and cross stitch. If you work with fiber, they have a place for you! Their web address is http://kcweaversguild.org/
Work on Display at City Hall in Lenexa, Kansas
Time Spent at QSDS Workshop in June 2016
I really enjoyed participating in a week-long workshop with the talented artist Terry Jarrard-Dimond in Columbus, Ohio at the Quilt and Surface Design Symposium (QSDS). The topic explored was the art element of shape. These are two studies I completed using my hand-dyed fabrics. The one on the left explores some symbols representative of family life and the one on the right is an abstract figure study. They each measure about 40 inches across. It was a great week spent with some extra fantastic people, including art friend Linda Frost of Lawrence, Kansas. We went on a bus tour and saw some terrific exhibits. Tuesday night I rented a table at a bazaar event and sold some vintage and artistic type clothing that I have collected over time....it's great to combine fun, travel and learning and it's also nice to be home again with family and good friends. 
Included in Publication of Creative Strength Training Book
I’ve been waiting a long time to receive my copy of the fantastic new book Creative Strength Training by artist and author Jane Dunnewold. I took Jane’s class by the same name online last year and it was a moving experience! (Click here to learn more about the class). I feel so fortunate to be a contributing artist to the book! See my work and writing on several pages. It’s now available in bookstores and on the Amazon website. Check out the link to look inside the book!It is described “Discover a Deeper Connection to Your Artist Self! Artists and athletes alike benefit from strength training. Building creative stamina takes encouragement, mentoring, and regular practice. In Creative Strength Training, you'll discover powerful strategies that combine writing and hands-on art-making to overcome creative stumbling blocks, develop a unique voice and make creating art a regular habit.” It’s an inspiring and helpful book! Here is a sneak peek below, showing my images & writing in print:
Showing in Transgressing Traditions Exhibit
I was so very pleased to learn that my diptych, Differing Perspectives from my Regeneration series was to be included in the exhibition, Transgressing Traditions. The show is at Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn, New York. Click here for more details & a list of artists Dates are June 3 – August 21, 2016. More than 650 pieces were submitted by 267 artists from 9 countries and 36 states. Sixty six works were selected. The goal of the exhibition is to showcase contemporary fiber art that expands on traditional media and meaning, pushing the boundaries and traditions of textiles and fibers. Exhibit jurors included Dorie Millerson, Karen Hampton and Donna Lamb. Here is an SDA article which gives more info about this second international juried members exhibit.
An SDA Event & Article Written
In February 2016, along with Kansas City Art Institute’s Fiber Department, Chair Pauline Verbeek-Cowart and faculty, I hosted a Surface Design member’s gathering at the Institute. It was terrific to visit the department with around thirty Kansas and Missouri members (and guests) to hear presentations by three emerging recent grads. I was asked to write an online article for the Surface Design Association, describing the event, the grant process and how it was planned. The idea was to inspire other representatives and members to utilize resources and institutions they may have in their locations. As an alumna, I love revisiting KCAI and am so happy the event went well, thanks to all involved! Here is a link to the article I wrote, “How I Build Textile Art Community in Kansas and Missouri”. There are LOTS of pictures of attendees and participants! Read my article here.
Read the Feature Article
I was the featured artist in this edition of Art Quilting Studio magazine. The ten-page article was written by Rice Freeman-Zachery. I mailed over twenty pieces to Stampington Press in California to be photographed, and yes, that was a nail biting experience! If you would like to read the article, click here
Surface Design Association SDA
I've been involved as a volunteer with the Surface Design Association for a long time. It's a 3000 member international organization, with the vision to inspire creativity, encourage innovation and advocate for artistic excellence as the global leader in textile-inspired art and design. SDA's mission is to promote awareness and appreciation of textile-inspired art and design through member-supported benefits including publications, exhibitions and conferences. I am currently rep for Kansas and Missouri, and in the past was a regional rep for five states. For me, it's been a wonderful source of fun, inspiration, information and connection with other textile inspired artists. The Surface Design Journal, which comes with membership, is top rated in its category. There is a member's image directory on the website, which receives tens of thousands of hits monthly. Volunteering for SDA has been a great vehicle for me, as a long-time teacher, to pass on what I've learned and help nurture & promote talent in others, as well. In the local Kansas City area, we try and meet quarterly. If you are interested in textiles, as an artist, designer, collector or curator and haven't explored SDA yet, please do yourself a favor... join us! The website address is http://www.surfacedesign.org/ (Yep, that's my swatch in the background of the home page!) The MO/KS SDA Facebook Page is at this link: https://www.facebook.com/Kansas-Missouri-Surface-Design-Association-221776335478/
"Unheard" in Houston
My piece, “Unheard” will be included in the juried exhibit “Digital Alchemy” curated by Jane Dunnewold and premiering at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas in October of 2015. The exhibition is sponsored by the Spoonflower Company and the included quilts are required to have at least 50% digital or print-on-demand fabrics included in the construction. The exhibit will also be featured in an upcoming online exhibit.Info: Cotton fabric, pieced, painted & machine quilted. Print-on-demand pigment printed cotton created from original digitally manipulated photo images.
MIDWEST METAPHORS Invitation - Leedy-Voulkos Art Center
I will have three pieces in the Studio Art Quilt Association (SAQA) Showcase in the KC Crossroads district, at the Leedy-Voulkos Artcenter, 2012 Baltimore, Kansas City, Missouri. The exhibit, entitled, "Midwest Metaphors", features works of SAQA members in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. I am planning on being there at the closing reception on Saturday, June 27th and hope you will stop in and say hi.If you are a quilt art fan or a would-be fan you'll love this show! My diptych, "The Wake Up Call" is featured on the invitation, on the bottom row second from right.
Invitation: January 10 reception for "Coming Home"
