Summer Wrap-Up #2: Sacred Threads Quilt Exhibit

Bonnie Dubbin Askowitz: Hand of Peace

A highlight for me this summer was a visit to the Sacred Threads quilt exhibit. This exhibit is held once every two years in Herndon, Virginia. This is the second time I've gone to the exhibit. My first time was in 2013 and I unfortunately missed the exhibit in 2015. Below is a small selection (of the hundreds of quilts!) from the exhibit that particularly struck me. The first, by Bonnie Dubbin Askowitz, is really my favorite. You can see the exuberance in each hand!  I love the protective Hamsa symbol (also known as the Hand of Fatima). I've spent many hours drawing them as a form of meditation. I've designed, drawn and stitched them as gifts for dear friends and family members. Seeing Bonnie's piece made me realize that I want to go back and create more...maybe even a hundred of them!

Bonnie Dubbin Askowitz: Detail

 Here is some "history" about the exhibit from the website:

In 1999 a small group of women gathered together with a vision of a "new" type of quilt exhibit. At that time topics such as spirituality and inspiration were not always understood or welcomed at traditional quilt shows, and all-medium liturgical art exhibits generally featured few if any quilts. There was no "safe" or welcoming venue for quilters who saw their works as a connection to the sacred and/or as an expression of their own spiritual journey. Often the meaning behind these works was missed or misunderstood because the artist did not have the opportunity to share their sources of inspiration with the viewer. 

Hope Wilmarth: Fall Was Her Favorite Time of Year

Founder Vikki Pignatelli and the other committee members wanted to create a dignified exhibit of artwork that would touch all those who viewed it on both spiritual and personal levels. We wanted to share the experiences of quilters whose stories would be a source of healing and strength for others by allowing the artist to submit a statement which would be exhibited with the artwork that described the meaning or inspiration for the piece...

Kimberly Lacy: Pyrite Ammonites

The show does not emphasize any particular religion or theology but conveys the spirituality, healing and inspirational messages that transcend all people. 

Sabrina Zarco: No Olvidados/Not Forgotten

 For the exhibit, quilts are divided into categories based on theme. These are Expressions of Joy, Spirituality, Inspiration, Grief, Healing and Peace/Brotherhood.  The artwork themes provide thought-provoking insights, encouragement, inspiration and healing responses to grief and human hardships... 

Jackie Manley: Death Did Us Part

Jocelyne Sobeski: After the Snow Falls

Jocelyne Sobeski: Detail.

Linda Jurkiewicz: Blue

Linda Jurkiewicz: Detail.

Linda Jurkiewicz: Endure Hardship as Discipline

Linda Jurkiewicz: Detail.

Susan Callahan: Ball Gown with Cape (made from old ties!)

Lorie Hancock McCown: the Black Dresses

Martha Petry: Moon Flower

Martha Petry: Detail

Roxanne Lasky: Tidal III: Source

Roxanne Lasky: Detail

The quilts in this exhibit were very powerful! Thank you participants for sharing your work!

Peace Alphabet: First Four Letters

Here are the first four letters of my Peace Alphabet for the A Letter A Week 2013 (ALAW) project.

They are hand printed on hand painted cotton fabric with stitched details using DMC floss.

Teeny tiny stitches...running, back and satin stitches.

In this alphabet the letters will take the form of birds ...in some cases doves. I envision that in most of the designs, the birds will be doing something towards peace (symbolized by the Peace sign...which I always think of as a dove's foot).

 In the final format (which may be peace flags), I will write something active about Peace such as Aspiring towards Peace; Believing in Peace etc.

Peace Alphabet: First Ideas

I've been doodling and sketching some ideas for ALAW 2013.

Playing around with letter shapes and doves for the peace alphabet challenge.

Although these are fun, not sure that it's the direction I'll ultimately take.

I'm down in Savannah for the rest of the week visiting my parents...assessing some things. My Mom and I headed into the city to see some of the exhibits at the SCAD Museum. I'll share some of those photos tomorrow.

Day 29: Making Some Artistic Plans for 2013

My mind was racing in the middle of last night's sleep. Ideas were popping. Mostly, I was thinking about A Letter A Week 2013.

I found out about A Letter A Week last year. Click here for a link to last year's blog. The project started in 2010 and was meant to be a way to have fun experimenting and to keep the participants working on a small project each week of the year.

The goal is to create two complete alphabets by the end of the year. Each letter must be presented in a 7 cm x 7 cm format. There is always a theme for one of the alphabets and the other is up to the participant. This year's theme alphabet is about Peace. Fiona Dempster, who is a fabulous book and calligraphy artist, is the organizer and originator of the project.

I've had lots of ideas flowing. I've gone through a number of ideas for the Peace alphabet in my mind. In fact, I was trying to locate a small dove pin that I had growing up and found myself side-tracked going through my jewelry box (and no luck yet in finding the pin). I would like that alphabet to somehow memorialize the 26 shooting victims in Connecticut.

The other alphabet is a lot clearer in my mind and may end up being the first alphabet I tackle. After experimenting with cardboard this month in my Newsletter, I've decided to make an alphabet of cardboard print blocks. I'm excited about this concept as not only will I have the printed alphabet, but I think the print blocks could be put together to form an additional alphabet. On the Ikatbag blog, LiEr links to a blog with amazing signs and logos using cardboard by cardboard artist, Mark Langan...a great source of inspiration!

Peace: Honoring a Friend

Today is International Peace Day. Here is my contribution to the Flags for Peace Project.

These are dedicated to my friend Martha. She was a woman of peace.

Hope you take a moment to think about peace today.

Remembering 9-11, Thinking about Peace

Today, I printed the Peace Flags.

I printed the first Peace. just as President and Mrs. Obama were observing a moment of silence at 8:42 A.M.

9-11 is always a somber day.  I'm sure everyone can remember where they were that day. I remember getting a call from my husband, who works on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. He told me to turn on the T. V.--a horrible accident had just happened--a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. Still on the phone with him, I turned on the T. V. in time to see the second plane crash.

As the morning progressed, the news kept getting worse. The plane hitting the Pentagon. Another plane on its way to Capitol Hill. A second call from my husband and I was in a panic...Get out of there! He let me know that he was on his way, but it would take a while, the traffic out of D. C. was bad and he was driving a colleague home.

We have family in New York City too and in New Jersey. I was thankful as we all touched base. They were all safe.

I was even more grateful when my husband walked through the door.

I feel so lucky. I know others were not so lucky.

I will be forever thankful to those brave souls of Flight 93. If it hadn't been for them, my husband might not have walked through the door eleven years ago.

  As I work on the Flags today, I realize how important it is to continue to work towards the goal of Peace.

Peace Process

Here's what I accomplished on Saturday. I'm continuing to sew up (by hand) the Peace Flags today.
Hope to do some printing tonight.

I decided to go with this typeface for Peace. I think the italic does a nice job of complementing the curves in the hamsa.

I added a period after the word, Peace. Not totally sure why and I may still remove it. I guess it seems more declarative...like I really mean it.

Tracing the design.

Transferring the design.

Carving the design.

What do you think...period or not?

I picked a bright palette.

Ironed with hems pinned and ready to sew.

Here are the ones I've completed sewing so far. I have enough to make two sets, though I might only sew one up for now. Notice that I am sewing up two of the blue...if you've been following the Searching for Roy G Biv Challenge, you can guess that a Peace Flag will be the blue challenge fabric this month (September 20).