Beyond the mountains I-5 drops down into the Willamette (Will-AM-it) Valley where there are many streams and small rivers that flow into the Willamette River. It will go north until it dumps into the Columbia River near Portland, OR. So, this view is typical of the many river crossings the roads make. Too bad about the cable - I'm not tall enough to shoot over it!
I stopped in Roseburg hoping that the info I had was wrong and the Art Center wold be open in the weekend. It wasn't. There is a quilt exhibit there from the High Fiber Diet group called "Line Dance". I tried peeking in the windows, but the lights were off inside and I couldn't see a thing. When I left I was trying to get out of the parking lot and was confronted with these signs. I just stopped and laughed out loud - one of those 'you can't get there from here' occasions. I did go straight and finally found a place to make a U-turn and get back on the highway.
I turned off I-5 at Corvallis and continued west to Philomath (which I always thought wasFILL'-o-math, but the tourist center lady says it is Fill-OM'-ath). I felt very welcome when I saw this sign close to the edge of town. Probably a Delbert, but any Del will do.
Karen Miller is a fiber artist who does Katazome dye work in the traditional Japanese manner using authentic materials and tools and methods. I have long admired her work and see her at different large quilt shows vending her panels and squares for quilters to incorporate in their own work. This solo exhibit at the Benton County Historical Society and Museum showed her completed quilts, panels, noren, garments and hangings. I was there alone for some minutes and then I turned to see that these two ladies had joined me. At first I was startled because from the back the lady in the black pants resembled Terry Grant of Portland. But I quickly realized that Terry is taller and her hair is a more silvery color. Too bad, I'd like to meet Terry some day.
Among the quilts depicting fish in the previous picture is "California Golden Trout" which is part of the TCQC. There are so few of these fish still in existence I thought it would be nice to have a lovely katazome depiction of them.
This gorgeous wall quilt is two layers printed with jellies, the top layer is sheer and moves with the air currents. I tried to take a sideways image, but it doesn't look like anything.
Here is a DETAIL of the largest jelly on the sheer layer. The bubbles (or are they strings of conch eggs?) are machine embroidered on the sheer layer only.
"Winter Sunset" is a set of three noren (six panels) so it is quite wide - maybe 90".
Noren are not quilted, just one layer of beautifully printed cloth.
Unfortunately Karen's exhibit ends this weekend, but you can see her work on her website:
www.nautilus-fiberarts.com
Karen teaches classes in Katazome techniques or you can visit when she has an open studio.
3 comments:
Oh, I wish I had been there to meet you! I saw the show about a month ago. Lovely, wasn't it?
Where are you now. Del? Are you staying in Oregon or have you left?
It's a good think we didn't know you were in Philomath -- I've had some quilts shown there and like the funny little town a lot. And we have good friends just down the road apiece, in Corvallis. So we would have accosted you had we known.
Maybe this is one reason why it's wise to keep your blog a bit behind your activities -- you could be ambushed by well-meaning friends --snort --
Post a Comment