Quilt Festival - Long Beach 08-01-11

I don't remember in past years a Special Exhibit of quilts with text on them, but I don't remember a lot of things these days.  I enjoyed this exhibit and am intrigued by the way the artists used the text to develop their idea.  

This beautifully made quilt definitely deserved better lighting.  The stem stitched used for the text is perfect

There are many fascinating details and the pastel swirlies give just the hint of color needed.

I have not always been a fan of Therese May.  I don't know how many years (decades) ago she broke all the rules and starting putting paint on her quilts - puff paint!  Horrors!  As a traditional quilter I was quite honestly appalled.  But as she has developed her style over the years it has grown on me (and a lot of other people with more art "taste" than I have) and now I enjoy her quilts very much.  On top of that I have myself used puff paint on quilts!  If it gives the effect the artist is looking for, perhaps anything goes. 

With the exception of the square in the middle, the entire surface of this quilt has om-ma written in puff paint.  It gives a rich, baroque look to the surface and draws viewers in to see the details.

The center is like an entirely different work of art, although a few "om ma"s sneak in.  The little dots that look like regularly spaced beads are all puff paint and the "eyes" are made of polymer clay. 

The dots along the left edge are actual beads sewn on.

A lot of thought and a lot of work went into this fascinating statement about the vagaries of truth.

Between the horizontal sections are dowels - painted and imprinted with "read between the lines".

Each of these op art squares (from Lunn Studios, I think) has a stitched saying.  This one is "Promise Me".

"Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire"

Deb and Kris are a creative partnership that zings with new ideas and ways to apply images to fiber.  At the SAQA conference in Denver I enjoyed a very short introduction to their class on Photoshopping images for quilts.  I hope to someday take one of their classes - maybe they will set fire to my creative spirit.

 

These are not individual strips of fabric, but strips of text that have been been combined, Photoshopped and printed in groups on fabric.  Very effective.