Glimpses of Quilt National opening. 07-02-13

The opening of Quilt National - 2013 was May 24 and 25 in Athens, OH, at the Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center.  I planned a Road Trip around it, which I enjoyed very much (except for the tornadoes).  But at the time I ran out of steam by the end of the day and didn't blog much about the event.  So, I will do so in little drips and drabs over the next few weeks. 


On Sunday everyone who could squeezed into the gallery to hear the artists speak about their work and the specific quilt they have in QN '13. In the center of this picture is Marianne Burr talking about "Thru the Lens".  Marianne says that she is primarily an embroiderer and her quilts are covered with very detailed even hand stitching to create the image.  Her quilt is the cover of the catalog.  www.marianneburr.com
In the background are quilts by Anne Smith, Catherine Kleeman, and Susan Shie.
 

One activity that the artists seem to enjoy is acquiring the signatures of the other artists. They carry their catalogs around and form these little knots of autograph hunters.  I usually join in, but I didn't do much of it this time - don't know why.  Here we have Kris Sazaki (of the Pixeladies and also President elect of SAQA), Susan Polansky, Leslie Bixel, Beth Smith (Director of Visions Art Museum/SDiego), and Deb Cashatt (the other half of the Pixeladies).  Background left is "Bow" by Sylvia Gegaregian and on the right, "Moonset" by Brienne Elisabeth Brown.
 

Deidre Adams with her quilt "Tracings III"  60"square.
This is one of my favorites in this exhibit.  She has used the technique/style that she has developed over the past years, refining and "growing" it into this amazing blend of texture and color.  This quilt sold immediately or I would have added it to TCQC.  The image in the catalog doesn't do it justice and neither does this one - one too dark and this one with a gallery spot shining directly on it.  www.deidraadams.com

 

Here is a close up of Deidra's quilt.  It has been heavily quilted and then painted so that the higher parts of the surface show the paint.  The white rings are added by hand around each "rock".
 

"Solar City" by Katherine Knauer who stands beside her quilt talking of her art.  That is not a microphone in her hand, but a recording device set up by QN staff. 
This is one of the most "traditional" quilts in the exhibit, but only by comparison to what else is hanging.  I think this is the "happiest/sunniest" quilt in the exhibit.  No website.
 

"No One But You" was made by Susan Polansky (picture above) and is another of my favorites.  The details are marvelous and viewed from a distance it just made me smile.  Another happy quilt.  www.susanpolansky.com
 

Isn't it amazing that these details read as they do from a distance.
 

 
"The Conversation" and artist Mary Ann Tipple.  This diptych is 72"W and 92"L.  A large piece that makes a striking impression from a distance.  It is hung at the end of the gallery so that it can be seen when visitors first walk through the door.  This is Mary Ann's father and his sister in the late 1930s.  She comments "since they are on two panels they can be switched to positions of agreement and disagreement.  I admire Mary Ann's work very much and have one of her large quilts (but not this large!) in TCQC.  This quilt sold at the opening.
www.textilearttipple.com