A visit to Visions Art Museum in San Diego 09-15-20

Visions Art Museum, which shows exhibits of quilts and textiles opened again today and I drove down to meet my friend Judy and enjoy the work of Judith Content and Melody Money.  It was worth the four hour drive down and back.  

I have long been a fan of Judith Content's work and there are several of her quilts in the Collection and several pieces of her button jewelry in my drawer .  Beside that she is just such a delightful person.  Part of the exhibit is the video of Judith working in her studio that is part of "Craft in America" on PBS.   They have a screen set up and will run the video, but it is hard to hear and, of course, one must watch alone due to social distancing.  Look it up on YouTube instead. 

I don't believe I have ever seen Melody Money's work "in the fabric", so I was delighted to see all the tiny details she includes.  Lots of hand work, embroidery, and beading.  

Because of Covid-19 California museums have been closed and just re-opened this week.  However, if the infection rate goes up again, the museums will have to shut down again.  So, if you want to see these excellent pieces GO NOW!  Reservations are required, look on the website, and the open hours are limited.  https://visionsartmuseum.org/

Judith Content 07-18=20

Judith Content is one of the artists featured in the new exhibits at Visions Art Museum in San Diego.   The museum is still closed to the public, but members can make a reservation for a certain day/time to spend an hour enjoying the displays.   Go to the VAM website and look in the Store.  

Today Judith did a program on ZOOM for about 75 ladies who had signed up in advance.  She had prepared a number of pipes wrapped with fabric and string and then dyed and let dry.  As part of her program she unwrapped these and shared her results.  It was exciting to see the shading, lines, and color blending that she created.   

Judith cutting he wrapping strings on a dyed fabric roll. 

And the beautiful dyed fabric is unrolled and revealed. 

There are two of Judith's quilts in TCQC.

"Cataclysm"   Judith Content  2009  85"W x 55"L

The other is "Departure" from 2014 43"Wx61"L

But I cannot locate a photo right now.  Since Picasa died and Windows rearranged all my photos I sometimes cannot find what I am looking for.  Sorry.
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Drive to San Diego today 06-26-20

Visions Art Museum is accepting reservations for a maximum of ten visitors to see the current exhibits.   So, I drove down today to meet friends and see the quilts.   The large gallery shows work by the Washington state group  FiberOptix and work from Kathleen Kastles is in the small gallery.  The quilts will only hang for another week, so if you are interested in going contact the museum now.  This is the quilt that you see when you enter the gallery, by Sharon Robinson of Bellingham, WA,

Unfortunately the color is all wrong as the quilt is actually a bright acid green instead of yellow.  But this picture shows the design.  It is about 48" long.  

This is a view of the back wall showing quilts from FiberOptix.

Visions Quilt Museum is struggling along with every other museum in the country.  Support them if you can.

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Ruth B. McDowell quilts at VAM 04-06-20

A very wet, stormy day in Southern California.  But I had committed to drive to San Diego to take down and bring home the Ruth B. McDowell quilts that have been there since mid-January.  Fortunately, the Virus has kept many cars off the highway, so even with the rain and the wind the trip was not so bad.  A bit less that the "normal" two hours. 

The sea was rough with the wind blowing foam off the tops of the white caps.  The clouds were low and dark.  It has its own beauty, but rather intimidating.

I had intended to take pictures of all the quilts when I went down with friends to see the exhibit, but it closed before I could do that.  Today, before we started the takedown I took pictures of the larger quilts which I cannot hang very well in my house with all the windows and doors.  

"Carpet of Gold Thread"  Ruth B. McDowell  1988  

62" h x 107w

Cotton prints, hand dyes, fabric markers.  Machine pieced, HAND quilted.  This quilt was sold from Visions 1990 exhibit and lived in Santa Cruz until the owners needed to downsize.  In 2014 drove up to buy it from them.  What a treasure, all hand quilted by Ruth.  

 "Middlesex Fells - Late Fall"   Ruth B. McDowell  1995  

65"L X 90"W  

Cotton prints, hand dyes, woven plaids.  Machine pieced, machine raw edge applique, machine quilted.   

When she was half way through piecing this quilt in three vertical sections, a member of her critique group suggested shifting the pieces up and down.  Ruth found this suggestion very interesting, but it required some raw edge applique to accomplish. 

"A Rash of Flamingos"  Ruth B. McDowell  2000  

52"L X 100"W

In 2000 this quilt was purchased by an admirer from Alaska and it hung there in the snowy climes until 2013 when I purchased it from her estate.  There are 15 flamingo bodies, but Ruth has been told there is an extra leg.  Knowing Ruth, I think someone is counting incorrectly.  

So, now all the quilts are home and ready to rest for months.  I hope they will hang somewhere else in a year or two.  

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Down and Back to San Diego 02-26-20

I had signed up to do a gallery tour of the Ruth B. McDowell quilts at Visions Art Museum in San Diego today.  I think the group of about 40 quilting ladies might have been a Traveling Quilters group as they were from all over - Palm Springs, Temecula, Hemet, and !Canada! (surely a snowbird, eh?).  The museum people divided them into two groups and one group went to lunch while the other had the tour, then they switched.  I was hard pressed to keep track of what I had explained to the first group, or had I just said it to the second group?  Old age?  And my voice was getting a little thready by the end.  But I do enjoy talking about the quilts in the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection, especially Ruth's quilts.   They will be up until April 5th. 

When I drove home I stopped at my favorite pokey place on Jamboree in Irvine to pick up a pokey bowl to go for dinner [it was delicious].

When I parked I wondered what was going on with all these people on the sidewalk.  They didn't look agitated, so I went on toward them, not a shooting anyway. 

By the time I returned to my car there were even more people. 

Turned out they were lined up to get into Yogurtland!  Something I have never seen before.  But it makes sense because it was 88F there today.  Whew, a little taste of summer already.  

It was a very beautiful day and the ocean was very blue. 

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Another Ruth B. McDowell quilt that isn't in the VAM exhibit 02-09-20

"Sap Buckets"  Ruth B. McDowell  2011  54"W X 49"L

Commercial cotton fabrics, hand dyes, cotton batting and thread.  Machine pieced and quilted. 

This depicts the old traditional method of tapping maple trees for sap to make maple syrup.  Lovely blue shadows against the snow and interesting prints to compose the tree bark. 

It makes me feel cold to look at it! 

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Another Ruth B. McDowell quilt that didn't make the exhibit. 01-26-20

This quilt was purchased originally by an Orange County quilt maker who had it hanging in her large quilting studio until her death.  After several years her husband asked one of his late wife's quilting friends to help him dismantle her studio.  That person thought to contact me about reselling this quilt.  Of course, I bought it.  The picture is much more blue than the quilt actually is.  You can see a truer rendition in Ruth's book "Art & Inspirations".  (A book that is available at the Visions Art Museum in San Diego during the current Ruth exhibit).  And I quote from that book, "Each flower and leaf is pieced within an irregular pentagonal block."  This represents Ruth's work with Symmetry (also one of her books, might be available used at Amazon).  

"Delphinium"  Ruth B. McDowell - Massachusetts 1986  60"W x 67"L

Machine pieced, hand tied, hand quilted.

Cotton, silk, blends.  Polyester batting. 

"A hybrid Delphinium has a cluster of petals called a "bee" in the center [of each flower], usually in a contrasting color.  In [this quilt] the center "bee" is a small puff of silk inserted in the center of the piecing and tied down with heavy cotton thread 'stamens'."  Art & Inspirations: Ruth B. McDowell.

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Another tour at Visions Art Museum 01-23-20

I'm driving down to San Diego tomorrow to conduct a tour of the Ruth B. McDowell quilts.  It is a group tour, but if anyone else in the galleries wants to listen in that is okay!  It will pretty much be the same talk I gave on Saturday evening.  But I don't read from notes so the talk is always a bit different.  I do love looking at, sharing, and talking about Ruth's work.  Although she has taught many students who will make quilts using her techniques, her work is always uniquely hers, partially due to the fabrics she selects.  I took many classes with her, hoping I could learn to do that, but I decided one must be born with a certain "eye" and, though I learned a LOT, I don't have that eye.  

Here is another yellow scrap thing, not sewn down yet. 

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More on the Ruth B. McDowell exhibit at VAM 01-19-20

I was back at Visions Art Museum this morning for a presentation on critiquing art quilts given by Sandra Sider.  Afterward I took a few general pictures in the gallery, but will have to go back when there are not many people around to take a full set of every quilt.  Meanwhile.....

Right at the entrance is Amaryllis (2014  39.5"L x 43"W

which the museum people chose as the featured picture for advertising.  

Pumpkins (1998  44.5"L x 57"W)) 

 Carpet of Gold Thread (1990  52"L x 107"W)

Electric Chard (2006  32"L x 40"W)

Conversation on the Porch  (1993  37.5"L x 54"W)

Fort Morrison Jerseys  (2003  46"L x 65.5"W)

Looking the length of the main gallery to the Valya Gallery where Personal Landscapes, the work of Bonnie Bucknam are hanging. On the left of the picture is Ruth's

Cineraria (2005  39.5L x 46"W)

A Rash of Flamingos  (2000  52"L x 100"W)

Dutch Iris  (2000  36"L x 40"W)

Cineraria  (2005  39.5L x 46"W)

Watermelon Chickens [partial]  (2009  31.5"L x 58"W)

Middlesex Fells - Late Fall  (1995 65"L x 90"W)

Sandra Sider talking about her recent book
In the background:
Summer Lily  (2002  70"L x 58"W)
Electric Chard (2006  32"L x 40"W)
Conversation on the Porch  (1993  37.5"L x 54"W)

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Opening of Ruth B. McDowell quilt exhibit at VAM 01-18-20

And not a single picture to show!

I was so busy greeting people and giving the one hour tour of the exhibit that I didn't even think of pictures!  But I will be at the museum tomorrow and will photograph whatever I can.  

There were a lot of people there tonight.  Someone said they counted 53 when we first got started, but more and more people came until it was very packed.  With all the people and the lights they had to turn on the A/C!  

I did a lot of hugging, hand shaking, rubbing shoulders with people I haven't seen much in the last six months and met many new people.  My memory for names has never been good and at my advanced and feeble age, I cannot remember anyone's name.  So, if you were there, just remind me when we meet again.  

I thank Cristie and Cecil McQuire for sponsoring the catalog which is for sale in the museum gift shop.  Cristie is a Ruth fan and we were in a class one year at Empty Spools.  

After dinner at Ikiru with my friend Beth, I returned to the Holiday Inn Express where I usually stay when I am in SDiego. It has been remodeled since I was last here and the clerk said it was done six months ago.  It seems that I have stayed here in the last six months, but he must know.  

More tomorrow with pictures, I hope. 

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Another Ruth B. McDowell quilt 01-14-20

Here is a Ruth B. McDowell quilt that will not be in the exhibit at Visions Art Museum.   When we did the layout on paper there just wasn't enough wall space to show all 35 Ruth quilts in TCQC.  So there are eight of her quilts that will stay at home!  Still special quilts, just not enough room. 

"Sap Buckets"  Ruth B. McDowell  2011  54"W X 49"L

Commercial cotton fabrics, hand dyes, cotton batting and thread.  Machine pieced and quilted. 

This depicts the old traditional method of tapping maple trees for sap to make maple syrup.  Lovely blue shadows against the snow and interesting prints to compose the tree bark. 

It makes me feel cold to look at it! 

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Exhibit of Ruth B. McDowell quilts from TCQC 01-12-20

"Amaryllis"  Ruth B. McDowell 2014  39,5L X 43"W

Cotton fabric, batting, and Thread.  

Machine pieced and quilted. 

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Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 5pm to 7pm there will be an opening reception for the winter exhibits 

at Visions Art Museum,2825 Dewey Road, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92106

Included is an exhibit of 27 Ruth B. McDowell quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection.  

The exhibits will continue until April 5, 2020.

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More quilts from VAM exhibit just ended. 01-07-20

Here are a few more of the quilts I enjoyed at Visions Art Museum on Saturday.  I just realized that the signs do not include sizes and I did not record any sizes, so just a few guesses.  I have posted actual sizes.  

Approx 45"L x 36"'W  Actual size 45"L x 38"W I believe this is the only quilt that sold from this exhibit, hence the red dot.  

Lots of thread work and slashing and couching. 

One thing that fascinates me is the detail in the background.  This is a close up of the upper right corner.  The background is very defined while the foreground is misty and blurred - interesting. 

Approx 42"L x 52"W   Actually size 35'L x 54"W

So many layers and pathways.  Lovely soft color. 

Intense thread work.  I like this sort of grassy scribble.

Approx 32"L x 26"W   Actual size 32"L x 28"W

Such a colorful, quirky quilt - happy. 

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A Visit to Visions Art Museum 01-06-20

I drove down to San Diego on Saturday to deliver 29
 Ruth B. McDowell quilts from TCQC.  They will be on exhibit there from January 18th through April 5th.  I am always eager to show the quilts, it is one of the joys of having a collection to share, but it is hard to leave them with someone else for such a long time.  There are a couple that I cannot hang in my house because of their large size, so I will be happy see them hanging on the museum walls.  More information on the exhibit in later blog posts. 

While I was there I had a solitary viewing of the exhibit that ended yesterday.  I had done a quick viewing a month or so ago, but this time I had more time.  There were several that I especially enjoyed. 

I do love Dianne Firth's work and there are several pieces in TCQC.  This one is so lovely and soft.  I even like the fact that it is pink!

33"L x 34.5"W

Don't know why there is so much blank space on the signs. 

This one is fascinating, from across the room it is so very 3D, but it is actually flat.  Marvelous piecing.

36"L x 60.5"W

 When I saw this I thought it was Betty Busby's work, but it isn't.  However, the technique is hers, using non-woven materials and machine cutting.

43"L x 43"W 

I photographed a few more pieces and will try to post them this week. 

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