overwhelmingly good stuff!

I'm overwhelmed, by good things all related to art. In the next three months, I'm involved in, I think, eight shows and several more over the next few months. The piece I shared on the last post will be used in publicity for that show with Contemporary QuiltArt. Quite an honor. This week, I delivered nine pieces for a show in Seattle in conjunction with MoNA. (http://www.museumofnwart.org/) There are three deadlines coming in the next week. And I've only submitted one. Now you know what I'll be doing for a few days.

The picture is one of the pieces for the show in Seattle. It's called "Morning Light." It is pieced and tightly quilted. The textured leaves are made by sandwiching and shaping yarns between layers of dissolvable stabilizer, and stitching to hold it all together. The stabilizer washes out and I'm left with loose fabric like pieces. I hand stitch the leaves and allow them to stand out a bit from the base and add dimension.

Juried into CQA

“Cedar Path” is a piece that was just juried into a show in Issaquah, which is part of Seattle. Take a look at the website, www.contemporaryquiltart.com. I have recently joined and I am eager to learn from this terrific group of artists. This piece was also shown this past November in La Conner in the Arts Alive! Festival. (www.artsalive.com) A new section was added this year to recognize emerging artists for the region; it was an honor to be included.

Cedar Path is 33x35 and is densely quilted. The detail shot is about 8 inches wide.

As yet untitled forest piece and yes, it's been way more than a week

So, my plan for posting once a week or so, hasn't worked out well. I'll get better, really.

My latest project is one for a show coming up soon. I ordered 30 yards of fabric, partly for this piece. The fabric came... and I got called in to interpret for the three days. The next day was spent washing and ironing. A couple of years ago, I got caught NOT washing a fabric when I ironed with steam and the color bled. Of course, it was red next to cream, it was in the middle and it was on a commission. I had to tear most of it apart. I learned my lesson.

This piece is about 11 1/2" x 36" and will be in a dark brown wood frame. The photo shows just a section. The orange lines are about 1/16" to 1/8" wide. I'm still thinking of a title. It's representing a forest, mostly greens with bits of red and orange. Any ideas?

Blog Beginnings

In the week of Christmas, I am usually wrapping hundreds of homemade caramels, canning yet another batch of marmalade and frantically stitching just one more stocking/bag/quilt/hot air balloon. Maybe not that last one. Usually, I look at what I’ve already finished and think…it’s not enough. This year, I’ve done a fraction of what I usually do for gifts, and, amazingly, it hasn’t made the news and the world has kept turning and no one is refusing my phone calls.

So, while the world keeps turning, I’ll keep doing what I do. For those who don’t know me, I am a fiber artist or art quilter or quilt artist. Call me whatever you like; I make textile stuff. Quilts or quilt like objects, framed, gallery wrapped on artist’s canvas, or finished as traditional quilts, are made to display. I make altered fabric, with yarns and threads stitched over a background of fabric, for wall pieces, handbags, journal covers, etc.

I live in the Skagit Valley, in the northwest corner of Washington State, in a continually remodeled home. My studio, however, is complete. Well, mostly.

I’ll be updating every week or so. That will keep me on track with projects, but not be a blow by blow account of every refill of coffee. If you’d like to see current work, my website is AndiShannon.com. Please drop me a note to let me know you’ve visited.