“Green Totem” 2012 Cindy Grisdela

I just discovered the Blogger’s Quilt Festival  sponsored by Amy’s Creative Side and decided to add my “Green Totem” wall hanging to the “Home Machine Quilted” category.

“Green Totem” is part of an ongoing series of wall quilts exploring  improvisational piecing of

“Green Totem” detail 2012 Cindy Grisdela

solid color fabrics. I want to create strong graphic compositions and then enhance them with dense free-motion stitching to give an interesting textural contrast. I use a variety of different stitches in each piece.  Hopefully,  the color composition grabs the viewer’s interest and encourages a closer look to see more of the texture created by the stitching lines.

There’s a detail image of the quilt to the right and if you right-click on the whole image, you’ll be able to see the stitching better.

I started out this piece creating the improvisational log cabin center. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was going to look like–I begin with a piece of fabric or two and sew them together. Most times it’s two colors I like together, or a small unit that appeals to me. Once the process begins, each choice of color or shape influences the next in a dialog between me and my materials. For me, this is the beauty of improvisational design–the give and take of the process where each design decision influences the next one–in color, in line and in shape. Often there are “lucky accidents” that make the design more interesting than it might have been if I had tried drawn out a plan ahead of time.

Once the central design was finished, I put it up on my design wall and added the green border and the red stripes. That part of the design was determined because this was intended as a companion piece to my “Red Totem” quilt, finished a year or so earlier. You can see that piece here.

Once the top was finished, I put the batting and backing together and decided on the texture I would add. All of my stitching is done freehand with a domestic home sewing machine. There’s no computer and I don’t mark any lines ahead of time–I’m just stitching out the patterns as through I were drawing them with a pen or pencil.

The central design is quilted with a square spiral motif using variegated thread that includes all the colors of the rainbow, since there are so many different colors in the design. It’s interesting how the stitching and the thread makes everything blend.

For the green background sections, I used a thread that is variegated in shades of green because I wanted the texture to be the focus rather than the thread. One section has an allover fan design and another has a seashell and leaf motif. The third section is quilted in interlocking spirals and the last one is vertical and horizontal lines.

It’s more interesting to quilt the different motifs, and I think it’s more interesting to look at when it’s finished.

Statistics:

Size: 42″ x 20″

Techniques: Improvisational piecing, freemotion quilting

Category: Home Machine Quilted

Be sure to visit the Blogger’s Quilt Festival  to see what everyone is doing and vote for your favorites!  Thanks for visiting.

Gardening Day 2013 Cindy Grisdela

I’ve taken some time off from the studio this week to play in my garden. I asked for plants for Mother’s Day and my younger son Matt helped me pick them out. In our old house, we had huge beds of plants that were beautiful, but required lots of time and effort to keep them looking that way. It’s a challenge in our new place to choose my favorites in a smaller, more compact space, but the garden will be more manageable for me.

The Knock Out roses in the back were here when we bought the house, but they had gotten too big to be in the front of the bed, so I moved them back toward the fence line so they can act as a background. The large clumps of Candytuft on the right and left sides was here as well, but I planted three varieties of Coral Bells in the front with three different leaf colors, plus three different Coneflowers–purple, yellow and white, some Stella d’Oro daylilies, Coreopsis and a Monarda plant to attract butterflies.

The planter in the middle wasn’t really to my liking, but my son encouraged me to put some plants in it to give it a chance before I took it out–so it has two varieties of sweet potato vine that hopefully will trail out of the planter and soften the edges, plus some colorful petunias and a scented geranium in the middle. I also found an unusual oregano plant with very thick leaves and a wonderful scent, so that went in as well!

I’ll tackle the back yard next week.

Interesting how gardening is like art in many ways–combining the colors and textures of the leaves and flowers into a pleasing composition. What are your favorite plants for the garden?

Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival Booth 2013 Cindy Grisdela

My booth is all set up at the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival–Booth 107!

The show runs from 10-6 today and 10-4 tomorrow.

Every time I set up my booth is different–I’m really glad I had my son Matt to help me with this one! Halfway into the setup process, we discovered that one of the booths in my row was a few inches over the taped line, which meant that everyone had to shift about six inches so the artist next to me could fit her tent in her space. That meant some major rearranging of my wall panels and flooring, so I was really thankful to have Matt’s help.

It’s so amazing that the streets of a festival can be transformed in just a few hours (relatively) into over 200 booths, each with its own personality–it’s like stepping into someone else’s world temporarily. Who knows what wonderful creations you might find just around the corner?

I have some new pillows and table runners, plus some new small pieces mounted on canvas. I’d love to see you if you have a chance to stop by!

Journey’s End 2013 Cindy Grisdela

The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is this weekend–Saturday May 18 – Sunday May 19–at the Reston Town Center in Reston, VA. Hours are 10 -6 Saturday and 10 – 4 Sunday.

There will be over 200 artists set up along the streets of the Town Center in 16 media categories from painting to photography, sculpture to jewelry, and of course, decorative fiber! It’s a festive, fun atmosphere with something for everyone.

“Journey’s End” at right is one of my newest wall pieces that I’ll have on display at the show. It’s 24″ high x 43″ wide–a great size to hang over a sofa or buffet table. There’s a lot of energy in the improvisational blocks in the center, set off by textural stitching in the wide borders.

I’ll be in Booth 107 at the show, and I’d love to see you if you have a chance to stop by!

“Riverbank” 2013 Cindy Grisdela – side view

I’ve been working recently on creating smaller contemporary quilts–the dilemma has been how to mount them so they are easy to hang on the wall. My fellow artists at the Artists’ Atelier in Great Falls, where I have my studio, helped me find the solution–thanks Bobbie, Jennifer and Elaine!

At left is a side view of Riverbank, which is 12″x 12″ and mounted on a painted canvas. Previously I had tried

to stretch the pieces around the canvas or attach a background fabric and stretch that, but I was

“Riverbank” 2013 Cindy Grisdela

never entirely happy with the results, and it took a long time to do. Since I’ve been hanging out with painters recently, I sought their advice and came up with a plan. First the canvas is painted with black acrylic paint, then the piece is applied to the prepared canvas with gel medium. Put a weight on it overnight and a hanging wire on the back, and it’s ready to go. I still have a little tweaking to do to streamline the process, but so far the results are good–it’s a nice contemporary way to show the work.

There’s some fun texture on this one– if you right-click on the image you can see it better.

I’ll have this new piece and several others, plus my larger wall pieces, pillows and table runners at the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival next weekend, May 18-19, at the Reston Town Center. Hours are 10-6 Saturday and 10-4 Sunday.

I’m in Booth 107 and I’d love to see you if you have a chance to stop by!

Georgia O’Keefe Museum Santa Fe

I spent last weekend in Santa Fe, NM attending the Studio Art Quilt Associates annual conference, and came home with my brain bursting full of new ideas and inspiration!

First the conference. On Friday I took several workshops on topics like being a professional artist, social media, and entering the teaching circuit, plus I met or reconnected with studio art quilters from all over the country, and I saw an amazing exhibit of art quilts at the New Mexico State Capitol put on by the SAQA region in the state. Since I work in relative isolation in my studio, it was a treat to spend time with other creative people for three days.

On Saturday I was on my own for an art inspiration day. First stop was

Georgia O’Keefe “Part of the Cliff” 1946

the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in downtown Santa Fe. Georgia O’Keefe is one of my favorite painters. Her use of color and shape, and the simplicity of her designs, are simply mesmerizing. I studied O’Keefe and her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, when I was getting my art history degree in college, so I’m fairly familiar with her work. The current exhibit at the museum is called “Georgia O’Keefe and the Faraway: Nature and Image,” and it focuses on the artist’s relationship with the natural landscape around her home near Santa Fe. The image at right, “Part of the Cliff” was one of my favorites, perhaps because it wasn’t one I had seen before.

Amish Quilts at the Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe

Next was a visit to the Museum of International Folk Art, which had a lovely exhibit of Amish quilts. I never get tired of seeing these timeless designs, with their strong saturated colors and beautiful quilting motifs. I’m sure that tradition is one of my primary influences in my own work.

I spent the afternoon wandering around the galleries on Canyon

Outdoor sculpture garden, Jane Sauer Gallery, Santa Fe

Road–where there is everything from contemporary paintings to whimsical sculpture to woven rugs. Even the buildings are artistic, with great colors and style. At right is the outdoor sculpture garden at the Jane Sauer Gallery–a wonderful combination of warm adobe walls and bright purple trim! And that’s just the outside. Inside SAQA member Judith Content was giving a talk about her work hanging on the gallery walls, beautiful serene pieces made of dyed silk evocative of landscapes.

It was a beautiful spring day, sunny but not too hot–a great day to get inspired!

There were other networking opportunities and presentations at the conference, including a great talk by Santa Fe artist Geoffrey Gorman, who creates animals out of found materials, on Saturday night. Sunday was the trip home, which was fairly uneventful except for one mad dash through the Denver airport to make my connection to Dulles!

Back at home, I’m working on a couple of commissions and getting ready for the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival coming up May 18-19 at the Reston Town Center in Reston, VA. Not too far away from home this time! I’ll be in Booth 107 and I’d love to see you if you have a chance to stop by!

Thanks for reading!

Wonky Circle Table Runner 2013 Cindy Grisdela

I’m pleased to announce that my Wonky Circle Table Runner has been published in the 2013 edition of Modern Patchwork magazine!

I really had fun with this one–it has such a fresh, bright feel to it that’s just right for spring. If

you click here, you can go to the Interweave Press website and get more information about the

Modern Patchwork 2013 Cover

magazine, which is available for order online, or in many major bookstores and fabric shops. Don’t forget to scroll down the table of contents page to see another view of my runner.

It was great working with the editors at Interweave Press again. The magazine is beautifully

photographed and includes some interesting projects, from quilts to gifts and accessories. I love the colors on the cover!

Mark your calendars for the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival May 18-19 at Reston Town Center in Reston, VA. I’ll be in Booth 107 and I’d love to see you there!

“Hearthsong” 2013 Cindy Grisdela

I’m back from Boston today and grateful for the experience I had last weekend at Craftboston. Despite being one day shorter than expected, it was a good show for me. I was impressed by the resilience the city showed after a week marred by violence and the need to shut down on Friday to allow law enforcement to do its job so well in capturing the bombing suspect.

One of my newest quilts, “Hearthsong,” found a new home this weekend, as did a number of smaller pieces, so I’m pleased to be able to make a donation to OneFundBoston.org as I promised, to help support the victims of last week’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

My husband and my dad ran a number of marathons over the years in DC, and I was fortunate to be able to run with them one year before my children were born. I spent many hours as a spectator on the course of the Marine Corps Marathon, and while they never ran the race in Boston, my heart goes out to all those who were affected by the events of last week. My dad is gone now, but I hope he would be proud of me trying to do one small thing to help.

Thank you to those who supported me and my work in Boston, either by making a purchase or by stopping and chatting with me about my process and inspiration. Making art can be a solitary pursuit and a little daunting when you put yourself out there in public. Thanks also to all those who supported me long distance on Facebook, Twitter, by commenting on the blog, or sending me an email. I appreciate all the kind words!

I’m unpacking today and taking it a little slowly after getting home at 2 AM last night. Tomorrow I’ll start work on the commission requests from the weekend.

Also, it’s the last week for the “Common Threads – Different Visions” show at the Ratner Museum in Bethesda, MD–the show is open today through Thursday 12-4 PM and Sunday 10 AM – 4:30 PM at the museum at 10001 Old Georgetown Rd.

Craftboston Spring 2013

There are 200 artists in the show, representing media as diverse as handwoven clothing, pottery, jewelry, wood furniture, mobiles made of fiber or metal, baskets, and much more, including decorative fiber, of course. There’s a wide range of art available, from the popular “Craft Under $100″ category to work in the thousands of dollars, and lots in between. The show is well laid out, and the organizers have carpeted the entire space so the aisles are more comfortable to walk and the booths are easier to stand in–seems like a minor point, until you spend a day or two walking or standing!

I also wanted to update you on my search for a cell phone charger to replace the one that gave up the ghost at a most inconvenient time on Thursday night. Yesterday dawned rainy, but I went into town early to try and get this problem resolved before the show opened at 10. I left my phone charging at the Seaport Hotel in the care of my friend the concierge who had been so helpful the day before, then set off into Boston in the rain on my quest. First stop was the South St. Station, which had been recommended to me as a first stop because it’s a major transit hub with kiosks. Unfortunately, they didn’t have what I needed, but a “T” transit employee was a great help finding a nearby wireless store. Next stop was a TMobile shop a couple of blocks away–closed when I got there, but opening in the next five minutes. A harried young girl opened the door at 9 AM to let me know she couldn’t open the shop because of a computer malfunction, but she pointed me in the direction of a Radio Shack a few more blocks away. Unfortunately again, it was closed, with no information on the door about business hours. Next I ran into a group of college students who knew the area and cheerfully pulled out their cell phones to find the next closest wireless store. Third time’s the charm–another few blocks of walking and I found a Verizon store, which mercifully was open, and even more mercifully, had the charger I needed! I almost hugged the clerk when he rang up my purchase. By now it was after 9:30, and I was at least a twenty minute walk back to the show, so I flew back (thankfully the rain had stopped), picked up my phone and made it into the show with five minutes to spare before it opened. Whew!

Boston has always been one of my favorite cities, and that has been doubly reinforced by my experience this weekend. I’ve been amazed and touched at how kind and helpful everyone I’ve come into contact with has been, especially given the trying circumstances people were operating under at this particular time.

Thank you Boston!

Craftboston Booth 2013 Cindy Grisdela

The opening of Craftboston has been delayed today due to the intense manhunt going on in Boston for a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this week. It’s possible that the show will be able to open later this afternoon, maybe from 2-6 PM, but nothing is clear at this point. UPDATE: The show has been cancelled for Friday due to the circumstances.

Meanwhile, I was having my own personal drama, which is nothing compared to what’s happening elsewhere in the city, but might provide some comic relief. I’m staying in a small hotel in a town about 15 minutes away from the show venue with no internet access. Last night my iPhone charger quit working and I had virtually no battery left. I tossed and turned all night trying to figure out how I was going to get another charger in time to charge my phone for the show. I depend on the Square adapter on my phone to accept credit card payments, as do many other artists.

Since I didn’t have either a phone or internet access, I had no idea what was going on in Boston. I got on the road about 7:30 AM to come into town and try to find a charger. My first stop was the show venue, because the show staff has been incredibly helpful, but there was no one there. So I went across the street to the Seaport Hotel, where I stayed during the show last year, walking right past a TV without seeing it.  The concierge staff was helpful, but told me there was no way to get a phone charger in Boston today because the city is on lockdown. This was the first I’d heard of anything happening, even though I noticed on the way in that traffic seemed light for a Friday morning. Further, she advised me not to leave the hotel, as all Boston residents are being advised to “shelter in place” until the fugitive is found. No subway or cab service, heavy police presence, almost no traffic on the streets, and long lines to get into Logan Airport as each vehicle is searched.

The kind concierge lent me a phone charger so I could get some life back in my phone battery, and although my movement is restricted, I’m sitting in a comfortable hotel lobby with my phone on the charger and internet access to write this post.

It’s been quite a morning! My son just checked in that his friends who live in the Boston area, nearer where the search is going on, are all safe, so that’s a relief. Boston is one of my favorite cities, and I fervently hope that the authorities find the man they are looking for without anyone else getting hurt, so the city can begin to heal.

Stay tuned for updates on the show. I’ll post when I know something.