Sunday, July 14, 2013

Witch? Award: All My Blog Followers Can Vote Too!!

I posted last week about the local portrait contest. The City of Menominee closed down the location for the exhibit and receptions for code reasons and it was decided to move the voting and display process to Facebook. The artworks were photographed and now our names are with our work. I would appreciate your vote on Facebook at www.facebook.com/witch?award. When you see my self portrait click on LIKE and better yet click SHARE!! I am in third place on the second day and a high school kid who did a pencil drawing is winning and I am in third place. I want to win the $1000 to buy an iPad. Thanks for helping me!!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Witch? Award

The Witch? Award is a local portrait competition/contest for any local artist to enter. The rules were to have an unframed piece sized 16" x 20." Since I am a quilter to follow the contest rules meant no binding. I added 3-4" beyond the required size to wrap the quilt around the frame. The contest stated that the work had to be based on a photo with a model release. That part was weird to me since I base my ideas on my drawings not photos. I have no grandchildren or anyone I had a decent photo of that I wanted to make a quilt about and the rules said a self portrait would work. The second photo is the photo I based my entry on. It was a quickie iPhone photo last summer when I had blonde in my hair and I was goofing around with my hair that day. I added more "chin/shoulders" and added the awesome pink/orange/lime batik for the background. I didn't add much for embellishments because I thought the art community might not "get" that part and it may look too crafty for artsy. I can always add my bling after the contest!
Creating a self portrait is a strange experience but I just kept looking at value, color and details and made the applique pieces. I struggled with the mouth and also hid my work from my boyfriend Ken because it was kind of embarassing to me. He finally had to look at it when he stappled the quilt to the frame he made for it. He though it looked like me and I have accepted it as another piece of my artwork collection.

The exhibit will be on display at the Crawford Building, Menominee MI from July 12 through August 9, 2013 weekends only and extended hours Aug. 1-4 for the local Waterfront Festival. The general public will vote on the art. There is an opening reception on Friday July 12th and a closing reception on Friday August 9th in which the winner will be chosen. No idea how many local artists create portrait work or how many people will vote so I have to just watch and wait!! The website is www.thewitch?award.com.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Artsy Chick Quilts: July and August=Gallery Season

Artsy Chick Quilts: July and August=Gallery Season: I rejoined the Menominee Area Art Council (MAAC) and they are exhibiting at the University of Wisconsin-Marinette Gallery in the Arts Buil...

July and August=Gallery Season

I rejoined the Menominee Area Art Council (MAAC) and they are exhibiting at the University of Wisconsin-Marinette Gallery in the Arts Building during summer hours M-F and during the Theatre on the Bay Production of the Sound of Music. The play runs July 18-21 and 24-28. There is an artist reception on July 18th from 4-5pm which I will be able to attend. I chose my piece "Bella Gialla" for this exhibit because it has not been in a local exhibit and the size was small enough for the area. I personally love this quilt and the pink, blue and yellow versions as well!!
This quilt titled "Hera and Aphrodite" is on display at Farmers and Merchants Bank, 1644 Ludington Street, Marinette WI 54143 during bank hours. It is part of the "MAAC Attack" exhibit by the art council members and is on display from now until the end of August. there is a n artist reception in July but I am not able to attend since I will be in Rhinelander teaching.
This quilt called "Menominee Mermaid II" and the one in the next photo called "Geisha" are on display at the Harry and Laura Nohr Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville WI July and August 2013 in conjunction with the Sewing and Quilting Expo August 2-3, 2013 in which I am an instructor!! Love this gallery and the whole event!  The mermaid quilt I made for an exhibit that didn't happen in 2012 and my "Geisha" quilt was my entry in the 2010 Hoffman Challenge.