Thursday, December 14, 2017

Shifting Gears


I've been so focused on the exhibits and the physical therapy that I am just this week addressing Christmas preparations. Not so my neighbors, including the one that shares the other half of my townhouse duplex and cleared snow for me. This is what their side looks like, and I wouldn't mind at all if they continued that string of lights across my garage as well!


They even hung a lighted garland over the spot where are trash bins sit.


Once the cards are written and a few decorations up, I'll be starting on a quilt for my god-daughter's baby girl born the day after Thanksgiving. I have an idea based on a quilt kit I saw in the AQS catalog. It uses a white background but I want to use up some of that lavender that wasn't lavender fabric I dyed up earlier this year. Studying the picture and taking some measurements, I think I have the dimensions of the block and its components figured out. Yes, I was still getting exhibit stuff ready but couldn't resist mocking up the block and its setting. It verified the change I thought I wanted to make. Of course, the strip colors are just random ones I picked. It will take some pulling from the stash to figure out what the color scheme will really be. I'm hoping not to make this too complicated so that I don't have to spend too much time getting it made. As my friend Michele noted in an email "The good thing about baby quilts is that they tend to work up fast -- much faster than a full-size bed quilt. That is -- unless you are my friend Sheila and you over-think things!" Exactly what I was thinking as I read along. When do I ever NOT over-think things? :-) Let's hope I can keep it simple and fast.


I'm hoping the turnout for tomorrow night's opening reception for the Rooted in Fiber exhibit is better attended than last Friday's opening reception for the Power of Renaissance exhibit. It was mostly the die-hard POAC supporters who showed up. I was surprised that there was not more art, and that art was only hung on the main floor. I did get several comments on Eisenberg Fountain's "commercial" appeal. I've always thought that, that it would look good hanging at a business, but these comments were also encouraging me to contact a local home decor designer because they could see it in someone's home as well. I may follow up with that after the exhibit is over. I also noticed a couple studying it close up, pointing at the stitching near the top that depicts the cascading water. I wish I'd gotten a chance to talk to them.


POAC is trying something new with the incorporation of  Artist Talks at the opening receptions. Here is Bonnie Shields talking about her evolution as an artist, showing some quite early pieces. I got brave and asked if they had anyone lined up for the winter exhibit, and they were quite eager to have me do it. So tomorrow night, I'll be talking about my work and answering some specific questions posed by the organizer of the talks. Wish me luck!

8 comments:

Living to work - working to live said...

I smiled at the comment about you over thinking it. But your plan for the baby quilt does look good. Good luck with that.

And I wish I was closer - I'd love to come to your openings and particularly hear you talk.

And this weekend I plan to get some decorations up. It's not feeling very Christmassy here yet.

The Inside Stori said...

Gosh, your calendar is full……lucky for the folks who get to hear your artist journey….. Merry Christmas girlfriend!

Sherrie Spangler said...

I love those colors in the baby quilt plan. Will be interested to see the finished quilt.

Margaret Ball said...

Are there actually people who do NOT overthink things?

-Recovering Math Major

The Idaho Beauty said...

LOL Margaret! Yes, apparently there ARE people who don't overthink things and I have such a hard time understanding their breeziness in all they do. I often find that irritating even as I envy them, especially when I'm in the midst of a project conundrum and can't seem to push my way forward. I don't know what MY excuse is, as I've always sided with Barbie about math being hard, definitely not my forte. But in so many other ways, I'm all about precision and finding the right answer, even if it kills me!

The Idaho Beauty said...

Hilary, nothing would please me more than to see your face at one of my receptions and to be able to attend one of yours. My special peeps who follow my blog are way too far away. Comforting to hear I'm not the only one not quite getting the Christmas thing going yet. I probably am overthinking that too!

The Idaho Beauty said...

Mary, I realize all I want to do after these way too full few weeks is put my feet up and lose myself in my current book of fiction from the library for hours on end. Sigh - but Christmas card writing is calling . . . ho ho ho!

The Idaho Beauty said...

Sherrie, I'm a little surprised that you like this color palette as it seems a little darker than the way I think of your work. There are some nice pops with the bright green. We'll see what I have on hand that is like this, maybe stick more with this than my thought of staying closer to the colors in the quilt I made for her first baby. Oops - overthinking??? ;-)