Craft Napa 2021


I taught at Craft Napa three workshops: Surprise Printing on the Go, Instant Paper-Cloth and Hand appliqué with Paper and Fabric. It was fun to meet people from all over. Hard work but lots of fun. My heart is full. I am delighted that I could find kindred spirits who are willing to experiment with paper and cloth or unusual painting techniques. Thank you for letting me share my art with all of you!



*New* Year, *New* challenges



It's a New Year! This time of the year always makes me reflect and think where I am in my life and how this influences my art.
It is always part of a story in progress. I try to use materials in a different way, a way that stretches me in different directions.

I love to challenge myself. And this year will be no different. With all that is happening in the world my need for art has substantially increased.

Currently I am working on a *pieced* quilt, yes it is my first time working with little pieces of fabric. The next picture  shows one third of the quilt. It still is a work in progress. It is composed of 365 little squares. If you do a search online about *Temperature quilts* you will see hundreds of beautiful designs; mine is made from paper, paint and cloth!



The picture above shows a finished pillow based on my workshop *Surprise Printing on the Go* -a portable painting technique.

Do you feel the need to do more art as well?

*Craft Napa* 2020- Part TWO

 

And these are photographs of  the fun we had together in my third class. *Hand Appliqué with Paper and Fabric*
 















 
 What an intense experience this was.  I met wonderful students, quilters and artists. I also reconnected with friends. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach at this show.My heart is full of beautiful memories.
 
You can see more pictures HERE

*Craft Napa* 2020- Part ONE

Student work - Technique: *Instant Paper-Cloth*
 
I just returned from Craft Napa. What a wonderful experience it was. This is the fifth year Pokey Bolton organized this event. She really knows how to kick off the New Year with inspirational classes in the gorgeous Napa valley.
 
We were 17 faculty members and 250 students. Most of the daily events took place at the Embassy Suites Hotel. It ensured that we could mingle more during meal times or just sitting around during the breaks, thus giving us the opportunity to know each other a little bit more outside the classroom. The energy was very positive - it made it a happy meeting.
 
I gave the first of my three workshops, called *Surprise Printing on the GO*, at Pokey's Barn, which is located just a few miles from the Hotel. It is an ideal place to make a beautiful painted mess.  I took the photograph below just before my students arrived. Each student had their own table!

  
Following are some pictures of the last assignment the students worked on (I forgot to take pictures from the first ones).




 
 We also designed our own silkscreen:

The group together.
 
The second class I taught was my workshop *Instant Paper-Cloth* and it was at the Hotel. Here are some of the students' work:












 
And this is the group photo:
 

 
I am so proud of each of my students, they did a marvelous job!
 
You can see more pictures HERE


Painted Quilt *Finished*

 
It's Autumn in my part of the world so I decided to challenge myself to create a painted quilt to cover my legs while I am sitting reading a book (my other favorite activity- I am currently reading The Heavens May Fall by Allen Eskens-).

The finished quilt measures 45 inches by 36 inches. Let me share with you my quilt-making process.




I knew I wanted a painted quilt so I started experimenting with different type of paints and soon I discovered a *new* way of printing which I called *surprise printing*.
The name says it all: it is a serendipity process where you get different color design with each print. Perfect technique for making a pieced quilt top.

Well, if you have been reading my blog you must know by now that I usually make art quilts to be hanged on the wall which are heavily stitched by hand and machine with different kind of threads. For a utility quilt, I learned that you must take a different approach: less dense stitching!! And did I also mention a pieced quilt top???



  
After all the blocks were printed, washed and trimmed I started to play with them on my design wall. I was stuck so I decided to dye the backing fabric.
 


I used the ice dyeing method. The dye colors I chose: midnight blue and bronze from  HERE
Observing this fabric where the two colors meld in some areas and they stay separate in another creating an harmonious design with lines I knew what to do next!
 
I painted a stripe fabric with the same technique and with the same colors used on the blocks. Oh, I like that.

Cut also narrow strips to add movement and balance.

 
Once the pieced top was finished, I stitched in the ditch around each seam.

I am offering this as a workshop. Check details under the workshops category in my blog.

 
And here I am using my quilt and reading a new book. Exciting news about this book in my next post!