The question I am asked most is “Why do you make quilts; why not paint?”
History
There are many reasons I first began to make quilts. First of all, I love antique quilts and was taught to value craftsmanship by my grandparents and parents. Quilts are a part of our family history; through quilting, I honor the women who came before me, while also poking fun at outdated attitudes.
Process
I also love to paint, dye, print, silk-screen and do all sorts of mixed media in the studio. On the surface of the quilt, I can explore all of those options, experimenting and playing with new techniques. I am an experimental artist at heart and love the possibilities inherent in fabric. No other medium short of sculpture offers the fabulous texture of the quilted surface.
Function
Art quilts can make a dramatic backdrop for any space. Quilts are also easier to store and ship than paintings which require special boxing and extra costs in framing.

Irony
But today, most of all, I love the tension created by the jolt to expectations my quilts elicit. Any audience has built-in expectations about quilts. The expected quilt is handmade. A patient grandmotherly type woman makes the expected quilt from traditional patterns. The expected quilt is used on the most intimate item in a house, the bed and these expected quilts are supposed to give you warm fuzzy feelings.
I love to challenge preconceptions and my quilts use all of these presumptions to turn expectations around in a surprising and often funny way. Made with a long arm machine and a large format printer, these quilts still have a tenuous relationship to the traditional quilts. By using repeat blocks in various layouts, the secondary design elements set up a pattern reminiscent of a traditional quilt. But the use of cutting edge technology is contrary to the “made by hand” axiom of traditional quilting. The theme and subject matter is obviously non-traditional and the drawings are meant to be humorous and many layered.  

Their eyes shine brightly as they load their stamps with paint. Smiles are infectious. Experiments with stencils and stamps on fabric are just the backdrop for fun. Laughter and giggles float on the air. Friends are made as moms and dads chat on the sidelines. It could be any group of kids and their parents enjoying themselves with some messy art play.

In reality, these are children and families fighting a huge battle against cancer, but doing so with grace under fire. I love working with kids and have had lots of experience teaching kids of all ages. But this was a special group of kids.

I went home each day with a special sense of the precious fragility of life and in awe of the indomitable human spirit that was so in evidence all day long.  

Thanks for the support people! Kacy’s band made it to 18 on the list for ACL

http://acl.mp3.com/feature/soundandjury/?band=DEATH-IS-NOT-A-JOYRIDE

Here is a review of the band

http://besttuna.blogspot.com/search?q=death+joyride

and another one

http://www.austinsound.net/

I  finally found someone who will make a cool yellow top for the sebring..so the art car mania is on. Gonna decoupage the whole thing with my fabric ladies.

The art car people here in Houston seem to have a blast, always showing off their cars at bars, parades and art openings like White Linen in the Heights.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330157201974

A cool art car for sale on ebay

Vote for Kacy’s band to play at ACL, they are 23rd…. they need to be top 20 to make the next round. You can get a free email  address on www.rock.com if the fact they are asking for your email bums you out.

 http://acl.mp3.com/feature/soundandjury/?band=DEATH-IS-NOT-A-JOYRIDE

Back in the studio

These poor horses need some tails!

 The Process:

 The kids at the hospital stamped many many yards of fabric with rubber stamps and created more fabric prints by using my Thermfax screens from previous spirit horse quilts. We used paper backed white cotton fabric and gallons of metallic paints ( Lumiere and Setacolour)  in blue, purple, gold, silver, pearl, copper, pinks and teals. We painted some of the fabric one day over the prints and used salt to create texture. We also spilled on the carpet and decided to stick to the thick paints and stencils and stamps. Luckily the hospital is smart and prepared and has replaceable carpet squares <Vbg> The rest is done by me at home and due Sept 1st!

Pics from my show are up at http://www.bcfas.org/

Click on Art League at the top, then gallery

http://www.bcfas.org/art/gallery

Virtual Tour

http://www.bcfas.org/art/gallery/Virtual/index.html

The art center has done a great job of documenting the show with a virtual gallery .  My quilts are towards the end of the slide show.

Enjoy

I am working on the quilt for the hospital again this week. Last week I dyed the background and cut out the horses. Manes to do today and auditioning the horses on the background

Alvin Community College called yesterday and wants me to do a solo show in October.

I got into IQA’s judged show and will have three works there this year, “Pumped”  in the judged show, “Doing the Can Can” will be in the SAQA “Creative Force” Exhibition  ( I am also the curator so very happy the juror Rebecca Stevens of the Textile Museum in Washington chose my only entry that was large enough to enter) and “Trowel and Error” will be in the “In Full Bloom” exhibition

Kim