Neptune's Garden - the Quilt Show

Here is a picture of my quilt, Neptune's Garden, as it was seen on display in the Blank Quilting booth.

In addition, I did not win nor even get an honorable mention for my piece that I submitted to the Simplicity / Wright's challenge. As usual, I believe it was because I pushed the envelope too far, and although highly innovative, I used and developed techniques that were not readily understandable and applicable to a quilter. Regardless, I am looking forward to exploring my art further and hopefully one day I'll find a venue that will recognize the creativity for what it is.

Four Seasons Quilt by Marinda Stewart - Block of the Month

I was going to wait a few days before posting the Block of the Month quilt made exclusively of Rock Candy - designed and constructed by Marinda Steward, but the comments on the previous post prompted me to do so ASAP.

I think in this case a picture speak tomes, and I shall just leave it at that.

Houston International Quilt Market 2009

So, the pressure is on. Now, as I write this blog to report the goings-on at Quilt Market, and months before in preparation of our biyearly event.

We usually arrive fresh and full of enthusiasm -- and then are put through the ringer, with the promise of a sensational looking booth and a most welcomed and well deserved meal at the end of the day.

Our mission, and we chose to accept it, is to take a blank (no pun intended) 20 foot by 30 foot space and laboriously transform it into something that actually meets AND surpasses our expectations.

For two days we work about 8 hours per day to collectively realize a vision that Diana and I have plotted for months prior to the show. Fortunately what we have created so far does not create a mutiny amongst the sales people and our fellow coworkers, and I would like to thank those of you that participated in the creation of our booth: yes, it was our vision but it could not have been done without the wonderful people that I live and breath market with for those 5 days. THANKS!!

The theme this show was a garden, and although we were not rewarded with an award for our endeavors, it brought a lot of attention to our quilts and the flower garden at the center of the booth -- all thanks to a very talented and creative team lead by designer Heidi Pridemore of The Whimsical Workshop.

My goal is to promote my fabric, and in this case I am proudly touting Rock Candy. Blank Quilting has made a huge investment in my vision and product, and supports it whole-heartedly, so much so, that this go around for the Block of the Month is a quilt designed by my dear friend Marinda Stewart. Here is a close-up of one of the blocks, and I'll post a picture of the full quilt in the near future. The quilt was well received at market and we look forward to a great success with this project!!

During market it doesn't matter who you are or what your position in the company might be, our only focus is the booth and no job is too big or small. Here is Diana Mancini, Creative Director of Blank Quilting showing off her vacuuming technique. (P.S. Diana's husband contacted me regarding this picture and said he had never seen her do this in their home!) It just goes to show you that the Gnomes must come out at night like the cobbler's elves.

This is our cute little bargain find which brought good will and cheer to us all, through the days at market.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Bright and early Wednesday morning I'm on a New York to Houston flight out of Newark Liberty International Airport. At the terminal I'll rondezvous with Diana Mancini, creative director of Blank Quilting, and together we'll fly to our Texas destination. There we will meet with Barbara Crom, a Texas rep for Blank, and we three will run around the Houston area shopping for last minute supplies for our booth at the International Quilt Market, in the George R. Brown Convention Center.

The next day, Mary Koval, of Mary Koval Antique Quilts, an attendee of Quilt Market and Blank licensee, will drive us around in her hugh panel van to pick up the large items we have pre-ordered at various stores. Then we're off to the convention center to start constructing the booth that we will inhabit for the next three days. I'll post pictures of the goings-on and probable mayhem that will most likely ensue before, during and after set up.

A mistake and a lesson learned

I learned a very important lesson regarding the Art world - basically if it is presented as Art, then it must be Art.

I have mastered the necessity of presentation to try and give me an edge over the competition - to send a resume or note in a classy envelope. To send a package wrapped to make an impression - tissue paper, ribbon, eye catching box. And when I send an item, it is understood to be what it is - noting more and nothing less.

As my previous post discusses, I packaged my submission for PRIMARY RED in a pizza box. I dropped it off at the Hui, leaving it in the box, ASSUMING that the box and tissue were understood to be wrappings - protective material for the submission.

I was wrong -- I should have unpacked the submission and taken the box with me. Obviously from the point of view when perceiving art - my piece was not removed from the box, the packaging considered to be a part of the work.

No one had to tell me this -- I knew it immediately upon entering the room the retrieve my piece, as it was not selected for the exhibit. It sat on a table, nestle in the box, the tissue obviously untouched and my mistake was glaringly obvious to me at that moment.

I have learned a valuable lesson: if IT is presented as such or if I as the artist say IT is so, then whatever IT is must be considered art. It is a very powerful concept - I can place dog crap on a plate and call it art and it will be recognized and respected as art. If I take the same plate with dog crap on it and now call it food - no one in their right mind would accept it.

Interesting how a word can blur peoples' perception.... I shall have to ponder this further...

Neptune's Garden - the studio version...

A first glimpse of my garden under the sea...

So, in its realized form, this is the quilt that started the whole theme that transmuted into two other pieces: Neptune's Garden II and Dancing with the Stars - Tango Red.

This quilt will be on display in the Blank Quilting booth in Houston, Oct. 10 - 12. I'll take more pictures from onsite and post them so you can see it hanging in the trade show environment -

I played with the exposure and sharpness of the images to make the details really pop, and even without doing so, the shine of the Rock Candy is wonderfully apparent.

All of the techniques used, although not new, are mine... and I am hoping to generate some interest in my work, and in the possibility of exploring these methods further in the development of a book.

We shall see...

September 25th deadlines met

Yesterday I confirmed with the online USPS tracking that my entry for the Simplicity Wrights challenge was delivered.

Today I packed up and delivered the piece for PRIMARY RED at the Hui.

I figured I should pack the piece in a box for transportation. Luckily I am lazy and hadn't taken any of the corrugated cardboard to the recycle center, so I had a few boxes to chose from. It came down to a choice between a used USPS shipping box, or a clean pizza box.

Naturally the pizza box was an appropriate size for my needs.

When I arrived at the Hui to register my submission, there was a lot of attention as I walked in like a pizza delivery guy. There was confusion... had anyone ordered a pizza? Of course I was questioned if that was a pizza or my submission. My reply was, "Whole wheat crust, no red sauce." I obtained a chorus of chuckles.

So another delivery is done.

I am finishing up the quilt for market and will preview that in the next few days.

Aloha!