Monday, May 7, 2007

revising or pulling a fast one?





I spent last week "revising" an old quiltto enter in a show. In order to ease my conscience about it , I DID contact the( Lowell ) New England Quilt Museum to ask if a revised quilt would be considered "recent" It all started when I heard they were hosting a show whose theme was games and game boards. I had a biggish quilt from my early days ( 2002 ) that was an OKAY idea that never came fully to fruition. Not to mention the crappy sewing on it as I was still learning and sewing on a $30.00 church basement special. So having gotten the okay from the Museum, I took stuff off, added some much needed interest in the background and gave the figures some sort of structure to exist in. It's much better. But not one I think is really good. Nevertheless, having done it, I duly sent off my entry to NEQM. I was swearing off entering every show in the world this year. My friwends were calling me a "show slut". I don't know what happens to me when I see a call for entry that one of my quilts might suit. But I began asking myself why. Some of the reasons are personal...you know the "seeking approval" thing we learn as kids...especially a kid whose parent didn't like her all that much! But there is also a phenomenon I realized of being part of a big thing. When I worked worked worked every day as a painter/assemblage artist, it was more or less in a vacuum. Only one other artist friend and maybe one show a year with the gallery. But NOW because my milieu is so much bigger, and there are so many more people doing what I am doing, I feel more a part of life. A case in point is...I LOVE getting up each day and reading email. Then I have the pleasure of waiting for the snail mail because often I am expecting news of a show entry, or a quilt coming back, or a package from some nice quilty person ( like Thelma, who once sent me a BUNCH of fabric and I hardly even knew her then!) So even tho' seeking praise is part of it...maybe not the good part, the camraderie is also imposrtant. So I am forgiving myself for being a show slut. And anyway, I make so many art pieces what the heck else would I do with them?

Oh here is the before and after to my revision "Checkmates"

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

rotten teeth and quilt


Ack! I don't want to be dumped from this interesting group so I shall post something completly incoherent as I have just had my jaw all jackhammered today for implants in the future. I hurts like hell! I CAN relate it to quilty news though as I made a quilt called A VERY STINGY TOOTH FAIRY just after my teeth broke off and I had received that bad news that implants would be $10,000.00!! It even won best in show at the Paducah Lower town quilt walk:
I am so out if it at the moment that all I can think of is to bitch once again about that old saw why quilt shows that offer ART categories can't judge them by ART standards. But my Codeine is kicking in and I have to leave the room.
Love you guys,
Pamwela