MAGnificent Inspirations

Well, there were many twists and turns along the way but I put the last stitch in it today. I am happy with the finished piece - it isn't were I thought I would go with the theme of the original artwork. I first envisioned a mourning dove in the fresh snow, eating the seeds on the ground and then my thoughts moved into an abstract depiction of the trinity theme. After discarding those ideas for various reasons I settled on this composition.

If you are in the Rochester, NY area in January be sure to stop by the Memorial Art Gallery to check out the show.

My Artist Statement:
Title of work: Trinity of the Ancients
Quilt Inspiration: The Trinity by Corrado Giaquinto
Size: 16" x 22"

Statement Explaining Choice: Often creating images of the natural world, I chose this piece as my inspiration because of the dramatic images of life, death, and nature. I was especially drawn to the bird in flight set against a tumultuous sky.

My piece depicts another, ancient, interpretation of the three central images of Giaquinto’s work. The earth represents the Provider, God the Father of the Christian tradition, offering nourishment both physically and spiritually to the faithful. This nourishment, in the form of grain, is cultivated from the earth and takes the role of the Son. The final, essential segment of this trinity is embodied by the bird in flight, a perpetual symbol of the mystifying connection between earth and the heavens. These three elements are forever joined, having a timeless, sacred bond that has been revered since the beginning of time.

Winter has arrived!

Well, it's here - Winter. We had a lake effect snow storm closing most schools in the area yesterday. It was a beautiful snow, the kind with the big fluffy flakes that adds up quickly on the ground and makes you glad you don't have to drive in it.

When I got up this morning the air was clear and a fluffy white blanket covered the earth. I grabbed by camera, bundled up and headed out to see what I could find in the winter wonderland. On mornings like this I hate to step into the snow because it scars the beautifully serene landscape but it is such a sence of being one with nature.

I just love the way the red cardinals stand out against the white landscape. This is a photo from this mornings hike.

Enjoy the winter - because we have 5 more months of it!

MAGnificent Inspirations

I am one of several artists asked by The Gallery Council for the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY to participate in their "MAGnificent Inspirations: The Art Quilt" project. Selected artist toured the MAG's collection of art and selected a piece to use as the inspiration for a new art piece to be displayed and sold as part of a fund raiser during the "Wild By Design" exhibit.

I have chosen "The Trinity" by Corrado Giaquinto as my inspiration piece. Those that may be familuar with my work know that I like to create wildlife art - so I chose this piece because of the bird in it.

I will be working out my art piece over the next several weeks and thought I would document the process here. I'll try to take you along with me on the journey to completion and tell you more about the artist and the exhibit as work progresses.

Look forward to sharing this with you.

Fall 2007 Quilt Market

Well, I just got back from Quilt Market and I feel like I am starting a whole new life - my leaf is turned over and my new colors are showing. Okay, it's not that obvious to anyone else but I feel that I am looking down the road for the first time in a long journey. I've felt behind for so long - always running to keep up.

Family Vacation to Yellowstone

My husband Paul and I just finished a wonderful week long vacation visiting some of the country’s national parks and monuments with the rest of my family. We stopped off at Mount Rushmore and made a visit to Deadwood to see Wild Bill’s and Calamity Jane’s stomping ground. We then went to a ghost town in Montana, spent a few days going around Yellowstone National Park and finished the week off with a drive south to Salt Lake City to fly home. I am recharged and ready to get back to work. Many of the sights I saw will be incorporated into my future work.

I’m posting a few pictures from the trip with some notes and highlights beside them. I took over 600 photos but I promised my husband that I wouldn’t make him look through all of them. If you are as much of a nature lover as I am you really should plan a trip to Yellowstone if you haven’t already.

The first picture is Old Faithful an hour before sunset. I just love this picture, it has such a spiritual aspect and what trip to Yellowstone would be complete with out a trip to see Old Faithful so this is a great photo to start with.

We had seen a few single buffalo here and there around the park but no herd of buffalo until the second day. We got up early in the morning and found this herd grazing by the river on the east side of Yellowstone park.

The third picture was taken as we went into the spring area in the northern part of Yellowstone park. The color in the springs from the different kinds of minerals and algae was just outstanding. I thought that these tree trunks really made a statement of the vast landscape that some of the springs cover in the park.

The fourth picture is from the side of Canary Spring which was a ways down the path from the previous photo.

On the last day in Yellowstone we had stopped to watch some elk and were commenting on not having seen a prairie dog when one popped his head up out of a hole not 10 feet from where we were standing. Guess you never know what will be popping up in life.

In the airport on the way home we were sitting next to another nice family that had been to Yellowstone as well. I couldn't help but notice in compairison that most of their photos contained family members in front of the various sites and that most of my photos were of just the natural surroundings. It's not that I don't love my family, because I really do, I just love to gaze at what mother nature has created.

This is my newest quilt pattern called Backyard Majesty and was introduced at Spring Quilt Market last week. It's 23" x 32". I just love to watch the bluebirds each summer as they hunt for bugs in the garden and raise their families. I’ll never forget the day I looked out the sewing room window to see one of the little ones getting a lesson on taking a bath. It was absolutely soaked and the parent was sitting on the edge scolding it.

Welcome to my Blog!

Hi and welcome to my blog. I'm so looking forward to sharing my art and design work with you. Showing you what is in the works and keeping you updated as to what I am working on.