Festival of Quilts - Part 2

I find that one of the benefits of blogging about an exhibition is that it forces me to really think about what I saw.... or at least makes me think more than I would otherwise have done.  So I have selected a few more of my FOQ photographs and I have considered why I have chosen them. It goes without saying that I admired all of the pieces I have selected. 

Reason 1 - A personal connection to the subject matter

I have selected two of the miniature quilts based on David Hockney's work. These lovely pieces of work reminded me of a very enjoyable evening spent at the RA exhibition.  I love colorful landscapes and I like the unconventional colours which are in these pieces and in Hockney's work. Anybody ever seen blue trees?

Liz Clark - Hockney's 'Winter timber'

This piece reminds me of a collage I made of tissue paper and I surprised myself by using pink paper to represent the trees and by the fact that I liked the result. Personal challenge to myself: To design a piece using unconventional colours?

Susan Wakefield - A Smaller Picture

Reason 2 - A style and/or technique that you seek to develop

This piece was the winner of the Quilters Guild challenge 'What does Britain mean to you?'



Cherry Vernon-Harcourt

I like the simple design of this piece - 'just' hedgerow and sky. That's not to say easy. I know that this piece required a lot of skill, planning and patience as the layers were built up. In general, I prefer simple unfussy designs but designs that have depth and this ones got that.  I was also interested to see that it was lightly quilted because I don't always want cover the piece in stitching. Personal Challenge: To significantly develop the depth/complexity in my pieces.

Reason 3 - Blown away by the skill shown

This quilt was absolutely amazing! Why didn't this get a prize or a commendation?

Laura Kemshall

Personal Challenge: None! My skills artistic skills will never come close to this


Reason 4 - It's a subject that keeps catching my eye

Margreth Saterhall - Catwalk

I've lost count of how many times I have admired fashion illustrations on paper and in textiles.  I was sorry to have missed a course on 'Textile Portraits' run by Rachel Howard last month at City Lit and I'm really hoping that she will run it again.

Personal Challenge: Start sketching people...Mmm....just writing these words makes me feel slightly uncomfortable - not feeling hopeful that this will be fulfilled anytime soon!

I could go on...but I think I've given myself enough food for thought and enough challenges for now!