Author Archives: Colleen Kole

The Quiltmaker Has Returned

     Kind of. Just getting use to a new machine. The other dud needs to go far, far away. I just got tired of fighting with the constant problems-maybe I just didn’t need so fussy a machine.

     I took out some pretty, soft colors and started piecing a little baby quilt. Charity quilt time is soon coming.

Just a simple, industrial machine. One third of the cost of the others and she purrs. Happily.

Felt so good to sew again. But the warm 75 degree weather convinced me I should be outside.

Enjoy the weekend.

Be creative, my friends!

Another Great Day at Artprize


     I know that I have been playing for almost two weeks now. And I have had soo much fun. But yesterday was a great day downtown with one of our own Artprize artists, Nellie Durand. Nellie was going to attend one of the artist workshops today and wanted to spend some time prior to the workshop just seeing the art. We walked.  We talked. We admired. We looked.  We sat and visited in a quiet cool spot and got to know each other. We walked even more. Lunch. Art talk. Dinner and more Artprize with a very quick trip to the Meijer Gardens to see some of their Artprize sculptures before it got dark.

  

     One of my favorites, by Beiliiu Lui, installed in our new UICA-except construction isn’t done and you could only view it through a window from the sidewalk. Kind of made it even more alluring. I really wanted to reach out and touch this one or lay underneath it.IIt is  thread coiled and hung but a needle piercing the coil and installed- hanging by a thread. They were all floating and moving ever so slightly. 
    The ever famous elephants that always drew a crowd. 
   
     Their heads bobbed up and down. The kids enjoyed them.
     After dinner, Nellie and I had show and tell. Nellie brought some of her” Interpret This” pieces and so freely shared how she had done each piece. And she so graciously looked at some of my pieces-finished and unfinished, made helpful hints and was just a delight to learn from. She brought me a wonderful present- a piece made from her Lake piece. I was just about beside myself after a day of art and spending time with a new art friend. 
     Unfortunately, I lost my camera-500 pictures on my little Coolpix guy-birthday, quilt show and Artprize with Nellie. I didn’t realize it until last night when I went to download them. Left it on a counter I think in the last building we were in. These pictures were actually taken from one of my earlier trips. I haven’t quite figured out what I will do. My big guy is lost in the Nikon factory warranty repair abyss…..As soon as I solve my new pictureless problem-I will show you my new present. 
     The biggest treasure though was spending time with a new friend-met by another on the internet. 
A day to be remembered. Thanks Nellie! 
Back to sewing tomorrow. I did some painting on fabric today with acrylic paints for about an hour. 🙂 Too bad I can’t show you a picture.
Be creative, my friends!

The Quilt Show is Done

 It took twenty months of planning. And this morning I can’t believe it’s over with. The intense physical work began last Tuesday when quilts were accepted, tagged and judged by two NQA judges, Lynne Erbach and Scott Murkin. I had never participated in this part of the show so, as a volunteer, was able to watch the judges critique each quilt.

     It was a very formal process with white gloves  and specific protocol to make sure each quilt was handled carefully and respectfully. I felt the judges were, for the most part, fair and the comments thoughtful and constructive as to where improvements could be made next time.

     The set up process was amazing. The quilts, once judged, were moved along with all the supplies to a conference center.

 Then the piping set up. Lots of hands were needed.

The quilts were hung and then enjoyed by many.

    For the first time in twenty some years of quiltmaking, I entered three quilts. And, to my surprise received three ribbons!

1st place-art abstract

Honorable mention -art abstract

1st place-first time entry and this little guy is sold. It was a hard decision to let him go. But as my daughter said-“Isn’t that why you are doing all this, Mom?” A big wahoo! It will be delivered to it’s new owner. Along with a little chocolate to thank her and her co-chair for all their hard work.

Thanks Betsy and Sandy! It was lots of fun.

Off to Artprize tomorrow with a new friend. And then back to work at the end of the week.

Happy creating, my friends!

Dear Sewing Machine

Dear Sewing Machine,

     No, I haven’t forgotten about you. I know I was cranky with you last week because there were tension problems. I really shouldn’t have kicked you. For that, I apologize. That was very childlike. Please forgive me.

      I am busy right now working on the West Michigan Quilt Guild  show. I watched 280 quilts being judged over the past few days and learned lots in that process. More later about that. Once the show is over, I can’t wait to get back to work and promise to treat you more kindly and see if a check up is in order. You will  be plenty busy as I am super -over -the- top -inspired.

Happy creating, my friends!

    

Another Artprize Trip

     My car is sick. Really sick but being fixed. My computer is fixed but they deleted my software for the desktop. I have housework to do before I am swallowed up in our guild show. But the weather was— really nice. So for 2 hours, I played hooky. And went back downtown to Artprize. And I am never disappointed.

Enjoy this amazing felted piece which is two stories high at points.

Close-ups of the work-

And then at the walking out on the other side. It is at our new art museum.

There was a great video of her making this huge piece. I want to look her up and just enjoy the process again!

Totally different form this was a pencil drawing which felt life size.

Both of these pieces obviously got a thumbs up from me when I voted today!

Miss Nellie is in the top 100 right now. If you live here and haven’t voted yet, you have until tomorrow for the first round.

Off to bed as tomorrow will be long.

Be inspired by Artprize, my friends!

Fussing Over

    I am so a creature of habit  I didn’t even want to look at how the upload of pictures was changed on Blogger. Such a baby at the end of the week. I am just tired after all my fabric dyeing-labor intensive but I love doing it.

 Beautiful colors-stormy grey, mustard, lapis from ProChem. I decided  to not goof around with trying to mix my own. I really like the grey.

 Two little work of the weeks using Shiva Paintsticks. I have had these paintsticks in a drawer for over two years and why haven’t I tried them before? I enjoyed the leaf rubbing and even tried free motion quilting again on the leaf. That was fun rather than the fighting with free motion quilting I have done in the past.

 More Artprize from the other night.

Also, a nice series of artist lectures sponsored by Kendall College of Art and Design.

 Different interactive art exhibits.

The Scar project was an Artprize entry. It included 500 people stitching an example of their “scar” on a canvas and then journaling. It was really sad but overwhelming to see how eagerly people were willing to jump in and participate.
I am too tired to figure out/ question why I can’t align this so good night my friends. Next week is very busy with the quilt show so I’ll see how the time is for blogging.
Be creative, my friends. 

My Own Little Art Prize

       Artprize begins today at 6:00 pm . All around town for the past week, we have been hearing about it in the paper and on tv and seeing it come together as signage has been put in place. There was even an article about it in the Wall Street Journal magazine this weekend. Lots of publicity this year so it will be busy!

     I hoped to get a head start today by finding a venue to register at, so I stopped by the Meijer Gardens. The entryway is open to the public for the next two weeks and the tour buses were lined up already. Lots of people trying to catch an early peek. When I arrived, the Artprize computers were down-probably overloaded. But then I noticed that portions of the conservatory were closed and lights dimmed. The power was out following a really nasty storm last night.

  

 But I still took time to see some of the exhibits. This was one of my favorites-paint cans. Loved the colors. Each piece identifies the artist and name of the work as well as gives you a voting number for it. You either like it or don’t like it-it’s  a viewer’s choice show. You have to show id onsite to be able to vote. I was finally able to register and hope to go to the opening downtown tonight. Lots more pictures coming the next two weeks of my favorites.

     I came home and put my newly dyed fabrics on the line.

     All darks this time and definitely fall colors.

I was disappointed that more of my fabric didn’t arrive today as it’s really warm here. I need to do the mustard and butter yellows yet. I had my own little art prize party hanging them on the line!

   

Off  to enjoy some art, my friends!

Outside Dyeing Today

     My mom had some minor outpatient surgery yesterday. She is doing okay but all I can say is please wear your sunscreen. And today in the 80’s so am outside dyeing fabric. And yes, I have my sunscreen on! I need to take advantage of the great weather here. I hope to go to Artprize opening tomorrow so lots to share this week.

 Go and be creative,  my friends!

Another Love

     I really do love taking photos. I desperately miss my basic lens from my Nikon which will probably be gone for about another month. I didn’t realize how much I depended on my camera and and used it more than once each day. Those photo moments. Thank goodness for the factory warranty.

 Not only do I enjoy shooting them, but I enjoy organizing them. Problem is that  I have only been organizing them for about the past six months. If you do it right when you download them, you are all set. I have a nightmare of photos that need to be tended and organized.If I just do a little each week, I might be done in another few weeks-maybe ten years is more like it. And then there is editing them. I haven’t spent much time editing them either lately. And that is really pathetic because I have Photoshop Elements on this computer. What a mess!

Round Barn recently renovated in Morrisville, VT

     So my question to you- How do you store your photos? Flickr? Picasa? Computer? Photoshop? So much info and so many places. I don’t even want to tell you what this looks like with my computer. Any info or recommendations would be great.

     Paula’s photo of a Vermont Barn that she made some cool shelves and a clock from made me miss Vermont. And the lack of a schedule. The kids sports and school schedule is hard to get use to again.

Happy sewing, my friends!

  

Don’t Forget IBOL This Year

     I was in a purging mood last week. It all started with the re-do of one of our bedrooms upstairs to make it into a guest room. The bedroom had become a great place to stash everything that was no longer wanted or needed-kids clothes, outgrown stuffed animals, books,etc. It was scaring me. So, I made piles and began bringing things to Goodwill and then revamping the bedroom. Not done yet but  in process and I feel lighter.

     Well it felt so good I decided to do my studio. Empty drawers, throw away projects that were never going to get finished and make huge piles which are again slowly being put away. I even put a large quantity of yarn into piles and boxes .I ripped out half started projects and rewound the yarn. (My husband asked me if there was anything wrong-no I am not nesting,honey, just cleaning).  I try to knit but have currently decided not to buy anymore yarn:). But the point of this mindless but rewarding quest- to organize my life. To clear out the stuff that is undone and making me feel guilty it’s not done. And really doesn’t need to be done. You laugh again.

    At the same time, I received an e-mail reminding me about this project that I did last year- Iraqui Bundles of Love . What a great way to send supplies to someone who will make good use of them. I was able to pack two bundles up-one of fabric and sewing supplies and one of knitting things. Check them out and see if you can help.(DEADLINE: OCTOBER 1).  I also sent some art supplies to our school and the art teacher was very excited. Simple acts and it helped me too.

    However in the process of cleaning my studio- a big confession. I have 14 WIPs -works in progess.I feel trapped with all the tops not done.

Like my daughter posing in a jail cell at the Shelburne Museum.

Trapped.

They were stuffed in baskets and bags and drawers. I was beginning to itch(hives) as I saw the pile.  That is way too many even for me. What is wrong with me?

Off to conquer another scary thing-unfinished tops.

Happy sewing, my friends!