Barbara McCraw and Teresa Sherling present trunk show

Close friends and quilting colleagues Barbara McCraw and Teresa Sherling were DAFA’s guest artists on Nov. 25, 2013, presenting a charming trunk show and telling with humor the story of their collaboration in B&T Studios in Denton. The two teach classes in techniques ranging from beginning to advanced, including Baltimore Album year-long classes. Both have had their work juried into the International Quilt Festival in Houston, and Teresa has had one of her quilts chosen for the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. The quilt depicts Sasha and Malia Obama.

Chuck Baber (left) led the November mini-workshop, teaching participants how Japanese stab binding is done. His small sample books are shown in the center panel. At right, participants clip their book signatures and drill holes with the Dremel.

Barbara McCraw (left) and Teresa Sherling await the start of their DAFA program. Displaying their individual versions of shared challenges, Teresa shows her bulldog quilt and Barbara shows her cats.

The Baltimore Album quilts showed clearly the unique approaches to color and design that the two quilters take while sharing a love of similar techniques. At right, DAFA members crowd around after the program to admire the pair's “hair quilts” and other intriguing work.

-- Carolyn Skei

DAFA artists present Mixed Media Mania

In an evening of hands-on art projects coordinated by Chuck Baber at the October meeting, four DAFA members shared their techniques with participants in this year’s Mixed Media Mania. Louise Schubert, April Soncrant, Denise Spillane and Beth Swider presented their four different fiber projects to members rotating from table to table at The Point.

Denise taught a Handbound Mini-Notebook, incorporating her Gelli-printing fabrics and papers; Louise taught Zipper Roses, constructed from colorful recycled zippers; Beth coached participants in designing a mailable Double Duty Doodle postcard; and April led everyone in assembling Embellished Name Badges from wood, chipboad, fabric and precut letters.

Here are a few pictures of the jam-packed evening.

Left to right: Mixed-Media Mania boss Chuck Baber models one of the new DAFA aprons, which will go on sale at the November meeting. Denise Spillane demonstrates the pamphlet stitch. Beth Swider (standing) shows Mary Lou Smith how to package the doodle postcard for mailing.

Left to right: Take-home projects for the evening included name badges, zipper roses, notebooks with Gelli-print covers, and double-use doodle postcards. Louise Schubert smiles for the camera In the midst of happy chaos. April Soncrant and Chuck Baber confer at the name badge table.

                                               

                                                                                                                                            --Carolyn Skei

Gay Young Presents Thread Paintings, Quilts

ART QUILTER GAY YOUNG demonstrated various methods of thread painting and presented a trunk show of her art quilts at DAFA’s meeting on Monday, Sept. 23. Among a number of DAFA’s members who exhibit their work widely, Gay explained ways in which she thread paints over original photos printed on cloth and sometimes uses free-motion techniques to thread paint on double layers of water-soluble stabilizer. Video projection by board member Chuck Baber enabled mini-workshop goers to watch closely as Gay demonstrated at her machine.

Left to right: Gay Young prepares to demonstrate thread painting “live” to her audience. Gay’s thread-painted butterfly. The video projection of Gay’s demo.

During the trunk show that followed, Gay showed some of her early work, followed by a variety of recent quilts that have been juried into shows and publications. Her landscape quilts, including a series of Aspen Quilts, have attracted the attention of gallery owners and show jurors in several states. Her quilt “Portland Reflection” was featured in the February 2012 issue of Quilters’ Newsletter magazine, and “Headwaters” is included in Lone Stars III: Texas Quilts Today, 1986-2011. She has been a devoted contributor to the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative.

Gay describes her “Nebula” quilt. Carol Regan and Chuck Baber perform duty as Quilt Vannas, displaying Gay’s Mesa Verde-inspired quilts. Audience members gather after the presentation to get a closer look at textures and quilting techniques.

-- Carolyn Skei

The Mind's Eye Is Live!

You have heard a lot about this special show over the past several weeks. Thanks to all the artists who submitted pieces to Let’s Make Alzheimer’s a Distant Memory: The Mind’s Eye’.

The windows make the colors of the baskets "pop." Debbie Snider puts the finishing touches on the show.

With a lot of work from many volunteers, the show was hung Sepetember 4 at the Lover's Lane United Methodist Church.   A portion of each sale will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Dallas Chapter for research and caregiver support.

A luncheon was held September 8 celebrating the artists and the opening of the show. It was a fun afternoon and chance for some of the artists to meet with members of the congregation.

The DAFA artists clean up for the luncheon. L-R Jules Rushing, Deborah Boschert, VET, Gay Young, Sherrie Tootle and Carolyn Skei.

There is still time to see the show. The exhibition runs through October 17, 2013 at the ArtReach Gallery, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood Road at Northwest Highway in Dallas. The show can also be viewed on DAFA's website.

Sara Miller-Moe Presents Trunk Show

Art quilter and mixed-media artist Sara Miller-Moe brought a lively program and trunk show to DAFA’s regular meeting on Monday, August 26. In a presentation titled “From Stitches to Strokes” she recounted her non-stop adventures as a fiber artist in recent years, showing her audience dozens of colorful quilts, many fabrics and templates that she has designed, and a group of recent abstract collages. Curves abound in her work, and one of her refrains was, “Quilts don’t have to be square.”

Left to right: Deborah Boschert and Brenda Wyatt display one of Sara’s earliest quilts. Sara’s most recent quilt, built using a wide variety of her templates. Sarah holds up one of the painted fabrics that became part of her fabric collection.

Left to right: Flo Barry displays one of Sara's quilts built with her curved templates. Sara shows Audrey Legatowicz one of her her non-traditional pieces. A group of Sara’s collaged works on wood.

Louise Schubert led the mini-workshop in August, providing fabrics, beads, trims, guidance and inspiration as members created "Art Doll Pins." The resulting scores of colorful pins were as diverse as their makers.

Left to right: Louise Schubert helps Mary Lou Smith with fabric draping. Four of the resulting art doll pins. Louise enjoys a humorous remark.

Several mini-workshop participants display their art doll pins during the Show & Tell session.

-- Carolyn Skei

Dianne Hicks Presents Watercolors, Collages

Metroplex artist Dianne Hicks was DAFA’s guest artist on July 22, leading a mini-workshop on figurative collages and presenting her history as a watercolor and collage artist. Mini-workshop participants worked with an assortment of printed faces and Dianne’s printed papers to turn out wonderful, unique collages based on simple human shapes.

Left to right: Diane demonstrates how she shades her collages to achieve more depth; four of the many exciting collages created by mini-workshop participants; Diane chats with Sara Miller-Moe, who will present DAFA’s program in August.

During the main presentation of the evening, Dianne showed pictures of her studio in Lewisville and explained her fascination with patterns and hand-printed papers. She incorporates the patterned papers into many of her works, which range from handbound books to watercolor collages.

Left to right: Members admire Dianne’s work and shop for hand-printed papers and other goodies; detail of one of Dianne’s large hand-carved E-Z-Cut printing blocks; one of Dianne’s watercolor collages.

-- Carolyn Skei

Gelli Printing Techniques Day

DAFA members and friends filled the studio at Asel Art in Uptown Dallas on July 20 for a day of experimentation with their Gelli plates, stencils, paints and assorted papers and fabrics. DAFA member Denise Spillane coached the group in beginning techniques, showing them how she uses her Gelli plates to make monoprints, ghost prints, overprints, grunge-look prints, and many other papers and fabrics for use in her art.

Left to right: Denise Spillane displays some of her prints; Chuck Baber, who helped members place orders for their plates. is in the background. Colorful prints. Gail Sellers cleans up tools at the Asel Art sink.

While gelatin plate printing is a time-honored technique for artists, the new synthetic Gelli plates are one of the newest tools on the market for artists. DAFA has scheduled a second Gelli Printing Techniques Day for Saturday, August 17, 2013. See the DAFA website for details.

Left to right: Lynn Baskind checks the garbage for beautiful or useful cast-offs. Participants' prints, made with a variety of paints and techniques.

-- Carolyn Skei