Christine K. Miller speaks at DAFA’s March 2014 meeting

Christine K. Miller, weaver, fiber artist and Plano high school art teacher, was DAFA’s guest artist at the meeting on March 24. She presented a talk on “The Future of Fibers,” a slide show originally prepared for the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas.

Christine’s talk reflected her long-time interest in basketry, knitting, crochet, sewing, needlework, and most recently, weaving with wire.  She exhibited recent works made with woven metal cloth. She also shared thoughts about a forward-looking personal project that she hopes will shine light on fiber as an art form.

The mini-workshop for March was led by DAFA member Beth Swider, who taught participants how to do straw weaving.

Christine’s PowerPoint presentation took an over-arching look at fiber, showing its presence in everything from our brains to our pop culture. Christine is shown at right.

Left to right: Lu Peters and Christine discuss dreams about a new informational project on the subject of fiber. Sue’s woven wire dress sculpture. Sue’s hut sculpture made of woven metal cloth.

Left to right: Mini-workshop participants trying their hands at straw weaving. Beth Swider (right) helps Early Irwin with her project. Wearing a striking straw-woven necklace and belt, Beth explains the process. 

-- Posted by Carolyn Skei

Sue Benner presents DAFA's February 2014 program

Internationally recognized textile artist Sue Benner was DAFA’s guest artist in February. A true innovator in the field of art quilting, she brought a wide variety of her large quilts and painted fabrics for audience members to view and also gave a PowerPoint presentation showing her Dallas studio and work processes.

Sue’s training as a molecular biologist and medical illustrator inspire much of her work, and her quilts are replete with dyed and painted fabrics in combination with recycled textiles. Surface design, pattern, textile collage, fusing and vivid coloration are all hallmarks of her work.

Sue also led a major workshop for DAFA in early March. View the workshop photos on the DAFA website.

The February mini-workshop was led by DAFA member Deborah Boschert, who taught participants her technique for making fused fabric feathers. See photos below.

Left to right: Sue shows one of her gridded quilts featuring sunflowers. A slide in her PowerPoint show enables the audience to see how she begins to build one of her large landscape quilts. Sue explains her cutting-edge approach to surface design.

Left to right: With the help of Valery Guignon and Becky Jackson, Sue displays one of her Cellular Structure quilts. Sue talks about a cellular motif that has fun with polka dots. The DAFA audience crowds around to examine Sue’s painted and dyed fabrics and quilts.

Left to right: Just a few of the samples of fused fabric feathers Deborah Boschert displayed to inspire mini-workshop participants. Mini-workshop chair Chuck Baber assists Deborah. Participants gather at the ironing stations to fuse their fabrics.

-- Posted by Carolyn Skei

Butterflies & DAFA Art at The Texas Discovery Gardens

The Chrysalis Invitational Exhibit at the Texas Discovery Garden opened in January to an enthusiastic crowd of DAFA members, friends and many guests who enjoyed champagne and gourmet delights. This multifaceted fiberart show featuring garden and butterfly themed work was organized by DAFA president VET to honor the service of present and past DAFA board members. Janet Reynolds curated the show.

Above: Buzzing with inspiration, "Bee Box" by VET, an elegant "Mrs. Monet Goes to Tea" by Joann Musso (left-center), a "Sunrise Longwing" puts on a show in the Garden (center-right), and a serene "Marsh Grass" by Sherrie Tootle (right).

Ten board members contributed work which included encaustic structures, collage, coture garments, art quilts and hand embroidery. As an added bonus, ticket holders receive admission to the Butterfly Garden to see nature's flying artwork.

To see the entire show, visit DAFA's online gallery.

Award-winning art quilter Heather Pregger speaks to DAFA

DFW quilter Heather Pregger, one of DAFA’s award-winning art quilters, presented the guild’s first program of 2014 on Jan. 27. In a trunk show and talk titled “Evolution of an Art Quilter” Heather told how she first discovered quilts and started working initially as a traditional quilter. Over a period of many years, she has developed a mastery of colorful, large abstract quilts and has won a number of significant prizes, including Best Large Art Quilt at the 2013 International Quilt Festival in Houston.

“Fiber Trafficking” earlier in the evening proved that one member’s trash is another member’s treasure. In the hour before the program, members swapped art supplies and cadged unwanted and unneeded items from others' stashes.

Above: President Vet and treasurer Carrie Noess chat (center back) as Lu Peters and Reid Barnhart examine some loot. Right: Vet and Chuck Baber watch as Linda Chappell and Patricia Dillingham discuss possible uses for one of Chuck’s cardboard packaging pieces. 

Heather shows one of her early strip-pieced quilts (left) and an early “Tomato Soup” quilt (center), held up by Mary Lou Smith. At right Denise Spillane holds aloft a corner of one of Heather’s recent “Tuning Forks” quilts as the artist explains her approach to color movement.

Heather discusses one of her “Big Figure” quilts and her use of “corduroy” quilting. A stack of Heather’s brilliant quilts, created mostly with hand-dyes. Heather explains her binding technique to Reid Barnhart (left) and Thelma Victor.

- Carolyn Skei

DAFA closes 2014 with Holiday Potluck and Silent Auction

The last meeting of 2014 featured DAFA’s traditional Holiday Potluck and Silent Auction of art items. Inclement weather slimmed the crowd more than usual, but no one went away without dining well or without feasting their eyes on many creative items made by fellow DAFA members. Auction items ranged from pincushions to award-winning jam and even to entire garments.

Hungry attendees dish up holiday fare, both “sweet and savory.”

Carol Regan (left) celebrates her purchase of knitted fingerless gloves made by Gail McLaughlin. Shoppers scout the silent auction tables for gifts and treasures. Top-selling auction item was this sweater coat made by Carolyn Bush (right) and purchased by a smiling Brenda McKinney.

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