Face Time Group in OKC

Hi All,

Cherrie sent me this report from the first OKC SAQA Face Time meet up.  If you have any pictures or things you'd like to share from your meet ups, just send them along and I'll post them!

Nine people were in attendance and 8-9 more expressed an interest but had previous engagements. We had a great organizational meeting and found that there were not only many common interests but an enthusiasm to continue meetings once a quarter.  One of our members traveled 3 1/2 hours to be with us.  It is possible in the future for this group to ramp up and meet more often with smaller focus groups.  We will be meeting again in early September and are currently working on a venue.  At this point, in an effort to acquaint ourselves with each other and their work, our next meeting will have a "Featured Artist" focus. Carol Ann Sinnreich will speak to us about her career as an art quilter and bring some examples of her work.  In addition, we will have a topical question discussion and a critique group, which was an enthusiastically embraced idea.  We found a welcome camaraderie with other artists striving for the same goals and the refreshment that that brings.  

Call for Entries: Oklahoma Artists

The Fiber Artists Of Oklahoma annual juried show (Fiberworks 2014) is coming up.  It's open to all Oklahoma fiber artists and you don't have to be a member of FAO to enter.  It's a great opportunity, so I hope you will all enter.  You can find the call for entries at  Fiberworks 2014.


Anyone else with show announcement or Call For Entries, just send them my way and I'll get them posted!

Featured Artist Profile: Linda Filby-Fisher

Today I'm thrilled to present the work of Linda Filby-Fisher, one of our region's SAQA artists from Overland Park, KS.  I find her work and approach inspiring and hope you do too.  For more, check out her website at www.lindafilby-fisher.com.

1. Tell us a little bit about your artistic journey and how you got started?

In 1970 I was a psychotherapist and the director of a small neighborhood mental health center.  After consultation with my grandmothers [experienced needlewomen], I launched a quilting project for clients in our day treatment program, and also began my first quilt.  In 1987 I became a professional quilt maker, in 1989 a quilt artist, and in 1998 a collage fiber artist.

From the Outside In, A Seeing Way Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

2. How do you describe your work?

I am primarily a collage fiber artist with an art quilt base using mixed media to express a concept.  Text and poetry in many languages are an integral part of each piece.

3. Do you have any favorite techniques or approaches?

Photography has been and continues to be a significant element in the creative process.  And now, for the past few years, I have been very excited about various printing techniques--especially hand printing.  I am constantly learning; constantly looking for the method/the media that will best help me manifest the concept--to give the concept visual form.

Dignity 3, Quilt on a Frame Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

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We Rise 1, Medicine Wheel Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

4. What do you want to communicate with your work?

It is important for me to bear witness, to bring a voice.  I am driven to add a certain energy to the Universe.  Each piece has a purpose; each is an offering----and the Medicine Wheel sings.

Earth Song 3, Medicine Wheel Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

5. What methods, or lifestyle tips, or time management tips do you find helpful to producing work?

It is important for me to work in the studio Monday - Friday for about 8 to 10 hours each day.  This is my time to create and to do the administrative tasks that are required to maintain a professional studio.  It is important for me to set aside time Monday-Friday for meditation, exercise, and reading--all are crucial to a productive workday.

Be curious, be interested, and listen in the silence.

Dignity, Celebration of Life Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

Dignity-Detail, Celebration of Life Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

6. What kind of studio/workspace do you have and what features of your surroundings are most helpful for your productivity/work?

My studio is now in my home--an old home with banks of wood windows that fill the studio with natural light and wood floors that make clean up of paint spatter and copper shavings easy.  A large worktable and a floor to ceiling design wall are surrounded by books [including a dictionary collection and Learning Journals], photographs, stones, twigs---special small things that quietly sing.

A place of vibrant peaceful energy.

From The Outside In 3, A Seeing Way Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

Leaving 6, A Telling Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

7. Which artists, other individuals or subjects currently inspire you?

Observations from daily life: a snippet of conversation, a brief glance at a profile--a stance--a gesture, all inform the work.  People's stories--their joys & challenges--their feet and hands--their music, the bend in a branch, the colors-the sounds, the stones and the earth, all bring form to the work.

Meditation insights, tongues of nations gone, words of poets and sages, microscopic and macroscopic science, all nurture the work.

Unity 5, Medicine Wheel Series, Linda Filby-Fisher

 Thanks so much to Linda for sharing her art and thoughts with us!

Upcoming Show: Ada Niedenthal and Elnora Nokes

Hi everyone, another great show update today.  Our regional SAQA rep Ada Niedenthal has an upcoming show the first weekend of June.  The show is at LoudRock Studio in Kansas City on June 6-7.

Here's the show info/background:

Ada Niedenthal, SAQA member, is a textile artist, and works with fabric.  Elnora Nokes is a collage artist, and works with mixed media.   They are having a Fundraiser/Art Show to support a couple of their favorite causes: Ada - Cross-Lines Community Outreach and Elnora - Kiwanis International Project Eliminate.  

LoudRock Studio, where the Art Show/Fundraiser is being held, is a very creative environment and photography studio, run by Aleksandra Nokes.

The show is for one week-end only:  June 6 and 7, 2014.

I hope those of you in the Kansas City area will stop by and check it out.

If there are any more upcoming shows you'd like to publicize, just e-mail me.

Upcoming Show: Beyond Tradition

Hi all, I just wanted to pop in to say that I have several pieces in a SAQA New Mexico regional show called Beyond Tradition.  It's being held at the Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs, NM and runs from April 5-September 1.  If any of you are traveling through southern New Mexico, you might check it out!

Ada Niedenthal Show at Lenexa City Hall Gallery

Hi all, our regional co-rep Ada Niedenthal just sent me these pictures from her recent show at the Lenexa City Hall Gallery in Lenexa, Kansas.  The show ran from through January of this year, and the pictures show some patrons taking a close look at the beautiful work.

Thanks to Ada for sharing, and please remember to e-mail me if you have announcements about upcoming shows or pictures/information to share!

Featured Artist Profile: Jean Brueggenjohann

Hi everyone and welcome to 2014! I hope everyone survived the holidays and year end business and can dive into art with a relish. Today I'm thrilled to share a little more about one of our fabulous Missouri artists, Jean Brueggenjohann.  I love her use of bold geometric shapes to create a feeling of place, as well as a sense of depth and texture.

  

1. Who are you and where do you live?

I am a professional graphic designer and professor of Art in the Graphic Design Media Area at the University of Missouri–Columbia, MO. I work in the graphic design field designing mostly books and other print material for non-profits and art museums. I have been making quilts since 1991.

Jean Brueggenjohann, Window to Enchantment-I wanted to do a really elaborate and fantasy-like quilt.

2. Tell us a little bit about your artistic journey and how you got started?

My grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and great aunt were seamstresses, tailors and all were quilters. My mom is an excellent seamstress and I learned to sew clothing at an early age from her. I took my first quilt class in 1991 and found that I loved the similarity to graphic design working with cloth. I received a Sabbatical in 1994 when teaching at California State Northridge in Los Angeles to create a letterpressed small edition book but the Northridge Earthquake happened and the Fine Arts Building was destroyed. Instead I made my first art quilts using fabric paint for my Sabbatical. 

Jean Brueggenjohann, Four Square Third Leave–Hand set letterpress printed type on antique textiles and feed sacks. Text is a post civil war children’s rhyme.

Jean Brueggenjohann, Reminiscent of the winter sunsets in central Missouri. First illustrative quilt.

3. How do you describe your work?

My work is usually a combination of traditional piecing, applique and using unusual materials such as dyed fabric, tulle, letterpress printed typography, beading, sequins and embroidery. Mostly, I like the interplay of traditional and nontraditional techniques, design and materials.

Jean Brueggenjohann, Enchanted Evening-Continuing the theme with a more elaborate landscape. I made 12x12 inch blocks for easy quilting because I had tendonitis in my shoulder.

4. Do you have any favorite techniques or approaches?

Most recently I have been making landscapes and I am most happy when using my sewing machine so I do most of my work using the machine. I do hand work as needed mostly paper piecing applique making my own patterns and designs. When I lived in Los Angeles I took adult education quilt classes at the local high school with a wonderful teacher, Rita Streimer. She researched every technique you can image for class and I learned so much from her. The quilting techniques I learned gave me the freedom to create almost anything I want in my quilts.

Jean Brueggenjohann, Enchanted Baskets

5. What do you want to communicate with your work?

I don’t really have any idea about what I want to communicate. I feel like my quilts are pretty clear about what they are.

Jean Brueggenjohann, Enchanted Jungle-The outer blocks made with African fabric were left over from another quilt. I made the center design to go with them.

6. What methods, or lifestyle tips, or time management tips do you find helpful to producing work?

I treat quilting like my design work. I make pencil sketches and keep a sketchbook for ideas. I think about the ideas and when the time is right the quilt comes together. I do not worry about getting things done on any time frame and usually have several quilts going at the same time. I am a big believer in planning and using grid paper to refine my sketches and then I blow up my sketches to the correct size at a local blueprint shop. I tack this full size paper sketch to my design wall and I have a precise sketch to follow. I used this method for all the landscapes. For traditional pieced quilts I just stick to the small-scale sketches. I use my camera along the way to document and compare pinned variations of designs as I finalize the quilts. Occasionally, I make Illustrator or Photoshop sketches to work out the color and design. I always listen to music when I work, usually alternative rock.

7. What kind of studio/workspace do you have and what features of your surroundings are most helpful for your productivity/work?

I have a dedicated room for my quilt construction, sketching and cutting. I have a larger room, which used to be a family room that houses my design wall, long arm, cabinets and bookcases.

8. Which artists, other individuals or subjects currently inspire you?

I have been very fortunate to see lots of people and their work. When I lived in Los Angeles, I belonged to the San Fernando Valley Quilt Guild and during the early to mid 1990s we had just about anyone who was anyone in the quilt world as a guest speaker. It was inspiring to see such outstanding work. A turning point in my work came when Jinny Beyer was a guest speaker. I bought her book and made one of her intricate quilts. I realized that I possessed the skill to be a very fine technical quilt maker.

Jean Brueggenjohann, Rising Star-Traditional wall quilt.

9. Do you have a blog or website you'd like to share?

No blog or website. I work with students trying to make websites everyday in class and it is the last thing I want to do when I get home. I would rather sew. 

Thanks so much to Jean for sharing her work with us!  Please just let me know if you'd like to be featured in this space!