star quilt

I started piecing this project I don't even know when. I know it was before thanksgiving because I had to put all of my bits in a box & give it to P to hide from me, so I could actually finish christmas projects, and not be distracted by above quilty. It's from the book Material Obsession. There are two quilts in that book featuring this star block. After a while I looked to flickr for some of equally foolish/driven people, and shortly after the Rose Star Block Party appeared. The M.O. pattern calls for 72 little kite pieces per star. The rose star block party folks over on flickr are for the most part using a pattern that calls for far fewer pieces. Wah. But I got over it. I really like the stripey centers of the M.O. version, so I was happy to stay on my original 72 pc per star route. I also thought, oh, I have so many done, I don't want any weirdos standing out. Until a few days ago, when I laid some blocks out on the bed to figure out how many I would need to make a sort of queen size quilt. Yeah, I need about 33. Sure, OK, I have NINE finished, and about four more started. So I buckle, I will try to incorporate some of the simpler shapes  and see how that goes. 

this is the plan for quilting. i am going to use sulky varigated yellow. i thought the varigation would be too much, but i did a small sample & it looks great. i also tried a lemon yellow, it was also lovely, but almost too pale. i mean, if your quilting is going to be yellow, it should look like yellow all the way.

oh look, it still works.

the blue & grey ihop quilt. pin basted. now i just have to quilt it. blerg. i like the handquilting process, but man, this thing is big. about 70" x 80". the only other quilt i have made close to this size is the log cabin that is on our bed, and i used a flannel sheet instead of batting in the middle, so i didn't have to really quilt it much at all. i cannot imagine the swearing i would do if i tried to machine quilt this. i don't know how people do it. i don't have the patience or the space. i'm super excited to have this quilt at this point. last weekend p bought backing fabric for me (aunt edna yellow plaid), of course, they did not have quite enough to make the full back, so i pieced it with a couple of kona greys. it's gonna be pretty hawt.

well, shit. nicole has a blog now, i guess i should get it together.

ART ATTACK! Nov 1, 2008

Suspend 24" x 36" $??? Will he even survive?? Find out for yourself!

This is my piece for Art Attack! Last year was really fun.
Here's the official press release:

DHX Presents Art Attack! 2008: Day of the Dead Art, A Dangerously Competitive Art Auction. At the very mention of the name, Art Attack!, Sotheby's cowers in fear. Art Attack!: Day of the Dead Art, takes auction bidding wars to new levels of excitement and destruction, with proceeds from the chaos benefiting both KDHX Community Media and South City Open Studio and Gallery.

Art Attack!: Day of the Dead Art takes place on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at the Koken Art Factory (2500 Ohio Street, Saint Louis, MO 63104). Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and the event will begin at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Art Attack! is a competitive art destructo-auction, featuring works by 32 local artists, styled as a single-elimination tournament, with the overall winner taking home $1,000. Losing paintings face the possibility of destruction. The event will be emceed by Dr. Jeff of the KDHX show The Big Bang, and will feature performances by The Alley Cat Revue. KDHX DJ Doug
Morgan (The Record Sto') will provide the soundtrack for one of the most exhilarating nights St. Louis has ever seen.

Here's how the event plays out: Randomly selected pairs of paintings will compete head-to-head. Audience response to each painting will be measured by an Applause-O-Meter, with the piece receiving the most applause proceeding to the next round. Losing works of art will then face a perilous future in front of the Wheel of Misfortune. This large wheel includes several imaginative ways of destroying the losing piece. If the Wheel lands on "Certain Death," the piece will be destroyed immediately. If not, the audience will have a chance to save it by bidding on it in an auction. If the minimum bid determined for the round is not reached, the piece will be destroyed accordingly. This year's methods of destruction will include everything from chainsaws to graffiti, plus an extra-special guest appearance. Art Attack!: Day of the Dead Art spans five nerve-rattling rounds until the final winner is announced. Participating artists understand that there is a possibility of their artwork being destroyed. However, this is a fun, high-energy atmosphere that provides great exposure regardless of the outcome of the competition--and money raised from the auction benefit two of St. Louis' finest arts organizations: KDHX
Community Media and SCOSAG.

For more information on the event, please visit KDHX.org

summer 2008 work

pink bunnies 10" x 10" sold


bears 12" x 12" sold


donkeys on pink 10" x 10" sold


deer 24" x 30" $625

Red Hands are the Price of Victory

30" x 24"
acrylic and pencil on canvas
2007
$625