April Ends With Blessings

The arrival of the Quiltfolk #26 Mississippi and the announcing of my quilt Prelude as the art for FestivalSouth 2023 has been exciting. Mike Lopinto, artistic director, makes me sound better than I am, but the kind words are music to my ears. Pun intended. The Hattiesburg Concert Association does an incredible job of planning this annual celebration, making June my favorite month of the year. 

The posters and program brochures carry images of the quilt, and the quilt will be auctioned online through the end of the festival on June 24.

Poster

Front cover of program brochure

Inside program brochure

Getting to hear my dear friends in their senior recitals was a special privilege, and I wish much success for them. My church also hosted the string honors competition--always a treat. 

Ameni Zouehid

Franco Galetto and collaborative pianist Alison Post

After all the attention and excitement, it seemed a good idea to do some very ordinary activities, so I got busy making a simple quilt for our guild's community projects. Then there was some walking about the yard to enjoy a few growing things, and a trip with OLLI friends to New Orleans for the VanGogh Immersive Exhibit.

Elizabeth supervising

Rahrah giving approval

Two blooms on my amaryllis this year

Hostas coming up

At the VanGogh Immersive Experience

At the VanGogh Immersive Experience

FestivalSouth 2023

The FestivalSouth 2023 Prelude Party was held last night with the reveal of my art quilt "Prelude" at SoPro in Downtown Hattiesburg. Now I can finally show the quilt. The image will be used for publicity, on programs, and as a poster. The quilt will be auctioned online throughout festival and given at the last concert, June 24. Events will begin with Disney's Beauty and the Beast on May 30 and conclude with Iconic, a cirque rock symphonic extravaganza, on June 24. This is the 14th season for Hattiesburg's annual multi-disciplinary arts celebration.

Prelude, 32 x 40

Prelude, detail

Prelude, detail

Prelude, detail

Prelude, detail

Prelude, detail

At the Prelude Party with Mike Lopinto

Quiltfolk #26 Mississippi

Quiltfolk #26 Mississippi has arrived in my mailbox! What a beautiful magazine celebrating quilting and our unique state. The writers and photographers did an excellent job of pointing out the lovable Southern hospitality they experienced during their travels about the state.

The photo shoot was a fun day and the interview painless. You can read about the process in this January blog post here.

The issue can be purchased through Quiltfolk (with a 20% discount using the Coupon Code MarthaQF26). 

The Cover of #26

Ghost-Quilted Leaves, 12 x 12
This Is My Story, This Is My Song, 84 x 100

Rise and Shine, Inner City, 76 x 96

Star Flower photographed over a limb on USM campus

Simple Things, Simple Beauty

A landscape architect pointed out an interesting little plant in my yard called Partridgeberry. This caused me to notice other wildflowers and the amazing differences among them. Since nothing is blooming right now, I enjoyed focusing on these little gems.

Commonly called blue-eyed grass

Called false garlic

Maybe wood sorrel?

Partridgeberry

Spiderwort

Mississippi's gardening guru Felder Rushing advises us to wait until late April to plant flowering annuals, but the nurseries are getting stocked up to tempt us. Every year I say I won't waste my time on planting tomatoes.

I thread-painted a large caladium leaf and also sewed March and April exercises in Brenda Gael Smith's Dreamlines project, Fine Line Bars and Diamonds. I love these. 

Thread-painted caladium leaf and March and April Dreamlines exercises

Brenda Gael Smith's Fine Line Bars and Diamonds