Twisted Trees

Twisted Tree, 22" x 19"

Detail

In progress, pinned to foam core

 In my small Innovative Fiber Art group, Polly Duggan shared with us a twisted tree technique that she had learned from another quilter friend, Jackie Watkins. We used batiks for the trees because batiks have the same coloration on the back as well as the front. Starting with 1" strips of fabric, we dampened our fingers and rolled the strips into tight little "snakes" (remember making snakes from clay when you were a kid?). To assemble my tree, I first prepared a background (sky and ground) with batting and backing and quilted it. This was secured to a foamcore board so that the tree could be created onto the board. Although this seems backward, we began at the outer end of each branch and worked toward the trunk, adding and combining pieces to create the trunk down to the roots. After pinning the branches to the board, the piece was taken to the sewing machine to sew the branches. I added small twigs to indicate a bare, leafless tree. A barn and silo in the left background completed the piece.

Never Be Surprised at Judges' Comments

Well, I like the piece and had enjoyed hand-embroidering it over a period of six months before layering and machine quilting it. (Silk With Stitches in previous blog post.) The center section is collaged silks I dyed, and the border (also backing) is a high-quality hand-dyed cotton sateen (by Heide Stoll-Weber). I posted it in a critique group I am in and received several affirming bits of feedback, along with some reservations:
"Love the spontaneous feel to your piece and use of color but my eye stops in the lower R corner."
" I found the center totally mesmerizing, dreamlike."
" I love the flow of your piece. The silks are beautiful and your stitching and embroidery choices are perfect. The center design is powerful and the borders frame it nicely.  I did not stop at the lower right corner because my eye found the blue silk in the bottom third of the center."
Getting feedback from my peers is a great way to learn what another artist sees. I didn't enter it in the quilt show expecting anything more than another artist's viewpoint. Imagine my surprise as well as puzzlement when the judging sheet read these eleven words.
     Visual Impact: Soft
     Technical Construction: Too mixed and too distracting
     Quilting: Fair
     Additional Comments:  Nice blend of colors
It's certainly a good thing that I don't place much importance on judges' remarks! I haven't figured out what a "soft" visual impact is other than her way of saying she didn't like it. Although she thought it "too mixed and too distracting," she complimented the "nice blend of colors." These statements seem contradictory, but they reinforce my thinking: Never Be Surprised at Judges' Comments!

Silk with Stitches

My fiber art group experimented with dyeing silk several months ago. We used 6" squares and tried several different techniques to see what we would get. I cut lots of these and glued them to note cards and mailed them. The leftover pieces were too beautiful to toss, so I began applying them to a foundation background at random. There was very little plan--just place and decide if I liked it and stitch it down with embroidery stitches. This was a carry-around project. I then added a backing and borders and machine quilted it only enough to secure the layers.
It has a rather chaotic look, but it mirrored my life as I cared for my husband during his last months. Embroidery has always been a comforting activity, and this piece certainly supplied that. The border and backing are from two pieces of Heide Stoll-Weber's hand dyed sateen. The piece is 24" x 25".

More Ghost Quilting

This colorful jungle print was ideal for Ghost Quilting. I cut out a rectangle of the print featuring the parrot and added first a green border and then a wider white one. This allowed for interesting quilting as I stitched out of the center rectangle into the blank space. I had used the same print for the backing of the piece, so some of the quilting was done from the reverse or back side. This allowed me to duplicate the parrot and some of the leaves and other motifs. The piece is 21" high and 19" wide. The binding is made from the jungle print.

Ghost Quilting

I call it Ghost Quilting. I start with a square or rectangle of printed fabric as the focus, then I add borders all around and imagine what is out off the edge of the focus fabric and complete the motifs with only stitching or with Neocolor II watercolor wax pastels plus stitching. The focus fabric can be fused onto the center of a larger piece or borders can be sewn onto the center.

 The red pineapple piece has only stitching to complete the picture.

 The yellow pineapple piece is enhanced with Neocolor II plus stitching.

 In progress, showing the stitching that will complete the picture.

The first step--adding Neocolor II to extend the picture into the border.

MS ARTeast Festival

Dean Smith of Simply Teavine hosted the MS ARTeast Festival today (July 23) with 20 artists displaying their creations. The event was held at her family's 1884 Meador Homestead Cabin just outside Hattiesburg. The artists were stationed about the grounds and in the cabin and on the porch. Dean had prepared dishes such as Brett Favre's Chili, Eudora Welty's Shrimp Eudora, and William Faulkner's Barbeque Chicken and served it from the remodeled and updated kitchen.

My quilted pieces were displayed in the bedroom of the cabin, where there was a very tall four-poster canopy bed, complete with little step ladder and chamber pot. The room also contained an old spinning wheel and other period pieces as well as hundred-year-old photographs on the walls.
There were wood turners, authors, beekeepers, stain glass artists, chair makers, and singers among the artists, giving the guests a huge variety of items to enjoy. A little rain shower did not dampen the mood of the happy visitors, and people enjoyed the festival and the lovely grounds.

Blueberry Time!

I have one lonely, misshapen blueberry bush that grows in the yard beside our driveway. It probably got nearly uprooted in a storm and was allowed to grow at a 45-degree angle for years. When we bought the property I considered eliminating this pitiful little bush, but every spring it rewards us with delicious blueberries. First it is covered in tiny flowers, then clusters of green berries which gradually ripen to their dark blue state. The birds eat their fill and still leave plenty for us. They are best picked and eaten in the yard. The ones I freeze are not nearly as good as those eaten right off the bush.

 

Where Did January Go?

Silk scarves with ColorHue dye

Dy-Na-Flo paints on white silk (piece in progress)

Leftover silk pieces glued to folded cards for stationery

Wow...January is almost over and I wonder where it went. I have been playing with dyes, Dy-na-Flo paints on silk and then Colorhue Dyes for silk scarves. The black one has Shiva Paintstiks added rather than dyes.
     Then there was the decision to remove some carpet and cover four rooms with new wood-look laminate. This involved quite a bit of thinking, mental rearranging, and then staying out of the way......

Hallway with storage for fabric

 The cat has to get used to his toeneails clicking down a slick hallway instead of sounding like thunder rolling along the carpet.

Living room half finished

Studio will be next, and the flooring guy says laying the floor will be easier than my unloading all the bookcases and other storage areas. I believe he is right.

Galaxy wins in Art Show

Galaxy

"Galaxy" won a blue ribbon this weekend in the South Mississippi Art Association 34th Annual Show in Hattiesburg. The wall quilt is 37" wide and 24" high. The blue-to-green ribbon is pieced with hand-dyes by Mary Nell Magee, and the orange ribbon and lighter blue ribbon are Martha's own hand-dyes. It incorporates Caryl Bryer Fallert's gradated fabric for the background. The outer border is a commercial batik. Quilting in the background matched the colors in order to de-emphasize the background and call attention to the three ribbons. The piece was designed in a class with Caryl Bryer Fallert at her studio in Paducah, Ky., in the fall of 2009, and extended and completed in 2010.

Leaves for Thanksgiving Table

I gathered this variety of leaves in our yard. Some of the trees belong to neighbors but the wind brought them for me to enjoy. Yesterday they were lightly covered in mist and they dried on the platter in the center of our table.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010!

I am thankful for new tree growth after Hurricane Katrina

I am thankful for food and home

I am thankful for family and friends. They are like the Blue Daze--just keep rewarding me with their beauty and faithfulness

Fall Color in Mississippi

Crepe myrtle
Red leaves on tall oak tree, green crepe myrtle on the right

Last blooms on the penta

Nandina loaded with berries

South Mississippi is a riot of color--yellows, oranges, reds, and every shade in between. Our crepe myrtles had green leaves just two weeks ago--see them in the picture of the tall red tree. Today they are brilliant yellows and reds. The nandina bushes are heavy with red berries, just ready to bring into the house for holiday decorations. Of course, we have pine cones available all year, with a thick carpet of pine needles on the grass--which needs to be raked into the azalea beds to serve as mulch over the winter.

Donation for Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

Gondola

"Gondola" (16 x 16) was donated to the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art's 2010 annual Gala, The Azure Ball, A Grecian Island Fantasy. The preview party will take place at the Museum on Thursday, December 2.

Profile on Becky Wolsk's Blog

Becky Wolsk from Washington, DC, asked to interview and profile me on her new blog about her three favorite interests: quilting, writing, and cookbooking. Becky has published two books (Food and Worry, and Six Words), which can be found on Amazon. I am honored to be selected for her first profile! You can find it here: http://www.textislepatchworkblog.com/2010/11/profile-martha-ginn-2.

AIDS Services Coalition Gala

Ribbons 2010

(25" wide x 29" high)

The AIDS Services Coalition held its 2010 Gala Sunday night, October 3 at the Historic Hattiesburg Train Depot. There was lots of good food furnished by local restaurants, silent and live auctions of artwork, merchandise, vacation packages, and other items.

My contribution is pictured above, entitled Ribbons 2010, to fit into the event's theme of Ribbons of Change. The black/white band typifies narrow and close-minded thinking; the flying geese band typifies a gradual lifting of old prejudices and attitudes, while the bright yellow/orange band of triangles illustrates a moving forward with cooperation and hope in the fight against hatred and injustice.

Mississippi Friendship Album

In 2002 I was presented with 18 beautiful applique blocks in the Baltimore Album style. These were made by all the presidents and several other founding members of Mississippi Quilt Association in appreciation for my contributions to the organization from its inception and organization in 1991, through its documentation and publication of the book Mississippi Quilts written by Mary Elizabeth Johnson. At this time I was stepping down from my role as newsletter editor to pursue more of my personal goals and to take care of family health issues.

Over the next eight years, I made two more blocks, assembled the blocks, appliqued a double dogtooth border, and got it ready for quilting. My options did not include hand quilting it myself but I sincerely wanted to complete it on my own. I had recently purchased a Handy Quilter 16 and had done a couple of small quilts on it, which gave me the courage to attempt this big project. Good friends Diann Loper and Susie Jackson, both talented longarm quilters, gave me advice and encouragement, and I began quilting around all the applique elements and adding feather designs in the open spaces. Susie helped me draw an undulating feather design in the border, and I completed the quilting. I added an ecru piping just inside the binding to complete the project. Working on the quilt gave me many happy memories of our early days of MQA and our search project and the lasting friendships that were formed. I am deeply honored by this gift and dedicate it to all the talented Mississippi quilters who have enriched my life.

Below is a listing of the makers of the blocks. Asterisks mark the four who have passed away.

Row 1: Martha Skelton* // Barbara Newman //Peggy Randolph //Nancy Welsch

Row 2: Evelyn Palmer //Sandra Plummer* //Jeré Funk //Ella Lucas

Row 3: Brenda Hyde //Suzanne Schutt //Carol Vickers & Clara Ann Johnson//Sue Mitchell

Row 4: Martha Ginn //Martha DuBard //Martha Ginn //Frances Keathley

Row 5: Ginny Freeman* //Miriam Rice* //Joan Alliston //Ollie Jean Lane

Quilt Show Results

Our Pine Belt Quilters 13th Biennial Fiber Art & Quilt Show was a beautiful event. We displayed nearly 400 quilts and one of the Hoffman Challenge traveling exhibits. We awarded $6,900 in cash prizes plus three sewing machines and three other gifts from merchants. We had 21 vendors with fabric and machines to tempt everyone. Special guest lecturers were Julia Graber, Barbara Cline, and Polly Yoder, three Mennonite sisters who shared their talents and special family stories with us. You can see their individual blogs; they have also created a joint blog, which you can see here.

I presented a lecture called "Lagniappe" at the show, featuring my fiber art which demonstrates my journey from my traditional background into innovative methods and original designs.

Pacific Coast

I won three blue ribbons and an Honorable Mention. "Pacific Coast" (18 x 15) is pictured above. It features hand painted fabric, Angelina fibers, painted cellophane, and stitching to create the water and beach scene. The edges are finished with organza ribbon. Photographs I took on the Washington and Oregon coastlines several years ago became the inspiration for this piece.

Cabin in the Woods III

Mary Nell Magee and I collaborated on the above piece, "Cabin in the Woods III" (50 x 50). Yes, this is the third cabin piece we have made. The first went to an adoption agency auction in 2002, the second won a blue ribbon in 2003 and hangs on my wall, and this one will be hers. It is primarily made of batiks.

100 Years of Trains

The above piece, "100 Years of Trains," won first place in the Hattiesburg Depot Challenge. Our depot is celebrating 100 years of continuous use as a depot, and our show featured a challenge to commemorate this event. The depot has been remodeled into a beautiful building that is the perfect setting for weddings, receptions, and other special events, as well as still being used as a passenger station. I cut many types of trains from fabric and fused and stitched them onto the pieced background. Gray tulle was used to simulate the smoke. The piece is 24" square.

My "Giant Wave" (below, 21" x 17") won an Honorable Mention. It contains many of the same techniques as Pacific Coast that I learned from Linda Schmidt. She is well known for her use of unusual products to achieve a desired effect.

Pictures during the week of the show can be seen in the October 2010 entries on the Pine Belt Quilters Blog.

Getting Ready for Pine Belt Quilters Show

Debbie Demarks, Bonnie Bolt, Sharon Barnes, Martha Ginn, Pat Routon with

"Sweet Magnolia Cabins" raffle quilt

Billboard advertising--thanks to VisitHattiesburg

Pine Belt Quilters are excited about our 13th Biennial Fiber Art & Quilt Show October 8-9-10, 2010, at Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We will have 400 quilts in the judged show, a special display of the Hoffman Challenge, lectures, demos, special exhibits, and 21 vendors.

Kathy Kansier, an AQS certified appraiser from Ozark, MO, will be at the show to appraise new and vintage quilts for quilt owners. (Set up an appointment by calling Martha Ginn 601-264-6884; or emailing marthaginn@bellsouth.net) Kathy will also present a lecture at noon on Saturday entitled "Color and Design for Quiltmakers."
Another special feature at the show will be a lecture/trunk show: "Quiltings of Three Mennonite Sisters." The sisters are Julia Graber, Barbara Cline, and Polly Yoder. Barbara is the author of Star Struck Quilts, published by C&T Publishing. The sisters will speak on Friday night and repeat again on Saturday afternoon.

I will present a "Lagniappe" program Saturday evening at 6:00, showing some fiber art pieces that I enjoy making.

Closing Reception at Mississippi Arts Commission

Martha with Diane Williams, Arts Industry Director and Accessibility Coordinator

On August 26 a Closing Reception was held for the artists whose works were was displayed in the MAC office during July and August. It was an honor to have my work displayed with these other talented Mississipi artists. Below is Kat Fitzpatrick (on left) with her dynamic encaustic work.

Kat explained encaustic to those of us who were only familiar with the word but not the process.

Jamie Tate and her oil painting

My three works displayed were (top) When Worlds Collide, Giant Wave, and Pacific Coast.

Tomatoes, finally

I said head-high vines! The harvest is finally coming in, picking 20-25 tomatoes each day. This variety is about golf ball to tennis ball size, very tasty. Roy is so proud and has given some to everyone who has been at our house all during the month of August.