Cool September Mornings

Ahhh. . . how pleasant to wake up to some 60-degree temperatures in late September!  And I got my Pfizer booster vaccine today. Another milestone.

I've been busy preparing my part on the program at the Fall Gathering of Mississippi Quilt Association this weekend--our first in-person since February 2020. I'll be talking about my stitched pictures and ghost-quilted flower pictures. I picked up these stitched abstract pieces from the framer today.

There isn't much blooming now after our hot summer, but I was fascinated by the huge mushrooms in my neighbor's yard. They look so delicious but of course I wouldn't dare try them. They are about 6" across.

Seed pod on Magnolia tree

Our Readers Theatre group presented a program for PrimeTime at University Baptist Church, and Linda read the role of a sassy teen-aged daughter in one of the skits.

Linda Ginn in Readers Theatre

The SMAA exhibit at the Lucile Parker Gallery is over but I am still amazed remembering the wildly colorful work of Hector Boldo. Here is my favorite of his work in the show.  

Offrenda (Offering) by Hector Boldo

Hector painted one of the utility boxes that we are enjoying around Hattiesburg. You can see his art on the corner of Hardy and S. 34th Avenue by Toefer's. Thanks to the artists who spread joy through these paintings around our city. 

September

     Hurricane Ida was a non-event where I live, but the news of flooding in Louisiana and even as far north as New York was heartbreaking. Then a weekend of reminders and tributes to the heroes of 9/11, along with the tragedies of Afghanistan brought on sadness and thoughts of helplessness. With the pandemic still taking lives and causing isolation and unrest, I am searching for reasons to dwell on the positive. 

     A happy art event is that Oddfellows Gallery in downtown Hattiesburg has invited SMAA members to display art on a monthly rotating basis. I am pleased that my Purple Ghost-Quilted Flowers was accepted for this first month's exhibit. 

Oddfellows Gallery

    Making quilts for a family experiencing terrible illness helped several Pine Belt Quilters spread some joy. Working on these quilts gave purpose during the devastating news on TV during that week. Diane Jordan longarm quilted the four quilts we gave.

Quilting by Diane Jordan

     Senior Readers Theatre presented a program for the Petal Arts Council last week and will have one for PrimeTime at University Baptist Church next week on September 21st. We also made two videos to advertise OLLI (Oscher Lifelong Learning Institute through University of Southern Mississippi). This fun activity helps us to even laugh at ourselves. 

(L to R) Steve Clyburn, Pam Powers, Dallas Gorbett, Betty Reid, Patrice Seal

Mrs Santa

With Eric Weill

  September is still miserably hot in the yard. I've enjoyed working on more stitched flowers, postcards, and small abstract pieces.

Stitched abstract pieces in progress

Fabric postcards

      

 

Art Show and Waiting for Hurricane Ida

 The juried art show at the Lucile Parker Gallery on the William Carey University campus is a beautiful event to see, even though the opening reception was COVID-cancelled. My Blue Ghost-Quilted Flowers won a second place ribbon, which was very satisfying. The Best of Show winner, Jo-Ann Adams, came up from Poplarville and we toured the show one afternoon last week. The show is open 1:00-4:00 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays through September 23.

Jo-Ann Adams, Best of Show Persimmons, watercolor

My Blue Ghost-Quilted Flowers, 2nd place;
Andrea Kostyal, 1st place

Enlarge to see

Enlarge to see

Today is the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Ida, another Category 4-5 storm, is scheduled to hit the Louisiana coastline later today. We are 150 miles from the eye but are expecting 5-10 inches of rain and the threat of tornadoes. 

Meanwhile, the Black-(or Brown)-eyed Susans, Lantana, Big Blue Liriope Muscari, and coleus still provide beauty as they struggle to survive the high 90s heat every day of August.

A Little Trip

After months of staying at home, I wondered if I was up to taking a driving trip on my own. Funny how isolation and lockdown can play havoc with one's confidence and ability to do things we used to take for granted. But after much deliberation I summoned enough courage and enjoyed a trip to a dear quilting friend's house for an overnight fabric/sewing/quilting visit. This is the view from her sewing room on Lake Caroline in Madison. 

I did a little more thread-painting. She worked on some of her beautiful corded bowls. Another friend came over to share some fabric she thought we would like; we talked over some project plans and browsed some quilting sites. 

Meanwhile, my daughter went to my house to feed the cats. Elizabeth was grateful for a lap to cuddle on. Tarbaby took advantage of my absence to sleep on the puzzle on the dining room table.

August Happenings

South Mississippi Art Association has a juried exhibition at the Lucile Parker Gallery at William Carey University August 24-September 23, 2021. I am honored to have one of my entries pictured on the invitation.  The Opening Reception had to be cancelled, but the exhibit will be open to the public Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 1:00-4:00 p.m.  My pieces accepted in the show are Bronze Sunflower and Blue Ghost-Quilted Flowers. 

Bronze Sunflower, 19" x 19"

Blue Ghost-Quilted Flowers, framed 17" x 17"

The most beautiful plant in my yard right now is this canna with its striped leaves. It has had two small red/orange blossoms, but I love the leaves even more than the flowers.

With Brown-Eyed Susans below

Brown-Eyed Susans recently watered

Colored pencil art has never been easy, but here is a little practice piece I did in Dana Stratton's class at OLLI. Seeing this makes me happy to get back to my thread-painting, where I feel more confident. 

Yellow, green, and striped bell peppers (colored pencil)

An Internet search for large flowers on black background resulted in these huge (24" square) specimens which I am trying to thread-paint. I have tried one on my HQ16 with satisfactory results. I'm reluctant to stitch any more closely for fear of puckering. 

Three-yard piece of huge flowers

Enlarge to see stitching

More Thread-Painted Flowers

I just love adding stitches to these flowers. I think of drawing or painting while my sewing machine does the work. The shiny polyester or rayon thread serves as paint and the needle as the brush. Changing thread colors is the only interruption to the zen-like strokes. I showed this first one on my blog last week and it has garnered many, many likes and compliments. I think the simplicity of the large flower is especially appealing. It will be framed in black.

Everybody's favorite, 5" x 7"

Another pink/rose piece, 5" x 7"

Yellow Gerbera daisies, framed 8" x 10"

Orange Gerbera daisies, 5" x 7"

Then I began working on some blue flowers on a dark blue background. They are shown matted but not yet framed.

5" x 7" 

5" x 7"