SAQA Square Foot Auction

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the bidding to start at 2:00 Eastern/11:00 Pacific on Monday, November 10th, just in time for holiday gift-giving. We’ll again be dividing the pieces into three groups for the auction – final groupings will be determined once all the auction pieces have been received. The auction for Group I will begin November 10th. Group II will begin November 18th. And Group III will begin November 28th. Please support SAQA by bidding in November. Start planning your bidding now!


http://www.saqa.com/newsebulletins/Squares08_1a.aspx

It is always interesting to see how this turns out. My donated piece is on page 3a if you want to look for it.

Jacque

Catching up to My Life

Today I have been enjoying the first of 3 days off in a row. I have enjoyed a quiet day at home making soup and catching up with some cleaning that was long overdue and hope to finish over the weekend sounds like a grim way to spend time off from work but it feels good to see the surfaces in my studio again. I had intended to sit down and work on a piece that has been taunting me from my design wall since I returned from the Focus on Fiber retreat in April... yes I said April ...at this rate I can finish it when I return there this March. I sat down to do some free motion quilting on George but it was not to be the piles of shirts and scarves and fabrics were more than I could take so I got to work cleaning instead. It is nearly 3:00 pm and I am still in my pajamas soon I'll be donning artist clothes to go enjoy some time with some fellow artists. I look forward to meeting them and seeing the gallery exhibit.


Tuesday I hung my newest discharge dyed shirts along a clothesline in my front yard it was a warm sunny day and the view from my porch was wonderful. The shirts looked great hanging among the trees. I have these shirts hanging for sale in a couple local galleries and also by e-mail request. Tonight the gallery opening is at the Main Street Art Gallery in Edwardsville, Illinois. My website has the address.

That's all for today.

Thank you for the time you spent here!

Enjoy the weekend... I know I will !

Remember these are the Sweet Years and live them to the fullest!

Of course if you get the chance... dance or better yet... create the chance to dance ... shake a hip, tap a foot or nod your head in time to the music.

Bye for now! Be well!

The Return Report

Seattle was wonderful ! We experienced just a few minutes of rain in 5 days. That is remarkable!

We saw a Dale Chihuly exhibit at a small gallery near the Seattle Art Museum. His work is everywhere in Seattle even our hotel was decorated with his drawings and photographs. He is one of my favorite artists so this was no hardship.

We were able to watch a glass blowing demonstration at another gallery near the Space Needle it is fascinating and I would of happily spent all day there.

My friend Ashlee and I went on her first trip up the needle and I was was able to revisit the site of my worst date ever. Still a lovely view and still nauseating to me.

We ate some wonderful seafood... wandered the market, loved the beautful flowers, and the show the flying fish brothers put on... funny to me that they have been doing this since I lived there in the mid 80's and who knows how many years before that. I thoroughly enjoyed people watching there were so many beautiful children at the market on Saturday. The sounds and smells of the market are just as I remembered. It is good to know that some places don't change.

I did have a bit of a fiasco with some new shoes. They kept throwing me to the ground whenever I'd step on an uneven surface and anyone who has ever walked in Seattle knows there is a lot of uneven surfaces. A good, long laugh was had by all when I fell at a young man's feet he, however, did not crack a smile. Thankfully, I was able to return them to the store where I purchased them and brand name won't be mentioned since many people are quite capable of walking in them.

Plane travel was made bearable by the nice crews on Southwest airlines and the Bloody Mary's were quite drinkable.

We had a near accident on the way to the Seattle airport someone pulled in front of our bus and the driver had to brake rather abruptly throwing some nice ladies to the floor and into the back of the drivers seat. There was some blood and delays while we all gave our names in case of any future medical problems for the ladies. It was pretty good driving by our bus driver I was certain we were going to hit the car. Here is an interesting thing about being an eye witness.... I saw a gray Volvo station wagon, the bus driver saw a gray mini van and my friend Lynn saw a red car. Hmmm! I hope I never get called into a line-up.

It has been busy since I have been home. I had work at a local art exhibit on Sunday and opened my solo show on Sunday. My next show opens November 9th and I am at last all finished with the last minute details... just need to deliver the art.

This coming Saturday October 25th I will have a booth at the Mascoutah Fall Festival ... today I am discharge dyeing t-shirts to sell there. It is a beautiful fall day here and perhaps my last warm day to work outside.

The orange is creeping into my woods and the sound of leaf showers is wonderful. Wearing a sweater and a smile!

Be well and keep your hips moving through the Sweet Years.

My Favorite Color is Orange

I love this tree. The best part of orange is it gets us to bare

I am leaving the woods and early morning owl song for Seattle. When I return I expect some leaf changes. This is my favorite time of year when the blackbirds fly in by the thousands, it is time for sweaters, soup, and orange everywhere.

Seattle is one of my favorite places... I lived there long ago and will enjoy returning for a visit. My dear friend Lynn will graduate from her life coaching program and I'll get to help her celebrate this accomplishment and meet her new friends. She will be an exceptional coach.

I have been busy applying discharge dyes to t-shirts creating my one of a kind blackbird designs. These shirts sold really well at the Rend Lake Art and Wine festival and I hope to finish a bunch of them before the weather gets cold and I can't work on my back porch anymore.

Orange is bold, powerful, warm and energizing a perfect color!

Be well..... and remember these are the Sweet Years !

Speaking of Scarves

I took this picture last week when I tried hanging scarves from my new display tree. The tree is made from weathered wrought iron and was purchased from my friends at Bee Hollow in Mascoutah. I really love the way my scarves look hanging from it. Add a little breeze and some sunshine and it is a great way to show my hand dyed scarves.

Stepping in dog poop added a little bit of fun to the trial run especially since I didn't notice it until I'd tracked it into my studio. On the bright side my floors needed mopping anyway.

Into each life a little poop must stick.

Be well be happy ... remember these are the Sweet and sometimes fragrant Years.

Owl Song

I took my morning coffee out to my back porch early this morning and the owls began calling in a chain of hoots that moved throughout the woods. I wasn't aware there were so many owls in the area. To heighten the magic of the morning the moon was rising. What a wonderful way to start the day!

I had to find out more about why they were doing this long chain of hoots as it seemed like some form of communication. A little research took me to the owl pages where I read that owls are starting their mating season and the sound of their hoots are both territorial and give each other and the female owl information as to their size. In addition to the hoots of the males I heard the higher pitched screech of a couple of females... love is in the air !

owlpages.com

I leave today for the Rend Lake Art and Wine Festival in Sesser, Illinois the weather looks great for the weekend. Stop by if you are in the area. My scarves will be fluttering to gentle breezes and there will be music, sunshine and wine. I will have art quilts on display and will be taking my sewing machine to demonstrate free motion quilting. I love doing this people ask so many great questions.

This morning owl song is a great start to the day!

Remember these are the Sweet Years !

Our Common Ground

It's Not Your Granny's Quilt Show --
Maves Art Center Greenville College

Opens Sept 26, 5-9
Closes Oct 19

This web site has a map to the venue.

http://www.ocgart.org/quilt_show


The show opens Friday September 26th and promises to be a good one.... lots of great artists ! Meet some of the artists Friday night.... Just not me....I will be at Rend Lake preparing for the art and wine festival so I will be unable to attend the opening.

Remember Saturday and Sunday the Rend Lake festival has art, wine, live music and great food.


An opportunity to dance!

Be well remember these are.... The Sweet Years!

Jacque

Upcoming Schedule of Events

Have you wondered where I've been?

I have been keeping a hectic schedule lately preparing for upcoming shows and art fairs and have been dyeing and painting scarves, printing some t-shirts and working on some textile art for the wall.

They are as follows:

Smart Women Smart Money
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, September 18
Four Points Sheraton,
319 Fountain Parkway,
Fairview Heights, Illinois
exhibitor

9th Annual Art and Wine Festival Festival
September 27 & 28
Southern Illinois Art Center
14967 Gun Creek Trail
Whittington , Il
exhibitor

It's Not Your Granny's Quilt Show
Maves Art Center
Greenville College
Opens September 26 5-9
Closes October 19th
http://ocgart.org/quilt_show
Group Show

Circle of Health Wellness Center
700 A South Illinois
Belleville , Illinois
Opening reception October 19th from 1-6
Solo show

Mascoutah Fall Festival
October 25th and 26th
Bee Hollow Market
217 East Main Street
Mascoutah, Illinois

Main Street Art Gallery
Opens Friday November 7 through November 29
239 N Main Street
Edwardsville, IL
Group show

I would love to see you at any or all of these events if you are in the area!

Now you know where I've been... and where I'll be... how about you?

Remember the Sweet Years are upon us
and dancing brings life to your life.
Shake a hip!

Be well!

Jacque

News From The Road

My friend Karen and I are having a lovely time and producing volumes of dyed cloth.
Deconstructed screen printing is my new love!

Our time at the farm was productive and the scenery was beautiful.... wide open spaces and beautiful sunsets.

We are in Lafayette , Indiana this week studying with Bob Adams he and his wife Natalie are providing a great work space and we are learning a lot. Discharge dyeing is challenging me and I am enjoying the process of thinking backwards or at least that is how it feels to me.

Stay tuned for a more in depth report and some pictures.

Be well and remember these are.... The Sweet Years !

Keep your feet dancing.

Is there anybody out there?

I know it has been a while since my last post. Working 2 jobs has certainly put a load on my energy. Work is very fun in places and completely challenging in others... finding time for art is my biggest challenge...I haven't even thought about dancing for a couple weeks.

Preparations are being made for Art on the Farm. My friend Karen and I will go out on the 18th of August for 5 days of dyeing and silk screening. Then we head to Indy for 4 days of study with Bob Adams. We will learn the basics of discharge dyeing.

Writing a blog is interesting....

Is there anybody out there?

Send a message if you are.

Remember these are the sweet years ... drink them up!