I'm Just Sayin

I'm told that if you have one day to do something in Cleveland that it should be a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We'll I had one day to kill and that's exactly what Justin and I did. 

I was not a rocker so I have limited memories and associations with many of the artists there, but I did enjoy the Elvis, Beatles, and Michael Jackson exhibits. There is so much to see that if you are really into the history of pop/rock music as we know it today - this IS the place to go.

I enjoyed seeing the performers outfits because it gave a sense of their size and build - something you can't ascertain from TV. I also enjoyed the video clips of irate preachers and hyped-up DJs from the 60's and 70's ranting about the "music of Satan" and breaking records left and right. I had forgotten about that chapter. It brought to mind a "youth evangelist" that I heard when I was about 13 years old who, red-faced, screaming, and determined to bring rock and roll to a halt, condemned music that is commonly consider classic rock today. Remember all the "evil messages" that you could get from backmasking?

What's your favorite song from back in the day? - or who is/was your favorite pop/rock artist?

It's not so surprising that I love the quilts of Laura Wasilowsky. Her quilts are whimsical, colorful, and alway make me smile. This past week at the AQS show in Paducah I finally bit the bullet and purchased one. They are all so cheerful that making a choice is hard. To see more work by Laura Wasilowsky - visit her website - Artfabrik.

Left to right - Laura Wasilowsky, Marilyn Badger, Ricky Tims, Denise Havlan, and Wendy Butler Burns.

Me and Pat Holly - who won her third Best Miniature Quilt award at AQS this year.

Each year at the AQS show, Caryl Bryer Fallert hosts a fabulous dinner party and I always enjoy going because so many of my good friends are there. This year was no exception and many of the attendees are well-known prize-winning quilt artists. Among those assembled were Libby Lehman, Mariya Waters, Hollis Chatelain, Pat Holly, Laura Wasilowsky, Annette Hendricks, Denise Havlan, Wendy Butler Burns, Judy Zoelzer Levine, Marilyn Badger, Claudia Clark Meyers, and more.

An enthusiastic audience of the Whoo-hoo Nation gathered at the Carson Center for my 2010 concert at the AQS show in Paducah, KY. Instead of riding in on a motorcycle (2008) or rising up from the orchestra pit with a tiny red toy piano (2009), I couldn't think of a clever way to start the show. So instead, I decide to surprise the audience with a visual treat mid-way through the concert. 

After playing The Way Home accompanied by a music video featuring dozens of my quilts, the real quilts came floating down to create a massive backdrop while I shared some of my early quilting experiences. I have to admit, when I went saw the array during rehearsal I was stunned. I've never seen my quilts displayed in such a way and when I look at the photo I still go - wow!

I'm thankful to AQS for making this amazing event happen and I'm thrilled that each year the hall is filled to overflowing with such an appreciative audience.

Three fiber artists. Caryl Bryer Fallert, myself, and Hollis Chatelain pause for a snapshot during the AQS show in Paducah, KY. Hollis's exhibition, Imagine Hope, Awareness Through Art opened this week at the National Quilt Museum. 

Desert Vision by Hollis Chatelain (20" x 34")

Imagine Hope is an exhibition that strives to touch its viewers, inspiring them to get involved and make a change in the world. The exhibition is comprised of twelve monochromatic textile pieces by artist Hollis Chatelain, each addressing key social and environmental issues facing our world today. The singular color themes and gentle medium invite the viewer into a realm where dreams and reality meet, where the usually harsh images of injustice speak out in soft cotton, gently touching onlookers and imparting stories of individual struggles. 

Twenty black and white thought-provoking photographs from various prominent photographers will be shown alongside the fiber art to bring more exposure to the issues portrayed in the show. The photographs will accompany the pieces in order to allow for a striking realistic contrast to the colorful dream-like quality of the textile art. Learn more.