Merry Christmas 2024

 It's taken a couple of years but I think I have taken back control of my life. I have been over committed for a while and discovered that it takes the joy out of things. A car accident in the middle of this year was the last straw and I realised that something had to change. It is really hard to say no.

I have resigned my job as Head of Exhibitions and Convenor of the Victorian Quilt Show and stepped down as the leader of the Waverley Art Quilters after 14 years.

It is a relief and means that I can concentrate on one job, President of Ozquilt Network, which is the Australian and New Zealand Art Quilter group.

Our last two subjects for the Waverley Art Quilters was Tomma Abts, a German born abstract oil painter who lives in London and Andy Warhol, an American modern pop artist.

Andy Warhol was known for his depiction of Campbell Soup cans, so I chose a jar of Vegemite which is a popular spread in Australia.

Vegemite

I noticed that Tomma Abts used shadows in her work, so I used organza to make shadows in my quilt.

Tomma Abts

I hope to get a lot more sewing done next year, seeing as I have shed some responsibilities.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Bye for now,

Linda

Australia Wide Nine Opening

 I recently flew over to Adelaide for the opening of Australia Wide Nine. It is the biennial exhibition run by Ozquilt Network Inc. (OZQN)

I am the President of Ozquilt Network, which promotes art quilts for Australian and New Zealand art quilters. We met earlier in the day for our AGM, it was a bit more tricky than usual because the AGM was held in person as well as via Zoom. It all went well and I was elected President for a second year. A visitor took a photo of us after the meeting.

OZQN AGM

After the meeting, Zara Zannettino kindly gave us a talk about photographing our quilts. Then it was time for the official opening of AW9.

The opening was held at the newly renovated gallery Fabrik, in Lobethal Adelaide. Lobethal is in the Adelaide Hills, I think it was about a 45 minute drive from the city.

The quilts are 40cm x 40cm square or about 16 inches, they were beautifully displayed and the gallery provided us with a delicious spread of finger food.  I missed out on the food because I had to give an opening speech and then I was busy talking to guests. We had over 50 people at the opening including quite a few interstate people.

Here are a couple of photos of the crowd.

I took some photos of quilts with the artists, but I missed out on getting a photo of everyone who was there. Too much talking I suppose.

Here I am with my quilt Tropicana.

Me with Tropicana

Still Surching by Zara Zannettino

Bandicoot on Damask by Julie Haddrick

Ode to Bundanon by Linda Balding

Lorinda Freeman 

Here are some other quilts that I admired.

And the Wheels go Round 4 by Sue Reid

Blossom and Buzz by Tracey Barelli

Configuration by Alison Withers

Kangaroo Grass Study 2 by Alison Charlton

Mr. Roo 2 by Ann Head

After the opening we had a dinner at the Lobethal Bierhaus which is the restaurant next door. Unfortunately,  the power went out in the area and in the end we were dining by candle light. Luckily we had ordered wood fired pizza for dinner. The staff were frantically trying to cook and serve us, it was slow but everyone understood.

It was much more stressful being the organiser for the event rather than a guest, but it went well I suppose. My husband came with me, so that made it a little holiday for us and it was good to catch up with some fellow quilters.

Bye for now,

Linda

One Step Further 2024 and good news

 Last Saturday, I went to the opening of One Step Further in the charming town of Kyneton, Victoria Australia.

As usual with these events, one of the most enjoyable experiences is catching up with friends and meeting new people. I managed to catch up with quite a few who I only know by name and have never met before.

The quilts were of a high standard too, I think the exhibition was even better than the last one in 2022. One Step Further is on every two years and is organised by Victorian Quilters Inc.

Here are some of the photos that I took.

Windswept by Anna Brown

Goddess by Grace Di Muzio

Joy Shines Through Life's Blurred Lines by Judith Oke

Earth Blanket- Leaf Litter by Judy Hooworth

Cicada 2 by Julie-Anne Rogers

Heat Stress by Sally Swan

There were two Highly Commended prizes and they both happen to be on the Ozquilt Network committee of which I am President, so I was really thrilled for them.

River Bank by Linda Balding

Eucalyptus 1 by Julie Tasker

Julie Tasker lives in Queensland and she made the trip down so she could visit her brother at the same time. She didn't know that she had won a prize when she organised her tickets.

Second prize went to Zara Zannettino.

Full Circle by Zara Zannettino

The winner was Bree Thomas, one of the judges, Lynda Worthington did a talk and said that this work went Two Steps Further!

New Beginnings by Bree Thomas

I heard Bree talking about her quilt and she said that the rolled fabric behind the butterflies were old quilts that she didn't want anymore. What an innovative idea.

The Old Auction House Gallery is at 52 Mollison Street, Kyneton and there is a large art supply shop attached to the gallery. Oh my goodness, I had to be strong and only bought two things.

The exhibition is on until the 14th October 2024, so plenty of time to get there.

Someone took a photo of Julie and I together.

Julie and I at OSF.

I didn't have a quilt in One Step Further because I was busy trying to make an entry for Quilt National.

This morning I got the email saying that I was accepted!!

I still can hardly believe it. Quilt National is the most prestigious contemporary quilt exhibition in the world. People try for years and never get accepted. It is held every two years and I tried in 2020 and 2022 with no luck.

I guess it was third time lucky!

Bye for now,

Linda

Working in a Series- Seasons

In our Art Quilt group, we have decided to try working in a series again. This time we were to do a series of four quilts over four months. I chose The Seasons. I wanted to start doing some fabric printing again and thought it would be a good way to begin.

I started to print some PFD (prepared for dyeing fabric) in various oranges, yellows and reds using the gel plate and some fabric paints. I was planning to work on Autumn first.

Then Charlotte Scott from New Zealand came to our group to run a class on printing leaves and painting organza to make an art quilt. I enjoyed the class, especially as I had been meaning to get back into this type of work. I made a small quilt, that I called The Wetlands in class.

The Wetlands

Well, you know what it is like when you do a class, afterwards you pack everything away and forget what you did.

I changed my mind and decided to do my little series using her technique, so I could remember how I did it.

I  printed leaves or a stencil on white fabric and overlaid some painted organza and some appliqué to create each one.

I started with Summer.

Summer

Then I tried Spring, I couldn't help but think that the organza dulled the quilt down a bit, so I added more little pink blossoms to try and brighten it up.

Spring

Next came Winter, I didn't use leaves this time, I stencilled on some winter trees with bare branches.

Winter

Finally, I did Autumn, the season that I was going to start with and I used some of those fabrics that I had printed for the autumn leaves.

Autumn

It has been a busy year and to tell you the truth, it was a struggle to get these little quilts done. They are only 12inches square.

Today, I listened to a talk by Jane Dunnewold, near the end she said that if creating the work does not give you joy, then why are you doing it?

I have lost some of my joy because I have too many commitments. I have decided to cut out two of the responsibilities that I have next year. I have to be brave and say no.

I have some good news, I have won a prize in the Sydney quilt show. I looked at flights to go there for the day, but it would have been so expensive and travelling to the airport and back is an ordeal so I have decided not to go.

Bye for now,

Linda

Beth and Trevor Reid Exhibition

 My husband and I travelled up to Kyabram to the opening of the Beth and Trevor Reid exhibition.

Beth and Trevor are husband and wife artists from Canberra in Australia. I have seen one or two of their quilts before in exhibitions but absolutely loved seeing their collection. We were greeted by amazing colour and design. What a feast for the senses.

Here are some of my favourites, but really I loved everything.

Hot Lava by Beth and Trevor Reid

I loved how they spoke about their work and told us the secrets of how they made them.

Diversity Waterways

Here is a detail photo but really my photos do not do them justice.

Diversity Waterways detail

Checkmate by Beth and Trevor Reid

I love how they create by combing quilts and art techniques.

Degree of Difference by Beth and Trevor Reid

Griffen Legacy by Beth and Trevor Reid.

There are actually 20 leaves in this collection but they only had three of them on display. I actually bought the one on the left. So it will come home with me when the exhibition closes.

Elements by Beth and Trevor Reid.

As I said before my photos do not do them justice and you will be blown away by the full gallery of their colourful work. I wish that I had taken a photo of the room, so you could get an idea of the visual feast.

Luckily the exhibition is on until the 4th October 2024.

It on at the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery in Victoria, Australia.

Bye for now,

Linda

Waverley Patchworkers Quilt Show 2024

 Waverley Patchworkers had their quilt show earlier this month and it was very successful as usual with lots of visitors.

The standard of the quilts is always very high and with lovely shops and cafe selling delicious food, no wonder it was a popular show.

Waverley does not have a judged show but they do present a few prizes.

The President's Award is named the Dawn Burrows Award, named after our first President and founder.

The prize went to Allison Stevens-Spink for her quilt Singing in the Rain.

Singing in the Rain by Allison Stevens - Spink

It was a lovely quilt because it also won Viewer's Choice.

Cheryl Meyer won the June Lyons Award with her quilt Kelmscott. The sun was shining on her quilt and so it was difficult to get a good photo of it.

Kelmscott by Cheryl Meyer

The First Time entry for a quilter of less than 5 years experience went to Heather Stephens for Dresden Plate- Same but Different.

Dresden Plate- Same but Different by Heather Stephens

There was also a challenge called  A Touch of Blue and the overwhelming winner was Heather A Woods for Leunig's Lullaby.

Leunig's Lullaby by Heather A Woods

It is only small and my photo does not do it justice.

I like some other challenges as well.

Eileen Campbell

Jill Abery

Lyn Nethercott

The Waverley Art Quilters also had a small display of some of our work.

Waverley Art Quilters Display

Below is the work we had done after studying Brazilian Artist Carmen Hererra.

Carmen Hererra

Industrial

Landscape

Memories of France and Rex Ray

We could have had a display three times the size but we could only use a small space but it still gave an interesting look at the work that the group has been doing.

The Raffle quilt called Symphony in Blue was a gorgeous focal point as people entered.

Symphony in Blue

Bye for now,

Linda