They said, "Yes"!

The body is at its best between the ages of thirty and thirty-five; 

the mind is at its best about the age of forty-nine.

 -Aristotle, 384BC- 322 BC

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter 

and those who matter don't mind.

-Dr. Seuss, 1904-1991

I love a party!

-Lynn Reynolds Makrin, b. 1973

In February of 2013, I will be turning 40. While trying to decide what kind of a party I want to celebrate my life so far, the idea of a quilt show of some kind kept coming to the front of my mind. What kind of a show? Where? How will we party around the quilts?

Finally, the celebration details became clear.
In February 2013, I will be hanging a quilt show retrospective, of sorts, in the lounge at my church, The First Reformed Church of Scotia, New York.  Then on February 8th, my family, friends, church and quilting communities will all be invited to a dessert reception...............in place of a more formal show opening.

The next day some quilts will go up online for auction.  The monies raised will benefit Fowler Camp and Conference Center and the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

Below are the first three quilts, in various stages of completion, which will be auctioned for the charities above. 

I am so thankful and grateful that the Consistory of my church said, "YES!"  to my plan and request for space to celebrate this birthday in this way. I am also very interested in the process of planning this event and how it will effect my creativity and the next phase of my life.

Please let me know if any of you have experience auctioning quilts online. I have lots of questions and thought you all, my blogging community, might have some advice.


Stay tuned as this next milestone evolves. Thank you for all your support!

Answers

"There are two ways of spreading light: 

to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”

Edith Wharton quotes *
American Novelist and short-story writer, 1862-1937

Last week I asked two questions for you to ponder.
As promised, and after a week of thought, here are my answers:

1) Why do you quilt?

I quilt as therapy. Some do their art to better understand their lives. I quilt as a reaction to my life.

I quilt to relax, to feel instant accomplishment since this Stay-at-Home-Mom race is 18+ years long, to create and to play.  Fabric seems to rest my soul the way running calms the early morning ladies who zoom by my window, the kayakers at dusk find peace in the calm of the evening Adirondack lake waters, and the child is comforted by his mother's lullaby or their favorite teddy bear.

I am compelled and driven to make more things.....not necessarily to complete them (HA!), but to cut apart and to piece back together more beautiful fabrics in new and innovative ways.

2) What inspires your quilting?

Light
The light within a fabric is the first thing which inspires my work as does the light within people, nature, my children, and life.

The high contrast of lights and darks in this Bali Pops pack, called "Zinfandel" made a lovely table runner. The 2 1/2 inch by 44 inch strips easily came together as seen here.

The scraps became this little piece of randomness which is ideal for my guild's Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative challenge. The balance of darks and lights created a "window" looking out upon a wooded, leafy landscape--with blue skies in the background.

Second, the cross struck me as central and complementary of the work........like our faith should be.... Or should it?

Fine artist, Maureen White of Urban Pastures (http://urbanpasturesart.com), recently gave away a piece on her blog. I was the lucky winner.

"Lean on Me" is a 7 by 7 inch painting on wood in which Maureen captures the light behind the mountains near her home in Montana.  When asked about the light and inspiration of this work, Maureen spoke of her struggles as a working full-time artist and the voice she hears while she works challenging her to keep her faith and to believe.

I too struggle with how the light within me is to shine as I strive to live as a Christian child of God. How am I called to balance daily modern life and the call of discipleship, while striving to use all the gifts and talents I have been given?

"Valleys to Mountains" is a partner work, also 7 by 7 inches, which I purchased in gratitude for the light and work of artists like Maureen. May they continue to create beautiful works inspired by life, by God, by light of all kinds.

To all of you who quilt or create other forms of art for whatever reason, I offer this Irish Blessing:

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. 

May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. 

May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. 

And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

Amen.

Questions

Heard a fine artist speaking on our local National Public Radio station yesterday and thought that I would ask you all two questions:

1) Why do you quilt?

2) What inspires your quilting?

Please comment below. I'll be posting my answers in about a week. Thanks!