Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Modern Quilt Guild Challenge

I just added a Button on the sidebar over there >>>>> for The Modern Quilt Guild Challenge.   For a long time I have had an Art Quilter inside of me trying to get out.  My Son the Artist (that would be Aaron) has been telling me for ages, "You can do this, Mom."   Basically, though, I am not a very brave person (THAT is an understatement!) so I have all of these art quilts bouncing around in my head making me crazy, and I need to get them out of there and into fabric.

I was browsing other quilt blogs this morning and came across this post at SewJournal.      PROJECT MODERN may be exactly what I need to encourage me to play a little with my quilty ideas and get something fun made.   It's a series of four quilt challenges running from September 2010 to September 2011.  The first challenge will be announced on September 1st.  I am committing to at least trying to make something for the first challenge. (((gulp!!)))

I've only done a few art quilts in the past, and they weren't usually from my own ideas.  The first one, Eye-Boy, is copied from Aaron's artwork.  I enlarged one of his drawings then hand-appliqued and hand-quilted it.  I entered it into a local quilt show, and one of the judges said it was "too cryptic" and would look better on its side.   I guess she didn't see the face.  Oh well, judges.......























Here's a close-up of the hand work.























The second one, Black and White Abstract, is from one of Aaron's doodles that I enlarged then hand-appliqued and hand-quilted.  In this case, I actually put it on its side by mistake.  I think I disappointed Aaron when I didn't see that it was a dragon's mouth, but it's already hanging in my house so I guess I didn't see the face this time!   I must not have the artist's eye that I thought I had.























Nightmare on Quilty Lane was for a Keepsake Quilting Halloween Challenge.  I was required to use the fabrics they selected and added the gray and the black.  I didn't even receive judges' comments on this one.  It looks nice in my sewing room, though.  And I really like my tree!


















I have lots of photos and ideas and sketches in my "inspiration" file.  I've bought fabric paints, embellishments, beads and all kinds of specialty threads.  So, I am throwing down the gauntlet for myself.  No more excuses.  The Challenge is on!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for you Sandy! I'm a sorta, kinda wannabe art quilter too and I struggle with it and trying to break out of the "must be geometric" mode. You can do it, you have so much talent!!!

JoAnne

Mimi said...

I am here to cheer you on. Good luck!

Sandy Panagos said...

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies!

Gwen said...

Sandy, you can do this! The artist is there and you can certainly let her out! Looking forward to seeing pictures.

Cherie in St Louis said...

Yea!! You go, girl :) I'm sure you'll surprise yourself. I love reading art quilters blogs and they often share their mistakes and less than satisfactory results....which says to me you have to work at it and expect some disasters. Seems like knowing that before starting should ease the pressure. By the way, I see the face in the first quilt for sure but the second one is more stylized....should it be turned counter clockwise??

Sandy Panagos said...

Thanks, Cherie. I am thinking it will be a lot of fun. Thanks for the tips.

Yes, the second one is the dragon mouth that I turned upright instead of on its side. You could turn it either way, I guess. Depending on which way you want the dragon to be facing! LOL

Rebecca said...

Waytago, Sandy!! Good for you for figuring out how to get to where you want to be.