Today is the birthday of Frida Kahlo, this Mexican painter is one of my favorite female artists and continues to be popular beyond her death in 1954. Google has honored her in one of their Google arts on the search page. If you click on the picture at google it will take you to a web search about her with images, websites and news articles.
Category Archives: Asides
Bravo’s Work of Art
If you haven’t heard, Bravo channel came out with a new show about artists. It is like project runway (or any of those other reality competition shows) but for artists. I had to watch it because I know a couple of people that actually auditioned for it. (but they didn’t get on the show.)
 So far they have had to make a self-portrait, then had to partner up and do a a portrait of another player, then a book cover and most recently SHOCKING artwork. It is a fun and interesting show, of course because of the artist personalities. But it is also very interesting to see each artist go through their process. It is a grown-up version of what I picture as an ideal TAB studio. People to help each other and feed off each other. Everyone is doing their own media and meeting the theme in their own way.
The judges are very…um… ok not sure how to put it, but I don’t see a lot of value in their background. I would have liked some different types of judges. The host grew up in a rich art collector’s home and that is her credential. she is just a pretty face. A gallery owner of course is an appropriate judge. I think I would have liked to see maybe an art historian or a masters level art professor. I do like the guy that is their helper/advisor. He seems classy and so far helpful.
Has anyone else watched it? What do you think?
Anyone making their own art this summer? I am challenging myself this summer… join me or follow along if you like!
Studio Art Quilt Association
This group looks pretty interesting and is currently having their annual auction. The 12″x12″ quilts up for auction are amazing!
SAQA Benefit Auction 2009 One Foot Squares
There are members from all over the world and quilts that range from abstract to portrait. I thought that with all the blogs that I read and art quilting books I collect, that I would recognize many more artists, but it appears that only Terri Stegmiller  (whose blog link  got me here in the first place) is the only artist I recognize.
I will look forward to going back in September and perhaps placing some bids, and even joining the group. I have seen a lot of different quilting groups and organizations, but not one so clearly connected to art quilts, rather than traditional quilts.
Purple Sunset Finished
At first, I thought I had NO purple beads. I was very upset and immediately went online to order some. Then I found enough to add to my landscape quilt for the Art Quilt Explorations with Jane LaFazio. Her landscapes are very cool. I do like the ones with trees and might do a second one that way to see how it comes out. Now she does not bead her work, but I have been so into the beading lately that I just couldn’t see this landscape without some.
It is finished. The completed quilt is 9X12″ and has a hanging sleeve on the top binding to hang with a wooden dowel. Lots of beads, trim and a variety of fabrics. The purples are terribly hard to photograph. I finally got this one with some natural daylight, but it still does not show the richness of the colors and the variety of textures. I am totally in love with how this came out. Purple really is a royal color. I probably need to come up with a more regal name for it.
Next I am doing my February Beaded Journal Page in this same fashion. But I am going to wait for my new beads to arrive and I still need to finish up my January page!
(Can you tell I am on vacation?)
Featured in Field Trips in Fiber
Vicki featured my dress doll form  in her regular Fiber Field trip feature. Cool!
thanks Vicki!