It was the second Saturday in July and that meant only one thing -- time for the Sisters Outdoors Quilt Show in the charming town of Sisters, Oregon.
Now, in its 34th year, the changing tide of the art of quilting is not only seen but viscerally and emotionally experienced by the sheer magnitude of 1,300 quilts, all hanging from any and all available surfaces,some inside but most of them outside, and creating a virtual delight of color and sensory overloaded fun.
The featured quilter this year was Oregon's own and the those of us who love the Liberated Quilting Movement, Kristin Shieldsof the Stitching Hands Studio
Kristin has now skyrocketed onto the Oregon Quilting Scene with this show and with the introduction of her multi-talented approach to the textiles arts.
Kristin has taken so many workshops from the best of the best these past few years and the influences from quilters like Gwen Marston, Rosalie Dace, Jude Hill, Gee's Bend, Tonye Belinda Phillips, and others is artfully created in her workshop and class projects which quickly emerged into a full blown show of her own!
Many of these newest of her quilts were quickly created once the news came out that she had been selected as the show's "Featured Quilter" and it was obvious that speed and talent go hand in hand as she pulled off some incredible pieces that showed her vast range of talent when it somes to working with a variety of styles that all somehow meld into her own "liberated' and yet still, "folk art" style.
You can see the influences, note her inspired quilts styles, and quilt artist influences, but some how‐‐
She still managed to add touches of her own where they could have passed for that artists work, she's that good, but you still saw nuances of others in such a way as you just kept looking, and noting, and talking about each and every piece!
As we walked through the brightly colored quilts charmingly hung on their clothes lines in a shaded lawn area of a local business, we could easily have been overheard as we commented on the pieces, the influences we saw, and the differences in the evolution of her own style.
It was great, great fun and such a tribute to just how many quilts she managed to create in a whirlwind period of time.
After a lovely visit with Kristin, herself, where we quickly verified that she is as gracious, and as nice and as talented. I felt badly that I was so addlepated to not have asked for a photo opportunity with her and only have this shot of her lovely outfit and not her beautiful face!
Thanks for being so welcoming, Kristin. She even congratulated me on my having registered the 15,000th quilt for AAQI now, that is generous as well as genuinely nice!
Thanks for being so welcoming, Kristin. She even congratulated me on my having registered the 15,000th quilt for AAQI now, that is generous as well as genuinely nice!
And yes,I was thrilled to have that number on my 75th donation for AAQI. I was winking, blinking and tearing up, from something in my eye during the viewing of her beautiful quilts and was just grateful that I'd managed see them all and get some photos in spite of my personal distraction!
The charm of Kristin's quilts could only be topped off by this precious little couple sitting in a porch swing, plotting their next movejust as we were plotting ours. I took several photos and received a charming smile from the lady standing and looking over their shoulders. She knew I'd seen a site too cute to not photograph!
Isn't this the sweetest, sweetest photo precious hats canes and all. This trio is ready for action with cameras, maps, walking shoes and hats. I had to remind myself that they were not much older than I was and probably far more organized! And they only had one 'handler' and I needed two!
Here I am (center) with my quilting cohorts, Cher (right) and I met up with Doni (left) at our usual 11 a.m. meeting spot at the Sisters Public Library and off we went to see more art work at the Wendy's Wish Postcard Challenge. (Do you see how they are crowding in around me and Doni even has a hold of my arm? They know that the Postcards will not be the challenge it will be trying not to lose me!) HAHAHA!
We found the postcards inside of their assigned building and I managed to find the one postcard I had been asked to check on this year. The beautiful little needle worked bicycle by Betyann Shaver. Betyann is an immensely talented fellow quilter for AAQI and her work is so delicate, yet powerful at the same time.
They best part and a major 'godwink' of synchronicity, her bicycle had been a 'fast sale' after only two silent auction bids and Kristin Shields had purchased it!!! Lucky Kristin, but so wonderful for this great organization which supports children with cancer. An instant purchase is so generous and such a boon for charitable giving!
My camera's focus instantly malfunctioned. First something in my eye, then something in 'it's' but lots of on/offs and in/outs of its battery and one very stern talking to by yours truly and I did manage some photos.
I realized much later than though it was still early afternoon many of the selected quilts had already been fast purchases and gone off with their new owners. But the ones that were still there were just beautiful and the framing only set them off as the art pieces that they truly were! They receive about 300 submissions and from those they select about 75 postcards. These are then framed for the show by a local art gallery, an the others are still put up for sale and viewable at their sales table. Most of those were already purchased, as well! We should have gone here sooner and I just felt so happy to know that Kristin was so busy with her own quilts that she hadn't picked up Betyann's yet! So, I got my photo and facebooked Betyann as soon as I got back into Salem.
Time to find myself a porch swing and a a cold drink with more photos still to come after a bit of R and R in the shade!
Links to previous years' show with fabulous quilts in so many different styles for inspiration!
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show: So Many Quilts to Want to Make!
Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska. Sewing, quilting, and wildcrafting, with small format art quilts, prayer flags, and comfort quilts for a variety of charitable programs. And best of all, sharing thousands of links to Free Quilt and Quilt Block Patterns and encouraging others to join in her Liberated Quilting Challenge and make and donate small art quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!
9 comments:
thanks for the show! and congrats on being the 15,000th quilt for AAQI. Next year maybe I'll meet you in Sisters.... I had hoped to go this year, but it didn't work out.
Michele,
I love the photo of you and your pals.. Do you know whether Kristen has a blog? I love seeing the photos of Sisters- I am not sure if I will ever get to the show but seeing the photos of the show are always a powerful and moving experience..
Congratulations on being the 15,000 quilt in the show- that is so terrific and a tribute to the many wonderful quilters like yourself who have worked tirelessly to help eradicate or at least reduce the impact this disease has on families.
Warmest regards,
Anna
great batch of photos M!! Nice to see how I looked from the back too :-)...it certainly was a fun filled and friend filled day!
Kristin blogs at the Stitching Hands Studio: http://kristinshields.typepad.com/stitchinghands/
None of my morning corrections or updates whizzywigged into view! Blogger was naughty today! Click link on her name in post for easy access!
Thanks for letting me know, Anna!!!
Thanks so much, Brenda!
It'd be fun to meet you and other other online bloggers! I started making plans for next year before I even went to this year's and I never know what state/State I'll be in. But it's sure fun to anticipate!
More photos tomorrow..usually posted before the chickens cackle or the roosters down the street even think to crow ;) And you looked cute!
Michelle, thank so much for your very nice comment on my blog -- and I was so happy to find the photos from the Sisters show as I was just there several weeks ago and it was fun to see how Sisters looked all decked out in quilts! It looks like you had a really fun time.
I love Kristen's work! Such a happy collection of quilts.
Lovely quilts & great photos. I especially love the cats and my favourite colour, blue!
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