Catherine Whall Smith . . . suggests checking out the Fiber Show at Gallery 53, Meriden, CT

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Catherine Whall Smith

The Gallery 53 in Meriden, CT  is hosting “ALL THINGS CONSIDERED”. On Exhibit: April 14 – 27.  Here is the write up on the show: “See how regional artists exploit the creative potential of textiles to create new, exciting and meaningful works. Many of the exhibitors are members of SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Association) Connecticut, a group dedicated to supporting and promoting professional fiber artists and teachers as well as quilters working to develop their fine art skills.  This juried show was judged by well-known textile artist and “Artrepreneur” Clara Nartey, an award-winning artist who has a keen sense of color and design. Her textile artwork has been exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions across the USA.  These stunning layered, stitched visual works are an eye-opener: from its roots as a practical craft, quilting has evolved into an art form in its own right. Don’t miss this exhibit!”  My pieces “Spring Is Here” and “Hay For Sale” have been included in this fiber show and sale. Opening Reception and awards ceremony is Saturday April 14th, 12-2 pm. Refreshments served, free parking in garage across the street.  On Exhibit: April 14 – 27.  http://www.gallery53.org/textileshow2018.html

Posted in Art Quilting, Fiber Art | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith . . . marvels at the handwork in a crochet doily

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Catherine Whall Smith

At a recent Antique show in Manchester, CT I stopped at Doris Olson’s booth of “Eclectic Choices” titled Sunshine Attic.  Amongst her vintage bags and linens I spotted “IT” an amazing crocheted centerpiece doily.  The colors were perfect for my Easter table and the execution of each stitch was just amazing – so perfectly done – so I purchased it.  Below is a close up of the piece, and a full view.  My thoughts at the time were who made it, how many others did she execute, how long did it take to complete AND, is this not a one-of-a-kind piece of art?

 

 

 

 

Did “the maker” of this piece consider herself a woman artist or a craft person?  Over the years bed quilts have been hung on walls and today’s Fiber Artists keep trying new techniques and pushing the boundaries of the words “Quilts as Art”.  When I show my hand stitched Fiber Art at all media art shows, usually someone will ask that same question “How long did this piece take to complete?  A question that is hard to answer, as the hand stitching on a large piece could take a month – but who’s counting.  Recently I’ve started working on my PARTS series, made up of 12h x 12w inch squares that duplicate sections of my larger quilts.  Two of these “Parts” will be shown at The Art League of New Britain, which will be hosting the Connecticut Women Artists (CWA)  all media juried show.  The show opens the week-end of April 7th with a talk on Sunday, April 8th, from 2 – 4 pm. Titled “At Home Abroad: American Women Artists in Late Nineteenth-Century Italy”. Free and open to the public. Presenter: Jacqueline Marie Musacchio, Professor of Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art at Wellesley College.  Hope you will be able to attend, view the art, and find out what some of Connecticut Women Artists are up to!

Note: Six years ago at Easter time, I posted this on my blog, https://catherinewhallsmith.com/2012/04/07/catherine-whall-smith-wishes-you-a-happy-spring-happy-easter-and-happy-passover/ That attention to detail has stayed with me, just as the maker of this doily paid attention to the details of each stitch. Wishing you again a Happy Spring, Happy Easter, and Happy Passover!

Posted in Art Quilting | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith . . . shares her Art Quilt Elements experience

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Catherine Whall Smith

Friday, March 16th was travel day to the Wayne Art Center, in Wayne Pennsylvania.  Arriving around 3:00 p.m. our first stop was the Wayne Art Center to view the Art Quilt Elements (AQE) 2018 show. The 48 art quilts in the show represented artists from 26 states and Japan.  As an exhibiting artist I was eager to view the show.  How will each piece look hung in a large (or small) gallery? Will the adjacent art compliment each piece and vice versa? As I entered the main gallery I felt confident that great care had been taken in hanging all the pieces in this show. One of the docents shared that it took a week to hang this show.

 

My piece (center) shares part of the large gallery wall with (right) “National Gallery of Art” (69″ x 39″) by Dan Olfe of Julian, CA.  His designs are created on a computer.  Photoshop was used to stack 3 interior photos vertically and then one more photo was layered with small bars in the skylight replaced by quilt lines. To the left is “Red Flags” (45″ x 38″) by Aryana B. Londir of Phoenix, AZ.  This piece was created in response to the realization that everything is not as it appears . . .   Finally, I will share parts of the Juror’s Statements;  Mi-Kyoung Lee, Program Director, Craft + Material Studies University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA stated “The selection of art quilts was extremely challenging with strong bodies of work from each artist. It was important for me to count how the artist understood the essence of the quilt, how the artist orchestrated the material of his or her chosen cloth, and the process of stitching and sewing as a tool of mark making as well as the construction.” And, Marsha Moss, Public Art Consultant and Curator stated “I personally relish evidence of the artist’s hand in skillful execution of the art quilt medium.  A demonstration of technical proficiency, mastery of the quilt-making process and fine craftsmanship all contribute to the aesthetic quality of this art form.”

 

 

Posted in Fiber Art | Tagged | 1 Comment

Catherine Whall Smith is thinking “ROAD TRIP” in 2 weeks!

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Catherine Whall Smith

Two weeks from today, I will be in my car with close friend and fiber artist Rita Hannafin driving to Wayne, Pennsylvania for the week-end events at the Wayne Art Center and the Opening of Art Quilt Elements 2018. AQE includes 48 Art Quilts; many are For Sale and you can view them on the AQE website: http://www.artquiltelements.org. A lot is happening during the March 17th-18th week-end and throughout the entire month. Here are a few of your options: Opening Reception & Meet the Artists March 17 5:00 – 7:00pm. DOCENT TOURS 12:30pm Wednesdays, March 21, 28 & April 4, 11, 18, 25 or by appointment: email karenlouise@wayneart.org . The AQE CATALOG is $20 plus tax. Available at WAC and online at artquiltelements.org. I feel honored to have my art “Transfusion #3” included in this show. When I return I will post more about the show – but maybe I will see you there !

NOTE: If you cannot make it to WAC and want to indulge in lots of local Art Quilts consider driving to Willimantic, CT to attend the Windham Textile & History Museum’s third annual Fiber Day on Saturday, May 5th, 2018 and the viewing of SAQACT’s “Local Color #3 – Inspired By Science” which will be on display at the museum from May 5th – July 8th, 2018.

Posted in Art Quilting, Fiber Art, Hand Quilted, Studio Art Quilt Associates | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith . . . thinks it is time to revisit the past!

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Catherine Whall Smith

While getting ready for Christmas morning brunch 2017, I decided to take out a favorite glass candelabra that I’ve used in the past to add a little “glam” to the table.   Revisiting favorites from the past starting me thinking about the quilt that is hanging over the dining room seating area.

 

 

Titled “Staying in Line” (48H x 42W) it has been shown several times including my 20 year retrospective 1991-2011 at the University of Connecticut; and in 2013 in the 44th Annual Nor’Easter, at The New Britain Museum of American Art.  Presently I am revisiting this line in my art and how it creates eye movement across the surface of the quilt. My present “Transfusion” series takes this line to a new level with a variety of red patterned printed fabrics.   Shown here on my design wall “Transfusion #4” is now ready for me to start the hand quilting process.  So if we get that snow that is being predicted for Christmas Day in CT – I am all set, with family, friends, food, and something to work on.  So let it SNOW and have a Merry Christmas – Love – Peace – and Joy to all! (If we loose power – remember I have lots of candles to light, and I don’t need electricity to do my hand stitching.)

Posted in Art Quilting, Hand Quilted | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Catherine Whall Smith is getting ready for “Turkey Day”

Posted on November 18, 2017 by Catherine Whall Smith

Catherine Whall Smith is getting ready for “Turkey Day” and wonders about the idea of art being the sum of it’s parts.  This is my 8th Thanksgiving post, last year I posted https://catherinewhallsmith.com/blog-2/page/2/. So much has happened since that post – I’m sure we have many stories to share – good and not so good – but in the spirit of being thankful I hope there are many things that you can reflect on and be thankful for this year.  My Thanksgiving dinner this year will include a whole turkey and a turkey breast – to be sure there is plenty of meat to go around.  The turkey is the sum of it’s many parts; the legs, wings, breast, white meat, dark meat, etc.  Each one of us has a favorite part.

When I finished “Transfusion #3″ and posted; https://catherinewhallsmith.com/2017/08/31/catherine-whall-smith-is-indeed-back-in-her-studio/ – I was taken by it’s size (43H x 73W).  But then I started to really look at the various design statements throughout this piece.  I then photographed 12″ x12” sections of this quilt and decided to reproduce these ideas again in a smaller format.  Kind of like deconstructing the whole into it’s parts.  So far I have completed two of these 12×12 tops and will post some of those images soon.

Back to Thanksgiving 2017 – though the perfectly cooked whole turkey or completed whole quilt is a goal sometimes the “parts” can be more “tasty”.  What is your favorite part or are you one of those “just give me some stuffing and gravy” addicts?

NOTE: The picture posted above is my Thanksgiving table 2016 – the scenic painting is a piece that I purchased from Barbara Lussier, a local artist who will be participating in the Artists’ Open Studio of Northeast Ct. – check out this link for more information https://www.aosct.org . So push yourself away from that table and get ready for some exercise by joining these artists in their studios and local venues.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY, AND FRIENDS! 

Posted in Art Quilting, Quiet Corner Artist | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Catherine Whall Smith . . . like you wonders HOW!

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Catherine Whall Smith

So maybe it is time to share this post that has been on my wordpress site in my draft mode for awhile – so many senseless shootings, injuries, and deaths since I typed these words many months ago in late 2015. Here it is; Like you I keep thinking “HOW” can we prevent what happened at the Orlando Nightclub from happening again.  Sometimes it is difficult to share my art which is really a personal journey for me.  But I will share this piece which I created several months ago around the time of the San Bernadino shootings. IMG_3791

IMG_3791 (1)Here is my statement about that piece; “Black, Blue, and Bruised” continues my personal journey to explore and understand the world in which I live.  Though the hay fields and farms that surround me seem tranquil there is always hidden meaning in what I observe and photograph. One example is the central hay bale image in my quilt. It is covered with black plastic to protect it. Look closely and there seems to have been some sort of disturbance. Light blue duct tape has been used to keep it together.

“How” did this happen is the question I ask. Like the chaos in the world today, I wonder what has brought our society to this somewhat military state. Why do some deal with personal discord by shooting and injuring others. How do we protect and understand what is going on with this “Bruised” being? The panels on either side incorporate my photo images of these plastic covered hay bales in a protective state lined up with each other. My question, “if we join together will we be able to have a dialogue and understand what we need to do?

 

 

Posted in Art Quilting | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith will be taking a break from all the Hand Quilting

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Catherine Whall Smith

My last post indicated that I was ready to start hand-quilting my newest piece “Transfusion #3” and that is exactly what I’ve been doing for days.  Major callouses have started to form on my left hand fingers as I feel the needle prick through the 3 layers of the quilt.  BUT, I think I am ready for a short daily break and so I will enjoy checking into the Studio Art Quilt Associates Benefit Auction  which Starts Friday at 2pm EDT!  SO are your (virtual) bidding paddles ready? The 2017 Benefit Auction will kick-off at 2pm ET on September 15 with Diamond Day bidding – an early bird opportunity to purchase ANY quilt for $1000.  The 12″ x 12″ Auction Quilts have then been divided up into three sections for bidding purposes. Each week, a different section of quilts will be available for bidding, starting at $750 and further reduced throughout the week. Section 1 quilts will be up for bidding on Monday. This is your chance to own beautiful and unique art quilts made by SAQA members around the world. At just 12″ square, these pieces are perfect for collecting and displaying. FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT;

Bidding Guide and Auction FAQs »

Good Luck with a successful bid!

Posted in Fiber Art, Studio Art Quilt Associates | Tagged | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith . . . is indeed back in her studio.

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Catherine Whall Smith

Yes, I am back in my studio working on my “Transfusion” series;  #3 a fairly large piece (43H x 73W) has been taken off my design wall (see below) and after basting the 3 layers (top/batting/back) together I will start hand quilting it today.

Transfusion #3

Transfusion #3

If you are looking for a destination this Labor Day Week-end 2017 how about considering a trip down to the CT shore to take in; The 61st Regional Show at the Mystic Museum of Art, Mystic, CT on view August 4th – September 16th.  “Transfusion #2” was juried into this all media show, and was awarded The Joseph Gaultieri Prize. Below “Transfusion #2” (center red piece) with some of the other art in this show.

Maybe you prefer a beach day – like Watch Hill – and could stop in Westerly, R. I. and check out the Artist Cooperative Gallery of Westerly (ACGOW) at 7 Canal Street,  The invitational show is titled  “CELEBRATING OUR LEGACY” 25 years of Art ”  August 30 – October 1. On view in this all media show is my piece “Hay . . . Leave Me Alone #2”. Opening Reception: Friday, September 1, 5-8 PM.

AND, in another part of Connecticut is the 2017 – Connecticut Women Artists (CWA) National Open Juried Show – Friday, September 1-29, 2017.  “Hay . . . Leave Me Alone #1” was juried into this all media show at The Arts Center East in Vernon, CT. Opening reception and awards; Sunday September, 10th @ 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Finally, I’m sure we all have many stories to share regarding the horrific flood in Houston, Texas – may they remind us of our vulnerability and constant need to reach out and support each other.

Posted in Art Quilting, Fiber Art, Quiet Corner Artist | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith . . . is back from a QBL (Quilting by the Lake) workshop and needs to get back to her studio . . BUT

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Catherine Whall Smith

So. I am back from a 2-day workshop at QBL and I also had a chance to see the second part of Nancy Crow’s  invitational show, which includes 21 artists; Titled: Circular Abstractions: Bull’s Eye Quilts.  On view June 3rd, – August 20th, 2017. This photo from their Facebook page tells it all.  BIG ART QUILTS – pure joy to see and examine close up, and yes there is a book on the entire show. 
There are about 52 quilts in the entire show at two locations – The Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn N. Y. and the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Mass. Definitely worth the trip to either or both locations.

And here is an up-date on where to view some of my art – Arts Center East – People and Places Exhibit Dates: July 27th – August 19th. Opening Reception: Sunday, July 23rd, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Awards @ 3:00 pm.  Gallery Hours: Thursday – Sunday, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. 709 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066 – (860) 871-8222.  “Hip-Hop Follow the Dotted Line”; “Hay for Sale”; and, “Grab and Go #2” have been juried into this show.   I do plan to attend the opening.  So, as the title of the post indicates – yes it is time to get back into my studio – hmmmm – large art/small art we will see!

 

Posted in Fiber Art, Quiet Corner Artist | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment