Catherine Whall Smith

Catherine Whall Smith is thinking “Green”

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Catherine Whall Smith

This piece that includes my photo images of the “marshmallows” and hay bales that I view while driving by the local farmlands near my home/studio was just sent off to meet the early deadline for the Fall 2012 SAQA One Foot Square Auction. Titled “Twins with Matching Hats” (12H x 12W inches) it is made of all cotton materials, some vintage fabrics, and is hand quilted. The September SAQA Auction is a wonderful opportunity to purchase fiber art priced from $75 – $750. More details on the viewing of all the works on line and the bidding schedule for this fundraiser will be posted on my blog sometime during the month of June. So is it time to start saving up that “Green Stuff” – what do you think!

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Catherine Whall Smith asks – do you “sew” or “stitch” ?

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Catherine Whall Smith

So, when asked what are you doing – do you say “stitching” or “sewing”. Does one term have a different connotation than the other? My mother, Rose (Puglisi) Whall as a teen-ager was a stitcher in a shoe factory. She often told the story of arriving home after working in the shoe mill and being “invited” by her mother to sit and sew. She was the maker of family clothing that was needed for her siblings – many of these pieces were sewn on a sewing machine or stitched by hand. She obviously at an early age had that talent to be an amazing seamstress. I too, continue in that tradition of enjoying sewing and the meditative state that comes from repetitive hand stitching. All of my quilts are hand quilted with thousands of stitches. I’ve documented many of them by the number of stitches in the piece. My signature technique of hand quilting from the back of the quilt rather than from the top allows me to concentrate on the design lines of the fabric that I’ve carefully selected for the back of the quilt. This final layer of stitching allows me to create another design plane that adds the shadow lines to the quilts surface. The detail image shown above is from my “Yellow Series”. All of the pieces in this series were hand quilted from the back.

2012 "Alone but not Lonely" CWSmith. All Rights Reserved

My more recent work, like this piece titled “Alone but not Lonely” was hand quilted from the top and the back of the piece – following the design lines of the fabrics. I’ve named the studio where I work “Smith Stitch Studio” – so I guess I stitch. So, what do you think, do you “sew” or “stitch”?

Posted in Abstract Impressionist, Art, Art Quilting, Fiber Art, Hand Quilted, Quiet Corner Artist, Shoe Mills | Tagged Hand quilting, Studio Quilts | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith finally got her “Cow Girl” boots!

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Catherine Whall Smith

Last May 2011, while attending the annual SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) meeting in Denver, Colorado, I had a little time to do some shopping and dining with close friends Rita Hannafin, and Cynthia Long of CYN WORKS (www.cynworks.com). While out, I spotted a beautiful pair of leather boots that “almost fit” – they were very patriotic, red, white, and, blue leather with amazing heart cut outs and beautiful stitching. I tried to rationalize buying them, even though they were not a good fit – maybe they were beautiful enough to just look at from time to time. Well, I did not buy them, but thought of them many times – the workmanship was just wonderful. – – In creating my quilts I try to use the best workmanship that I can and are constantly refining my hand stitching to ensure beautiful quilting lines across the surface of the piece. Fast forward from last May to a recent trip to “Treasures” in Old Lyme, Connecticut when my husband spotted these new boots by Ariat – the fit was perfect – So even though they aren’t “Red, White, and Blue” they do go well with my piece “Rolling in the Hay” photographed in the background. – This quilt will be included in my 20 Year Retrospective at the University of Connecticut from July 8th through October 12th, 2012. So, should I wear my “Cow Girl” boots to the opening – what do you think??

Posted in Abstract Impressionist, Art, Art Quilting, Fiber Art, Hand Quilted, Quiet Corner Artist, Retrospective Show, Univeristy of Connecticut, Used Furniture Stores | Tagged abstract impressionist, Cowgirl boots, Fiber Art, Hand stitching, Used Furniture Stores | 3 Comments

Catherine Whall Smith – invites you

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Catherine Whall Smith

The 68th Annual Connecticut Artists Juried Exhibition at the Slater Memorial Museum in Norwich, CT will have it’s Opening this Sunday, February 26th from 1 -3 p.m. Award winners will be announced at 2pm. I plan to be there to see the show which includes “Gold Hay #5” – why not join me.

Posted in Art Quilting | Tagged award winners, connecticut artists, norwich ct | 2 Comments

Catherine Whall Smith sharing good news from Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Catherine Whall Smith

The Schweinfurth Art Center’s Quilts for Art Small Quilts Raffle raised over $3,000 during the Quilts=Art=Quilts 2011 exhibition. “Pearls in the Sunlight” CWSmith 2011 was one of the donated pieces in this auction.

Posted in Abstract Impressionist, Art, Art Quilting, Fiber Art, Hand Quilted, Quiet Corner Artist | Tagged Art Quilts SAQA Auction | Leave a comment

Works by Catherine Whall Smith can be seen at . . . Mystic Art Center; Gallery 53; and Slater Memorial Museum

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Catherine Whall Smith

2012 – Annual Members Show (Kindred Spirits) – Mystic Art Center, 9 Water Street, Mystic, Connecticut ON VIEW “The Kiss” CWSmith 2011. January 13th – February 18th. http://www.mysticarts.org

2012 – Gallery 53 – Meriden, Connecticut – February Show to benefit the Meriden Humane Society ON VIEW “When” ( . . . do you cross over to the other side) CWSmith 2012. February 3rd – February 22nd.

2012 – The Slater Memorial Museum, 108 Crescent Street, Norwich, Connecticut – 68th Annual Connecticut Artists Exhibition – ON VIEW – “Gold Hay #5” CWSmith 2012. February 19 through March 30th. Opening Reception Sunday, February 26th – 1- 3 pm. http://www.slatermuseum.org

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Catherine Smith wishes you a HAPPY NEW YEAR

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Catherine Whall Smith

So where did the year go – time to reflect on where I am today vs 365 days ago. Better yet – leave it all behind and move on – I guess my work is still about that simple line and those farmland images that surround me. . . . Plenty of time to reflect as I get ready for my 20 year retrospective show 1991-2011 – that will be on view from July 8^th through October 19, 2012 at the University of Connecticut Homer Babbidge Library & The Thomas J. Dodd Research Center -more information to follow in a future Blog post.

May HEALTH and HAPPINESS follow you through all your days in 2012. REFLECT – REJUVENATE – REJOICE

: “The Kiss” 2011 CWSmith.All rights reserved

Posted in Abstract Impressionist, Art, Art Quilting, Fiber Art, Open Studios, Retrospective Show, Univeristy of Connecticut | Leave a comment

Catherine Whall Smith – holiday gift idea – check out “The Studio Quilt, No. 6 by Sandra Sider

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Catherine Whall Smith

The Studio Quilt No.6 - State of the Art by Sandra Sider

Dear artists,

Check it out on Amazon.com – it’s easy to find by searching; sider studio quilt. This latest full color publication by critic and curator, Sandra Sider showcases recent quilts by sixty artists.

Martha Sielman, Executive Director of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) had this to say about the book. – “The Studio Quilt, no.6: State of the Art is a stunning showcase of 60 studio quilts, with works ranging from realism to abstraction. Each piece brings some new delight—sweeping lines of stitching, unexpected bursts of color, surprising juxtapositions of imagery. A must-have for the library of anyone who appreciates contemporary art.”

“Grey Hay” designed, hand-stitched, and completed by me in 2011 was selected for this 50 page publication – $15.00.

Posted in Abstract Impressionist, Art, Art Quilting, Fiber Art | Tagged Art Quilts SAQA Auction, SAQA, Studio Quilts | Leave a comment

Catherine Smith Invites you to Open Studio 2011 – 2 more days – December 3rd & 4th

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Catherine Whall Smith

Thank you to all who stopped by for the first week-end of Artists Open Studios 2011 – There is one more week-end left Saturday, December 3rd, and Sunday, December 4th. – Artist studios will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. More information and directions can be found on the website aosct.org

The piece photographed – “Which Way to Lund” is my interpretation of the graphics on the many trains that I saw while in Copenhagen last Summer. (All cotton materials – Hand quilted – 36H x 36W inches)

Posted in Abstract Impressionist, Art Quilting, Copenhagen, Fiber Art, Open Studios | Leave a comment

Catherine Smith wishes you a “Happy Thanksgiving” and wonders does size matter!

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Catherine Whall Smith

One year ago today (11/23/2010) I posted my question . . . is it BIG ENOUGH with a picture of a 22 pound turkey. – I wondered will the turkey be big enough for all the company. My thoughts also reflected my art at the time – is it big enough. During 2011 – I tried to get bigger but found I was still exploring ideas that had a smaller format. So after completing several pieces in the “Hay Series” of lines overlapping lines – I started the Gold Hay series as a diptych or triptych. It was my way of working larger with individual pieces. Each section would inform the next – thus Gold Hay #1, #2, #3 were completed as a triptych – 28H x 84 W inches. (Gold Hay also works as a diptych. ) So fast forward to today and Thanksgiving 2011 – is the turkey big enough – I think so – because I decided to cook two smaller birds (each 14 lbs.) – I guess it’s a diptych – what do you think??