Highlights of the Road to California Quilt Show! part 2

Welcome to the Road to California Quilter's Conference and Showcase! The Road to California, as it is called, takes place in Ontario (Southern California), and features over 1,000 quilts by artists from all over the world. Around 40,000 people gather to see the show, take classes, and shop. Join us in admiring some of the stunning quilts from this year's show.

Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, books, and collectible items !
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.

Cody's Cubes by Beth Nufer, Oregon. Quilted by Clem Buzick

Honorable Mention winner in the Abstract Quilts category, Beth remarks, "I wanted to make a modern design quilt with a 3-D effect to it. I love tumbling blocks, so that worked out for this quilt."

Because the different faces of these blocks are separated with dark background fabric, the three-dimensional effect is even more pronounced. We really admire this expertly designed and constructed geometric quilt with brilliant rainbow colors.

Sonoran Desert Sunset by Kathy Adams and Joanne Baeth, Arizona

Third place winners in the Naturescapes Quilts category, Kathy and Joanne explain, "Original design [is] inspired by several photos we took of the Sonoran Desert which were collaged to make our pattern. Bold colors and Southwestern sunsets inspired our fabric choices. We divided the pattern horizontally into 6 sections and each created and quilted an alternating section."

The quilters add, "Work was done independently, sharing progress via phone and email. When complete, sections were mailed back and forth to be joined, as we live several miles apart." With their use of vibrantly-hued fabrics and intricate thread work, Kathy and Joanne have created a gorgeous quilt which depicts the sunset illuminating mountains, the cacti, and the wildflower-strewn floor of the desert.

The Eggs of the Rainbow Serpent by Jenny Bowker,  Australia

Jenny writes, The Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve is a site in the Northern Territory of Australia, which is the subject of an Aboriginal legend, which explains how the Rainbow Serpent carried water across the Australizan desert from coast to coast and left its eggs in the desert.The Rainbow Serpent is the creator of all things in the Dreamtime stories."

Jenny continues, "I wanted a strong sense of our traditional owners in this piece, but Australians of European heritage are not permitted by use Aboriginal symbolism. To avoid offense, I used Aboriginal fabrics in some sections of the quilt. Still playing with the idea of extending a landscape with patchwork blocks, I used an altered Kaleidoscope block in the rest of the quilt. The heat of Australia's desert swirls through the sky."  This is an amazing creation by Jenny Bowker, whose circular images and quilting motif give a dynamic energy to her work.

Untitled by Lynn Czaban, Oregon

Blue ribbon winner in the category of Human Images, Lynn notes, "This 1936 photograph by Arthur Rothstein, a photographer for the Famr Securities Administration, depicts a laborer at the Chopawamsic Recreational Project in Virginia."

For her design inspiration, Lynn used a copyright-free photograph from the Library of Congress. Her ability to capture in cloth the distinct, clear, facial features and expressions of her subjects is amazing. She has done other portraits from the Great Depression, and they have all turned out beautifully.

Digital Interface by Zoe Williams, New York

Zoe comments, "The beautiful, intricate, dexterous, miraculous human hand never ceases to fill me with awe. So much of our interaction with the world and our connection to others is done through our hands."

 

Zoe continues, "This quilt is an enlarged tracing of the proportions of my own hand, which allows me to express myself and function in countless ways."

She concludes, "Quilted into this piece are 122 words, given to me by friends and loved ones, of the meaningful things we do with our hands." We really admire Zoe's excellent workmanship, elegant use of complementary colors, and innovation in selecting such an intriguing and original subject.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Road to California show.

Welcome to Modern Quilt Month ! part 5

We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I., and we couldn't be more excited about these fun quilts!  This is the fifth of five feature posts.  (We're headed to the International Art Quilt Exhibition in Brigham City, Utah, TODAY... we'll post those photos beginning next week !)

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Dahlia Dazzle by Marilyn Giblin

First place winner in the category of Pieced Small Quilts, Marilyn states, " I have always admired Dahlia quilts and wanted to make one. The templates by Marti Mitchell made construction easy. The grid design quilting techniques taught by Cindy Seitz-Krug make it special. "

The dahlia pattern is sometimes considered to be a traditional motif; however, Marilyn's excellent selection of fabric colors gives this quilt so much transparency, that the effect is very contemporary. If you look at the outside of the petals for awhile, you'll see that the light and dark shades seem to "spin", almost like an op-art image.

Montana Night Sky by Sharyl Sheppard

Sharyl says, "Foundation paper pieced stars and trailing trapunto stars depict the multitudes seens in rural Montana nights where the absence of man-made light leaves vast empty space between them."

Sharyl did a fabulous job of quilting this work herself. These elegant elongated shapes are reminiscent of shimmering points of light dancing off into the surrounding universe.

Shimmer Me by Chris Saper, quilted by Darlene Girton

Chris states, "Design, movement, and well-designed visual resting spaces are exciting to me. Jenny Bowker's 'Shimmering Triangles' pattern lets a quilter explore it all."

Chris adds, "[This quilt displays] inspiration, blooming cactus, and a rare nighttime rain." Chris has enhanced this pattern of half-square triangles by expertly selecting fabrics in eye-catching contemporary shades from the Kaffe Fassett Collective. 


I Can Do Hard Things by Kate Gunther

Kate explains, "This quilt is a tribute to the many people who have taught me simply that I can do hard things. One person taught me this importance of passing this [knowledge] onto the next generation, and I plan to do just that."

Contemporary pen-and-ink printed fabrics make an intriguing background for this motivational and inspirational work, which was quilted by Kate herself.

Made for Melissa by Bonnie Bobman

Bonnie writes, "This improvisational quilt was made in the Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild ( PHXMG)  swap just for Melissa ! [It is] personalized with an 'M' ! ( Shown here on the lower right-hand block) .

Bonnie continues, "Each quilter was given hints about the recipient's favorite colors. It was free rein from there!" Bonnie's charming and lively pattern is no doubt much enjoyed and appreciated by her recipient.
Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Quilt Arizona show.

2016 International Invitational Quilt Exhibition - Part 2

The 2016 International Quilt Invitation Exhibition in Brigham City, Utah, contained so many gorgeous art quilts. Come along with us on our road trip, as we show you some highlights !

Please note: We're continuously posting free patterns on Twitter !

We're also selling beautiful quilt books at low introductory prices on e-Bay!

Dragon Dance by Laurie Miller, Missouri

Although it was an original pattern, artist Meilo So graciously gave Laurie permission to use her watercolor artwork to create Dragon Dance for the 2014 Hoffman Challenge. One of Laurie's challenges was to create an interesting background without overwhelming the dragon.  A subtle movement in the quilt was created by using the tessellating pinwheel pattern with McKenna Ryan's Sand in My Shoes fabric, along with other monochromatic fabrics.

Close-up, Dragon Dance

We love the images of these joyous, dancing children who celebrate as they carry the dragon along! Laurie explains that the dragon was first appliqued to separate piece of fabric and then to the background.

Tidal Images by Gloria Loughman, Australia

Gloria lives by the sea on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. She has had he opportunity to travel to many parts of the continent known in some areas for its iconic sun, surf, and sand. The daily ebb and flow of the waters of the ocean viewed during her Australian adventures are captured in this lovely quilt.

Close-up, Tidal Images

We think that Gloria blends these pure, clear colors so expertly that her work resembles an impressionist watercolor painting ! The curved, winding branches of the tree form a fascinating juxtaposition with its triangular leaves and the geometric forms of the mountains.

That Secret by Denise Tallon Havlan, Illinois

The "common threads" running through Havlan's work are a love of the human form, an appreciation of different cultures- ancient and contemporary- and their celebration of color. She is drawn to indigenous people and the decorations adorning their bodies.

Close-up, That Secret

Denise notes that the influence of 19th century French painter Paul Gauguin and his bold colors in depicting Polynesian people can be seen in her work here.  Prior to Polynesians wearing colorful sarongs, feathers, flowers, and plants were used to create color that was both beautiful and spiritually significant. With the introduction of trade cloth, the islands used bright fabrics on a daily basis. We really admire the very lifelike, realistic depiction of these two women, especially the feathered fan,  hair, floral adornments, and facial expressions.

Postcards From Jerusalem by Jenny Bowker, Australia 
 

Three major religions are represented in this quilt. The floor where the postcards are scattered is similar to the design of the floor in front of the cross at Calvary in the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The border design wraps around the mosque of the Dome of the Rock, just inside its outer walls. It encloses the Jewish Holy of Holies , the Muslim site of Mohammed's ascent to heaven, and the account from the  Old Testament of  Abraham and Issac.  In one quilt, Jenny has succeeded in displaying a great deal of history and culture.

Close-up, Postcards From Jerusalem

 

In her quilt, Jenny says that she wants to convey a sense of the golden magic of Jerusalem as well as the peace that still seeps from its stones, despite the turmoil and fighting that have plagued it for the last two thousand years. We are impressed that Jenny has done a wonderful job of depicting Jerusalem, one of the most fascinating cities of the world. 

Sea Front at Bexhill-On-Sea by Stephanie Crawford, United Kingdom 

When Stephanie designed this tiny quilt, her focus was on sunlight and perspective, which is why she adapted to fabric a photograph by her friend Jayne Burton. Bexhill is a seaside town situation in the county of east Sussex in southeast England. We love the breezy, summery effect that Stephanie has created with the shimmering water, the blue sky, and the sunlit clouds. 

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.