Martha's Blog

Leaf Study 2 Improvements

2012-01-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

Leaf Study 2 with colored pencil addition

After posting the philodendron leaf piece and not being pleased with the top portion, I added some shading with Berol colored pencils to the ghost-quilted leaves. Then I appliqued some leaves at the top of one of the stalks. It's a scary process to alter an already quilted work, because it can't be removed. But it's not finished until I'm happy with it.

Progress Report #2

2012-01-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

How to get started: pull out already cut strips left from other projects that will coordinate with the brown and pink. Choose some other strips just because I like them. Sew together to create strip-sets. Pin to design wall and take a look. Think and ask questions.

1. What do I like about them? Thin (about 1") strips going horizontally. Slashes of red or wine or purple going vertically through these strip sets, preferably at an angle. Maintain some control of colors--not total random/chaos!

2. What do I NOT like about them? Wide strips. Challenge fabric in too large pieces. In fact, I plan to limit it to going vertically to help give some structure or continuity. I even found some kaleidoscope blocks in a box; hmmmm. I wonder about overlaying some of these half-circles. More later.

Progress Report--What Was I Thinking?

2012-01-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

I'm still making strip sets and looking at them. No pictures yet. Several participants are dyeing the challenge fabric, but I am leaning toward leaving that bright white background. Am enjoying the PINK. Leaving the white really makes the pink pop! Reminds me of a class I took one time with Marilyn Belford; we listed (and cut examples of) things/colors/shapes we liked, and then things/colors/shapes we hated. THEN we had to make a small fabric piece from each of the groups. Yep, you guessed it--pink was in the hated group, and I made some really neat pieces with a pink theme. Maybe it's time to work with pink again. And brown. And lots of other colors I am finding in my box of cut strips left from other projects.

What Was I Thinking?

2012-01-14T15:04:00.000-08:00

Karen S Musgrave has an interesting blog that I follow. I also had recently bought and was reading Rayna Gillman's new book Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design. So when Karen issued a challenge using some very old/outdated fabric that she would supply, it seemed like a fun thing to participate in--even though I was far from attracted to the fabric. I signed up, and when the fabric arrived, I liked it even less than the picture, but hey, it's a challenge! Here is what the fabric looks like:

Challenge fabric

The rules are that the challenge fabric must show on the front of the piece; any changes--dye, paint, stamping, etc., are permitted; must use Rayna's book as inspiration; deadline to finish is March 1; we must take pictures along the way. I began sewing strip-sets of pieces already cut just to get something started. Wish me luck!

Strip sets

Leaf Study #2

2012-01-13T12:07:00.000-08:00


Leaf Study #2, 19" x 23"

Leaf Study #2, detail

I have completed another Leaf Study piece, using Heide Stoll-Weber's hand-dyed cotton sateen as the background. Inspiration for this piece was a photo I took in November 2009 of some beautiful philodendron leaves in the atrium of Ochsner Hospital in New Orleans. The quilting in the background is of the meander/puzzle type, with a suggestion of more philodendron leaves in the upper portion.

About Old Age and Loneliness

2011-12-31T18:33:00.000-08:00

Since I just had a birthday and it's the end of a year of huge changes, I was struck by the wisdom of this passage I came across in the book I was reading:

"You'd think the way people go on that if they stand too close to old age and loneliness they'll catch it themselves. I suppose that's true in a way, because you do catch it, if you stay around long enough. But you don't get it from other people; you don't get it from anybody but yourself." (Quoting Bernie McGill in The Butterfly Cabinet)

"Migration" 35 wide x 36.5 high

Detail 1

Detail 2

My flying geese quilt that I named "Migration" is finished and I'm ready to put 2011 behind me. No resolutions, but definite plans to NOT catch that old age and loneliness bug. I like my friend Virginia Butler's list of resolutions she is NOT making, like cutting back on coffee and chocolate, taking life too seriously, going shopping more, keeping a spotless house, reading more.

Sounds like a good year to me!

JavaWerks Display December 2011

2011-12-04T18:19:00.001-08:00

My fiber art is on display at JavaWerks Coffee Shop in Hattiesburg for the month of December. When Pam Hill invited me to hang my works, she said, "it looks so cozy with your quilts there."
The coffee house is a popular hangout for Southern Miss students, and you can see lots of serious study going on there, as well as all age groups enjoying delicious coffees and teas.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T09:24:00.001-08:00

"What if we woke up one morning and only had what we had thanked God for yesterday?"

What a difference a season can make! The Bradford Pear trees were covered in white blossoms just a few short months ago. Now they have been robbed of their brilliant red leaves by periods of drought and sudden chilling temperature dips.

The stark branches remind me of losses, things past. It would be easy to settle into a dark place of brooding, but thankfulness for blessings outweighs the defeat of losses. I had my parents until they were 89 and 91 years old, and had the privilege of caring for them in their final months. My precious sister and her husband enhanced my feeling of family. My husband of 57 years was my Prince Charming when I married him at age 18, and we were blessed with unusually wonderful children, a daughter and a son.

Now my loving and faithful Bigboy is my constant companion and studio helper as I carve out a different existence, taking a day at a time. I am blessed with memories that comfort, and a faith that more blessings are in store for me and mine. These blessings have to be taken up, acknowledged, and enjoyed, and this is up to me to do. I thank God for family, friends, the beauty of this world, the comfort of home, the privilege of being born in this country where we are free to make choices and worship openly. We are not promised that everything will be smooth traveling, only that we are not alone on the journey.

I'm a $30 Idea Winner from Superior Threads

2011-11-20T19:07:00.001-08:00

When Superior Threads newsletter announced it is now carrying Hugo's Amazing Tape, I immediately thought of a handy tip I could share. I love Hugo's Amazing Tape and have used it for several years to keep my threads from unwinding into a terrible mess in my thread drawer. The tape is a non-sticky reusable almost clear tape that will cling to itself but not to other surfaces--ideal to wrap around thread. My tip: Cut the ends of the tape with pinking shears so the end is easier to find on the spool. It was published in the November newsletter as a $30 Idea Winner. Bob Purcell added: Bob's Note: Another good idea is to color the end of the tape with a marking pen so it can be easily found.

My name was misspelled as Martha Ginni, but it was really me. I'm eager to order more of my favorite thread!

Leaf Study

2011-11-03T23:25:00.000-07:00


Leaf Study, 18" x 22"

I used Caryl Bryer Fallert's "appli-piecing" technique to create these leaves. The leaves are appliqued to a hand-dyed cotton sateen by Heide Stoll-Weber. The echo quilting was done with the presser foot down, and the edge finish is a facing rather than a binding.

Detail

Twisted Trees by Friends

2011-10-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to finish a "twisted tree" piece--by adding embellishments, borders, frames. Here are some made by my friends:

Jackie Watkins intertwined her twisted pieces to create larger trunks. She also embellished her piece with beads.

Polly Duggan's tree, framed under glass, with beads added (above)


Mary Nell Magee painted and tore leaves from Lutrador and glued her leaves on to add texture


Gloria Green used crazy quilting, hand embroidery, ribbon and beads


Elvia Edwards added borders

Jo-Ann Evans created an underwater scene with sea creatures, kelp, and two divers. The coral was made by the twisted tree technique

Twisted Trees

2011-10-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

Twisted Tree, 22" x 19"

Detail

In progress, pinned to foam core

In my small Innovative Fiber Art group, Polly Duggan shared with us a twisted tree technique that she had learned from another quilter friend, Jackie Watkins. We used batiks for the trees because batiks have the same coloration on the back as well as the front. Starting with 1" strips of fabric, we dampened our fingers and rolled the strips into tight little "snakes" (remember making snakes from clay when you were a kid?). To assemble my tree, I first prepared a background (sky and ground) with batting and backing and quilted it. This was secured to a foamcore board so that the tree could be created onto the board. Although this seems backward, we began at the outer end of each branch and worked toward the trunk, adding and combining pieces to create the trunk down to the roots. After pinning the branches to the board, the piece was taken to the sewing machine to sew the branches. I added small twigs to indicate a bare, leafless tree. A barn and silo in the left background completed the piece.

Never Be Surprised at Judges' Comments

2011-10-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I like the piece and had enjoyed hand-embroidering it over a period of six months before layering and machine quilting it. (Silk With Stitches in previous blog post.) The center section is collaged silks I dyed, and the border (also backing) is a high-quality hand-dyed cotton sateen (by Heide Stoll-Weber). I posted it in a critique group I am in and received several affirming bits of feedback, along with some reservations:
"Love the spontaneous feel to your piece and use of color but my eye stops in the lower R corner."
" I found the center totally mesmerizing, dreamlike."
" I love the flow of your piece. The silks are beautiful and your stitching and embroidery choices are perfect. The center design is powerful and the borders frame it nicely. I did not stop at the lower right corner because my eye found the blue silk in the bottom third of the center."
Getting feedback from my peers is a great way to learn what another artist sees. I didn't enter it in the quilt show expecting anything more than another artist's viewpoint. Imagine my surprise as well as puzzlement when the judging sheet read these eleven words.
     Visual Impact: Soft
     Technical Construction: Too mixed and too distracting
     Quilting: Fair
     Additional Comments: Nice blend of colors
It's certainly a good thing that I don't place much importance on judges' remarks! I haven't figured out what a "soft" visual impact is other than her way of saying she didn't like it. Although she thought it "too mixed and too distracting," she complimented the "nice blend of colors." These statements seem contradictory, but they reinforce my thinking: Never Be Surprised at Judges' Comments!

Silk with Stitches

2011-08-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

My fiber art group experimented with dyeing silk several months ago. We used 6" squares and tried several different techniques to see what we would get. I cut lots of these and glued them to note cards and mailed them. The leftover pieces were too beautiful to toss, so I began applying them to a foundation background at random. There was very little plan--just place and decide if I liked it and stitch it down with embroidery stitches. This was a carry-around project. I then added a backing and borders and machine quilted it only enough to secure the layers.
It has a rather chaotic look, but it mirrored my life as I cared for my husband during his last months. Embroidery has always been a comforting activity, and this piece certainly supplied that. The border and backing are from two pieces of Heide Stoll-Weber's hand dyed sateen. The piece is 24" x 25".

More Ghost Quilting

2011-08-01T13:14:00.000-07:00

This colorful jungle print was ideal for Ghost Quilting. I cut out a rectangle of the print featuring the parrot and added first a green border and then a wider white one. This allowed for interesting quilting as I stitched out of the center rectangle into the blank space. I had used the same print for the backing of the piece, so some of the quilting was done from the reverse or back side. This allowed me to duplicate the parrot and some of the leaves and other motifs. The piece is 21" high and 19" wide. The binding is made from the jungle print.

Ghost Quilting

2011-08-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

I call it Ghost Quilting. I start with a square or rectangle of printed fabric as the focus, then I add borders all around and imagine what is out off the edge of the focus fabric and complete the motifs with only stitching or with Neocolor II watercolor wax pastels plus stitching. The focus fabric can be fused onto the center of a larger piece or borders can be sewn onto the center.

The red pineapple piece has only stitching to complete the picture.

The yellow pineapple piece is enhanced with Neocolor II plus stitching.

In progress, showing the stitching that will complete the picture.

The first step--adding Neocolor II to extend the picture into the border.

MS ARTeast Festival

2011-07-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

Dean Smith of Simply Teavine hosted the MS ARTeast Festival today (July 23) with 20 artists displaying their creations. The event was held at her family's 1884 Meador Homestead Cabin just outside Hattiesburg. The artists were stationed about the grounds and in the cabin and on the porch. Dean had prepared dishes such as Brett Favre's Chili, Eudora Welty's Shrimp Eudora, and William Faulkner's Barbeque Chicken and served it from the remodeled and updated kitchen.

My quilted pieces were displayed in the bedroom of the cabin, where there was a very tall four-poster canopy bed, complete with little step ladder and chamber pot. The room also contained an old spinning wheel and other period pieces as well as hundred-year-old photographs on the walls.
There were wood turners, authors, beekeepers, stain glass artists, chair makers, and singers among the artists, giving the guests a huge variety of items to enjoy. A little rain shower did not dampen the mood of the happy visitors, and people enjoyed the festival and the lovely grounds.

Blueberry Time!

2011-05-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have one lonely, misshapen blueberry bush that grows in the yard beside our driveway. It probably got nearly uprooted in a storm and was allowed to grow at a 45-degree angle for years. When we bought the property I considered eliminating this pitiful little bush, but every spring it rewards us with delicious blueberries. First it is covered in tiny flowers, then clusters of green berries which gradually ripen to their dark blue state. The birds eat their fill and still leave plenty for us. They are best picked and eaten in the yard. The ones I freeze are not nearly as good as those eaten right off the bush.

Where Did January Go?

2011-01-29T18:32:00.000-08:00

Silk scarves with ColorHue dye

Dy-Na-Flo paints on white silk (piece in progress)

Leftover silk pieces glued to folded cards for stationery

Wow...January is almost over and I wonder where it went. I have been playing with dyes, Dy-na-Flo paints on silk and then Colorhue Dyes for silk scarves. The black one has Shiva Paintstiks added rather than dyes.
Then there was the decision to remove some carpet and cover four rooms with new wood-look laminate. This involved quite a bit of thinking, mental rearranging, and then staying out of the way......

Hallway with storage for fabric

The cat has to get used to his toeneails clicking down a slick hallway instead of sounding like thunder rolling along the carpet.

Living room half finished

Studio will be next, and the flooring guy says laying the floor will be easier than my unloading all the bookcases and other storage areas. I believe he is right.

Galaxy wins in Art Show

2010-12-12T14:20:00.001-08:00

Galaxy

"Galaxy" won a blue ribbon this weekend in the South Mississippi Art Association 34th Annual Show in Hattiesburg. The wall quilt is 37" wide and 24" high. The blue-to-green ribbon is pieced with hand-dyes by Mary Nell Magee, and the orange ribbon and lighter blue ribbon are Martha's own hand-dyes. It incorporates Caryl Bryer Fallert's gradated fabric for the background. The outer border is a commercial batik. Quilting in the background matched the colors in order to de-emphasize the background and call attention to the three ribbons. The piece was designed in a class with Caryl Bryer Fallert at her studio in Paducah, Ky., in the fall of 2009, and extended and completed in 2010.

Leaves for Thanksgiving Table

2010-11-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

I gathered this variety of leaves in our yard. Some of the trees belong to neighbors but the wind brought them for me to enjoy. Yesterday they were lightly covered in mist and they dried on the platter in the center of our table.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010!

2010-11-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for new tree growth after Hurricane Katrina

I am thankful for food and home

I am thankful for family and friends. They are like the Blue Daze--just keep rewarding me with their beauty and faithfulness

Fall Color in Mississippi

2010-11-23T12:58:00.001-08:00

Crepe myrtle
Red leaves on tall oak tree, green crepe myrtle on the right

Last blooms on the penta

Nandina loaded with berries

South Mississippi is a riot of color--yellows, oranges, reds, and every shade in between. Our crepe myrtles had green leaves just two weeks ago--see them in the picture of the tall red tree. Today they are brilliant yellows and reds. The nandina bushes are heavy with red berries, just ready to bring into the house for holiday decorations. Of course, we have pine cones available all year, with a thick carpet of pine needles on the grass--which needs to be raked into the azalea beds to serve as mulch over the winter.

Donation for Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

2010-11-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Gondola

"Gondola" (16 x 16) was donated to the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art's 2010 annual Gala, The Azure Ball, A Grecian Island Fantasy. The preview party will take place at the Museum on Thursday, December 2.

Profile on Becky Wolsk's Blog

2010-11-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

Becky Wolsk from Washington, DC, asked to interview and profile me on her new blog about her three favorite interests: quilting, writing, and cookbooking. Becky has published two books (Food and Worry, and Six Words), which can be found on Amazon. I am honored to be selected for her first profile! You can find it here: http://www.textislepatchworkblog.com/2010/11/profile-martha-ginn-2.

AIDS Services Coalition Gala

2010-10-29T12:36:00.001-07:00

Ribbons 2010

(25" wide x 29" high)

The AIDS Services Coalition held its 2010 Gala Sunday night, October 3 at the Historic Hattiesburg Train Depot. There was lots of good food furnished by local restaurants, silent and live auctions of artwork, merchandise, vacation packages, and other items.

My contribution is pictured above, entitled Ribbons 2010, to fit into the event's theme of Ribbons of Change. The black/white band typifies narrow and close-minded thinking; the flying geese band typifies a gradual lifting of old prejudices and attitudes, while the bright yellow/orange band of triangles illustrates a moving forward with cooperation and hope in the fight against hatred and injustice.

Mississippi Friendship Album

2010-10-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

In 2002 I was presented with 18 beautiful applique blocks in the Baltimore Album style. These were made by all the presidents and several other founding members of Mississippi Quilt Association in appreciation for my contributions to the organization from its inception and organization in 1991, through its documentation and publication of the book Mississippi Quilts written by Mary Elizabeth Johnson. At this time I was stepping down from my role as newsletter editor to pursue more of my personal goals and to take care of family health issues.

Over the next eight years, I made two more blocks, assembled the blocks, appliqued a double dogtooth border, and got it ready for quilting. My options did not include hand quilting it myself but I sincerely wanted to complete it on my own. I had recently purchased a Handy Quilter 16 and had done a couple of small quilts on it, which gave me the courage to attempt this big project. Good friends Diann Loper and Susie Jackson, both talented longarm quilters, gave me advice and encouragement, and I began quilting around all the applique elements and adding feather designs in the open spaces. Susie helped me draw an undulating feather design in the border, and I completed the quilting. I added an ecru piping just inside the binding to complete the project. Working on the quilt gave me many happy memories of our early days of MQA and our search project and the lasting friendships that were formed. I am deeply honored by this gift and dedicate it to all the talented Mississippi quilters who have enriched my life.

Below is a listing of the makers of the blocks. Astericks mark the four who have passed away.

Row 1: Martha Skelton* // Barbara Newman //Peggy Randolph //Nancy Welsch

Row 2: Evelyn Palmer //Sandra Plummer* //Jeré Funk //Ella Lucas

Row 3: Brenda Hyde //Suzanne Schutt //Carol Vickers & Clara Ann Johnson//Sue Mitchell

Row 4: Martha Ginn //Martha DuBard //Martha Ginn //Frances Keathley

Row 5: Ginny Freeman* //Miriam Rice* //Joan Alliston //Ollie Jean Lane

Quilt Show Results

2010-10-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

Our Pine Belt Quilters 13th Biennial Fiber Art & Quilt Show was a beautiful event. We displayed nearly 400 quilts and one of the Hoffman Challenge traveling exhibits. We awarded $6,900 in cash prizes plus three sewing machines and three other gifts from merchants. We had 21 vendors with fabric and machines to tempt everyone. Special guest lecturers were Julia Graber, Barbara Cline, and Polly Yoder, three Mennonite sisters who shared their talents and special family stories with us. You can see their individual blogs; they have also created a joint blog, which you can see here.

I presented a lecture called "Lagniappe" at the show, featuring my fiber art which demonstrates my journey from my traditional background into innovative methods and original designs.

Pacific Coast

I won three blue ribbons and an Honorable Mention. "Pacific Coast" (18 x 15) is pictured above. It features hand painted fabric, Angelina fibers, painted cellophane, and stitching to create the water and beach scene. The edges are finished with organza ribbon. Photographs I took on the Washington and Oregon coastlines several years ago became the inspiration for this piece.

Cabin in the Woods III

Mary Nell Magee and I collaborated on the above piece, "Cabin in the Woods III" (50 x 50). Yes, this is the third cabin piece we have made. The first went to an adoption agency auction in 2002, the second won a blue ribbon in 2003 and hangs on my wall, and this one will be hers. It is primarily made of batiks.

100 Years of Trains

The above piece, "100 Years of Trains," won first place in the Hattiesburg Depot Challenge. Our depot is celebrating 100 years of continuous use as a depot, and our show featured a challenge to commemorate this event. The depot has been remodeled into a beautiful building that is the perfect setting for weddings, receptions, and other special events, as well as still being used as a passenger station. I cut many types of trains from fabric and fused and stitched them onto the pieced background. Gray tulle was used to simulate the smoke. The piece is 24" square.

My "Giant Wave" (below, 21" x 17") won an Honorable Mention. It contains many of the same techniques as Pacific Coast that I learned from Linda Schmidt. She is well known for her use of unusual products to achieve a desired effect.

Pictures during the week of the show can be seen in the October 2010 entries on the Pine Belt Quilters Blog.

Getting Ready for Pine Belt Quilters Show

2010-09-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

Debbie Demarks, Bonnie Bolt, Sharon Barnes, Martha Ginn, Pat Routon with

"Sweet Magnolia Cabins" raffle quilt

Billboard advertising--thanks to VisitHattiesburg

Pine Belt Quilters are excited about our 13th Biennial Fiber Art & Quilt Show October 8-9-10, 2010, at Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We will have 400 quilts in the judged show, a special display of the Hoffman Challenge, lectures, demos, special exhibits, and 21 vendors.

Kathy Kansier, an AQS certified appraiser from Ozark, MO, will be at the show to appraise new and vintage quilts for quilt owners. (Set up an appointment by calling Martha Ginn 601-264-6884; or emailing marthaginn@bellsouth.net) Kathy will also present a lecture at noon on Saturday entitled "Color and Design for Quiltmakers."
Another special feature at the show will be a lecture/trunk show: "Quiltings of Three Mennonite Sisters." The sisters are Julia Graber, Barbara Cline, and Polly Yoder. Barbara is the author of Star Struck Quilts, published by C&T Publishing. The sisters will speak on Friday night and repeat again on Saturday afternoon.

I will present a "Lagniappe" program Saturday evening at 6:00, showing some fiber art pieces that I enjoy making.

Closing Reception at Mississippi Arts Commission

2010-09-02T07:39:00.001-07:00

Martha with Diane Williams, Arts Industry Director and Accessibility Coordinator

On August 26 a Closing Reception was held for the artists whose works were was displayed in the MAC office during July and August. It was an honor to have my work displayed with these other talented Mississipi artists. Below is Kat Fitzpatrick (on left) with her dynamic encaustic work.

Kat explained encaustic to those of us who were only familiar with the word but not the process.

Jamie Tate and her oil painting

My three works displayed were (top) When Worlds Collide, Giant Wave, and Pacific Coast.

Tomatoes, finally

2010-09-02T07:30:00.001-07:00

I said head-high vines! The harvest is finally coming in, picking 20-25 tomatoes each day. This variety is about golf ball to tennis ball size, very tasty. Roy is so proud and has given some to everyone who has been at our house all during the month of August.

Summertime

2010-08-17T18:23:00.001-07:00

Finally, about August 1st we began to get ripe tomatoes! The vines are head-high and loaded with green ones.

The penta and coleus loved the Mississippi heat but required lots of water to survive.

My camera lens clouded over when I came outside because of the sudden temperature change, giving a misty appearance where there was bright sunshine.

The blue daze were covered in little new blooms every morning, which closed up midday. We planted several varieties of tomatoes, which grew more than head-high before finally rewarding us with a bumper crop of golf-ball-size tomatoes. While eagerly waiting for ripe ones, we enjoyed some fried green tomatoes, a Southern favorite.

Herbs in the Flowerbed

2010-06-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

I love herbs almost as much as flowers, not so much for cooking as to just walk past and enjoy the fragrance. Here is my flowerbed near the driveway and garage that I walk past every time I enter or leave. From the left are a giant rosemary bush, variegated thyme, basil, parsley. Near the rosemary the light-colored plant is curry (ornamental, not for cooking) that has a delightful scent.
In the front on the right are Blue Daze (evolvulus glomerata), trailing vinca, penta, coleus, and Diamond Frost (Euphorbia). The clay pot holds an interesting blue star-shaped flower that is as beautiful as the Blue Daze (lost its name), and the white pot contains a prolific invasive weed that rewards me with green and white variegated leaves.

This is one happy rosemary bush!

I never harvest my parsley but let it grow as much as it will, hoping that a caterpillar will discover it and eat her fill and then form a chrysallis when she is ready. These make beautiful black swallowtail butterflies if the birds don't have a feast first. I try to watch for the chrysallis stage and give some protection with netting. I have even been lucky enough to see the butterfly emerge and stretch her wings before flying off. This takes more patience than I think I have nowadays, but I can try.

Variegated thyme. I am hoping it will thrive and trail down over the stones.

The basil makes a nice little bouquet when the tops need to be pinched off. It is a cheery addition to the kitchen window.

Exhibit at Hattiesburg Country Club, April-June 2010

2010-05-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Pieces of the Past (Strawberries)

Return of the Trees, Sunflower

Ghost Flower, Thread Lily

Pieces of the Past, Kitchen Garden Series-Pumpkin, Mississippi Magnolias

Thread Lily, Pumpkin Patch

My fiber art is on exhibit in the main hallway of the Hattiesburg Country Club during April, May and June of 2010. The Pieces of the Past series features 8 x 10 and 11 x 14 matted and framed sections of a crazy quilt made circa 1900. I bought the quilt because of its beauty, but it had too many worn-through and problem areas to use in its whole form. After much thought, I elected to cut the good sections out and frame them under glass so that they could be enjoyed. Even the threadbare sections are beautiful, and where necessary I secured the fragile areas with black tulle to hold the delicate bits of thread and fabric in place. This quilt had more embroidered stitches on it than any other I had seen.

Thread Lily and Mississippi Magnolias are done with "thread-painting"--in other words, I used thread instead of paint to create the flowers. Return of the Trees is my tribute to the regrowth of trees after Hurricane Katrina's devastation in 2005. Angel Trumpet is painted on white silk and then stitched with polyester and rayon threads and framed under glass.

Spring Blooms

2010-05-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go? After a very cold winter (with even one snow day in South Mississippi), we are blessed with a riot of color as the azaleas, amaryllis, geraniums, and hydrangeas are blooming, just ahead of the yellow/orange daylilies. My yellow Lady Banksia rose put on another fantastic show with its profusion of tiny flowers again this spring, but I missed getting a photograph. These pictures will be great inspiration for my fiber art.

Pine Belt Quilters 25th Anniversary

2010-01-26T03:51:00.001-08:00

Little did I know back in October of 1984 when Doris Aultman, Susan Kelley, Gail Rowland, and I formed Pine Belt Quilters that the guild would be so large and vital 25 years later. Our beginning membership of 25 has grown to nearly 200 and has led to some of the best friendships and memories of my life.
To celebrate this milestone, the guild issued an anniversary challenge to create a wall quilt (min/max 24"-30"). Nine members created a variety of clever pieces, with Jo-Ann Evans winning the challenge (see PBQ's blog entry of November 2009). PBQ means so many things to me that I could not limit myself to one event or image, so I created a collage or album of photos scanned onto fabric and applied to the background. It contains our membership directory covers, photos from early retreats, shows, and activities. I quilted it on my new Handy Quilter 16. It was fun going back through our interesting history to gather reminders of learning, sharing, and fellowshipping.

Pacific Coast

2010-01-26T03:26:00.000-08:00

Pacific Coast is my rendition of a scene I photographed on a trip to Washington State in 2004. The piece is 18" wide x 15" high and finished with organza ribbon on the edges and features several techniques I learned from Linda Schmidt. Beginning with a solid piece of Kona cotton, I painted the sky with blues and pinks and pearl white paints and placed it in the background. The water and sand were painted in several shades of blue/green and tan and then cut apart and restitched in layers. I cut the rocks from a Mickey Lawler Skydyes fabric. Angelina fibers, painted and melted cellophane and organza were added to create ocean foam and spray.

The Quilter Magazine article--March 2010

2010-01-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

In November 2009 my good friend Lucy Fazely contacted me saying she was invited to write an article "about a talented machine quilter" for The Quilter Magazine. How thrilled I was that she considered me that person and interviewed me for the article. This took place just before I was to leave for a dream workshop at Caryl Bryer Fallert's Paducah studio and also just before my husband was scheduled for brain surgery for relief of his severe Parkinson's symptoms. So when the March 2010 article came out in January 2010, I was pleased that my rattled state was not apparent, thanks to Lucy's skilled writing. (The surgery went well and we think he shows some improvement.)

How exciting it is to see one's artwork in print and be able to share this news with friends and family. Events like this also give us a chance to think deeply about what we do and why we do it and put those thoughts into words. Our creative endeavors are essential to our emotional wellbeing, and having the fruits of our labors printed so colorfully--well, it is just too rewarding for words!

Hattiesburg City Hall Exhibit

2009-09-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Our City Hall in Hattiesburg has a rotating exhibit of artwork, sometimes using paintings of historic buildings from their permanent collection by outstanding local artists Dinnie St. John and Beverly Dennis featuring historic buildings. Patty Hall of the Hattiesburg Arts Council asked me to display my fiber art during the months of September and October in the main floor hallway and in the upstairs office hallway.

Gallery Point Leflore

2009-09-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

A new gallery in Greenwood, Mississippi, Gallery Point Leflore, accepted fourteen of my works to display in their gallery. This gallery opened July 31, 2009, and has been an exciting addition to the revitalized downtown section of Greenwood.

Quoting from their website, "Gallery Point Leflore focuses on contemporary Southern art with a wide variety of both folk and fine arts in multiple media and styles. The gallery takes its name from the geographical site in Leflore County where the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Rivers meet to form the muddy Yazoo River. The symbolism spoke to us as it represents individuals who meet to form a bold union greater than the sum of its parts."

Explosion at the Paint Factory

2009-09-28T08:24:00.001-07:00

My exhibit at the Cottonlandia Museum in Greenwood was very well-received, and twelve pieces sold. What an honor to learn that Explosion at the Paint Factory was purchased by the board as part of the museum's permanent art collection. This piece was made several years ago and remains one of my all-time favorites. My sadness over not having it any longer is heavily outweighed by my joy in knowing that it has a home where many people can enjoy it. I consider it a great honor to have my work in this outstanding collection.

Visual Arts Fellowship from Mississippi Arts Commission

2009-08-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

Share my joy over this exciting news! I was awarded a $4,400 Visual
Arts Fellowship from the Mississippi Arts Commission to be used for
further development as a fiber artist. The press release in the Hattiesburg American is quoted below:

Martha Ginn receives Mississippi Arts Commission Fellowship
(Jackson, MS) – Martha Ginn of Hattiesburg has been awarded a $4,400 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC).
This grant is a portion of the $1.5 million in grants the Commission will award in 2009-2010 and will be used to further her development as a fiber artist. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“The individual artists across the state continue to offer their talents to prove the value of the arts in Mississippi. Their creation of art and participation in local events and activities helps to insure the economic success of their community. The Mississippi Arts Commission is proud to support their efforts,” said Malcolm White, Executive Director of MAC.
Martha Ginn creates original fiber art pieces, combining traditional quilting techniques with non-traditional materials and methods, often blending fabric with paint, layering, and extensive surface stitching. The fellowship is to be used to support the artist’s professional development or the creation of new work. She is active in South Mississippi Art Association, Pine Belt Quilters, Mississippi Quilt Association, and the Area Development Partnership. Her work has been exhibited at the Lucile Parker Gallery of William Carey University, the Mississippi Arts Commission Offices, and is currently on display at the Cottonlandia Museum in Greenwood, Mississippi.
The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency serving residents of the state by providing grants that support programs to enhance communities, assist artists and arts organizations; promote the arts in education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. Established in 1968, the Mississippi Arts Commission is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wallace Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, Donna & Jim Barksdale, the Phil Hardin Foundation, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and other private sources. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education.

Exhibit at Cottonlandia Museum, Greenwood, MS

2009-07-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Cottonlandia Museum in Greenwood, Mississippi, is one of the Mississippi Delta's best-kept secrets! It chronicles the history of Leflore County with special emphasis on the cotton industry, but it also houses fascinating artifacts which tell the history of the area, including one of the largest collections of historic trade beads known. The town and county are named for Greenwood Leflore, a Choctaw chief, planter, and Mississippi State Senator.

A fine art collection includes works by Theodora Hamblett, Marie Hull, William Dunlap, and many others. It is my honor for 35 pieces of my fiber art to be displayed from July 9-August 27 in two rooms of this charming museum.

Heavenly Bodies, Sycamore Leaf, Ghost Flower, Butterfly Crossing, Sun Print on Damask
Black & White Series: Rose Garden and Falling Ginkgoes
In the Beginning, Pyrotechnics

Pyrotechnics, Mariposa, Leaf Shadows, Wisteria & Fern

The Elements Series: Water, Fire, Earth, Water

Angel Trumpet (foreground), Finding My Way, Fish Eyes, Purple Mountains

Cabin in the Woods (collaboration with Mary Nell Magee)

Opening Reception table with Jennifer Whites, Art and Education Coordinator, and Mary Safarik, Education Outreach Coordinator, with the "green" decorations made from recycled materials. The vibrant colors were chosen to coordinate with the bold colors of the fiber art.

Mississippi Magnolias, Color in Chaos, Tropical Paradise (collaboration with Mary Nell Magee), Island Tree

Artist talk describing techniques and inspirations

Crazy Patch Sunflowers, Bird's Eye View

Dave Freeman is the Interim Director of the Museum; Hildren Streeter is in charge of maintenance and also helped us hang the show. The museum is located at 1608 Highway 82 W in Greenwood. Open every day; phone 662-453-0925 for hours.

Mississippi Arts Commission Display April-June

2009-04-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

While my solo exhibition was on display at the Lucile Parker Gallery at William Carey University in January-February, Malcolm White, executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission, saw it and had his assistant, Candice Thomley, call and invite me to show my work in the Gallery of the MAC office in Jackson. The MAC is the official agency for the arts in Mississippi and is housed on the 11th floor of the historic 16-story Woolfolk State Office Building, 501 N. West Street, a half block from the capitol. What an honor!
The display space in their office consists of five free-standing double-sided black wooden panels. On four of the panels I hung larger works, while on the remaining six I placed from two to four pieces. The works will be on display from April 6-June 25, with a closing reception on June 25 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. All state employees are invited to attend.

The Elements Series: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water

The Wellness Center Pool (Institute for Wellness and Sports Medicine, Hattiesburg) and photo inspiration.

Mary Nell Magee and Elaine Magee helped me hang the exhibit.

Artist Talk at Solo Exhibit

2009-02-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

About 50 people attended the Artist Talk on February 3 at the Lucile Parker Gallery to hear about my path from traditional quilter to contemporary fiber artist. Of course, the question was asked, "How long does it take?" I had to admit that I rarely work on one piece at a time from inception to completion, so my answer would have to be a wild guess. When the joy is in the creating, the length of time required seems insignificant.

The exhibit came down February 11 and I will eagerly anticipate my next opportunity to show a body of my work. I have been invited to display in the gallery space at the Mississippi Arts Commission in Jackson from April 6-June 25.

Quick Draw Benefit for AIDS Services Coalition

2009-01-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

Twenty-four artists rose to the challenge of producing a piece of art in an hour's time (plus 15 minutes to frame it) as a benefit for the AIDS Services Coalition in Hattiesburg, MS, last Sunday afternoon. South Mississippi Art Association sponsored this second annual event. Ticket holders milled about the huge Bottling Company (the 100-year-old former Coca-Cola bottling company remodeled as a lounge) enjoying food and drink as they watched the artists at work. John Wooten's steel drum and singing provided great background music. As he kept the artists posted on the remaining time on the clock, his music added a psychological boost. Beautiful island music in the early part, becoming more fast-paced the closer we got to the ending bell.

Artists worked in oil, watercolor, pencil, and--ta-da--fabric. We were allowed to bring a beginning rough sketch to begin our project. I had fused my fabric elements onto the background piece and layered it with batting. I brought the threads and Neocolor II crayons I needed to embellish the piece, along with my table and Janome 6500 and scissors and a few pins. The finished piece fit into an 11x14 frame and brought $200 at the live auction. The event is definitely not for the cautious and intimidated--a great way to help us gain confidence in our decisions and creativity. The visitors enjoyed asking questions and watching the artwork take shape. It was interesting to hear "Oh, that's the way you do that!"

Show Publicity

2009-01-18T22:29:00.000-08:00

The local newspaper, the Hattiesburg American, devoted 3/4 page in the 1/18/09 Sunday paper to three photos and captions about the show--pretty exciting! The invitation piece, Regenerating Fire, sold, breaking up the four elements. However, it was so much fun to make that I just might repeat it.

Successful Show Opening

2009-01-16T03:38:00.000-08:00

A cold and windy night did not keep a large crowd from attending the Opening Reception. There were 39 pieces in all--two full-size quilts from my hand-quilting days displayed along with quilts for the walls down to 5x7 framed pieces. My quilting friends and my art association friends had to come, but even my tennis friends came! What a rewarding and humbling experience for me to be able to share my passion with friends, university faculty, staff, and students, and art lovers from the community. Many people were surprised to see the variety of techniques and materials displayed, when their expectation was to see handwork like they remember their grandmother making.

Chatham Meade, curator and director of the Lucile Parker Gallery, is pictured with the Kitchen Garden series--thread-painted vegetables and a large appliqued pumpkin.

Solo Exhibition

2009-01-15T10:25:00.001-08:00

The Invitation:

Lucile Parker Gallery

William Carey University

presents

Martha Ginn:

Mississippi Fiber Artist

January 15-February 11, 2009

Opening Reception

Thursday, January 15

5:00-6:00 p.m.

Regular Gallery Hours

Mon-Fri 1:00-4:00 p.m.

or by appt. 601-318-6528

Chatham Meade, curator and director of the Lucile Parker Gallery, said, "Mrs. Ginn and her work with fiber materials truly enhance the Hattiesburg community as well as the art world of Mississippi. Her work includes both nontraditional art pieces which are her original design as well as more traditional quilt pieces. Her work includes the use of transparencies, metallic threads, and other fiber related materials not traditionally used in fabric pieces. Mrs. Ginn's work celebrates the beauty of Mississippi by creating art from the forms, shapes, patterns and colors of leaves, trees, flowers, land forms, celestial bodies, and other natural objects in a way that is truly unique to her and of her own design and creative innovation."

See

http://www.wmcarey.edu/AboutWCU/GalleriesandCollections/1149/LucileParkerPhotos.shtm for photos of works from the exhibit. Following the current exhibit will be solo exhibits by Tommie Rodgers of Laurel, MS, and Chatham Meade of Hattiesburg, MS.

Edgar Allan Poe's birthday

2009-01-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

January 19, 1809-October 7, 1849. Quilters and fiber artists are commemorating the 200th anniversary of this mysterious poet's birth by creating postcard-size pieces (4"x6"). These will be submitted for display online and later donated to Collage Mania, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, coordinated by Virginia Spiegel. Virginia's previous efforts have raised more than $165,000 for the ACS through her Fiber For A Cause projects (The Collage Mania link is: http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/CollageManiaCall08.html.) Reading about Poe's life and his work has been a delightful excursion! Wikipedia is a goldmine of accessible information.

My piece is created on a white antique linen napkin with Poe's name, birth/death dates, and R.I.P. penned with a Sanford permanent pen. The raven is appliqued black satin with black and purple/blue/green variegated polyester threads. His eye is a yellow fabric circle (like the beak), with a gold sequin, a black star, and a white seed bead. The heart is red felt.

Thread Storage for my Superior Threads Shopping Spree

2008-12-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

I was the lucky recipient of a $300 Superior Threads Shopping Spree for Thread Artistry in our recent fiber art and quilt show (for "When Worlds Collide"). What a neat problem to solve--where to store more of my favorite thread!!

This involved rearrangement in my homemade spool cabinet to get my treasures in a more usable, visible location nearer the sewing machine. I have another storage area for more thread, but Superior's Rainbows and Nature and Living polys and King Tut cottons are my favorites and deserved a better display. The black cabinet sits on a storage cabinet that extends across the wall (think of a window seat but no windows on this wall). I actually use this seat as my sewing chair and have the drawers easily accessible on my right.

Current threads for a project can sit on the seat beside me until they are replaced in their drawer. After unwrapping a new spool, I use strips of Hugo's Amazing Tape to keep the thread from unwinding. It grabs to itself without any stickiness and can be used over and over. I cut it from the roll with pinking shears, so the pointy ends make it easy to find on the tape roll and on the spool.

PBQ Show Results

2008-10-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

When Worlds Collide, 18" x 36"

Finding My Way, 65" x 65"

In addition to my "VisitHattiesburg" piece winning the $250 purchase award in the Miss Hattie's hat challenge, "When Worlds Collide" was awarded the Thread Artistry $300 gift certificate sponsored by Superior Threads. "Finding My Way," the expanded mariner's compass quilt mentioned earlier in my blog, won first place in the pieced wall quilt category (prize was 8" Gingher shears). Three other pieces won ribbons--Pyrotechnics (pictured below), Fire, and Earth.

Pyrotechnics, 21" x 25"

Miss Hattie's Hat

2008-10-06T20:01:00.000-07:00

Wow! What an honor to win the challenge and have my quilt win the $250 purchase award by Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. There were 18 hat quilts submitted, and each 24" x 24" piece was an outstanding display of ingenuity and creativity. There were feathers, ribbons, bows, veils, fur, and flowers. All the pieces will be displayed in the Saenger Theatre in downtown Hattiesburg after the Pine Belt Quilters show is over this weekend. My piece, entitled "VisitHattiesburg" will remain the property of the bureau to be used in the visitors center.

We received about 475 quilts to hang for the show; Flavin Glover began the judging process today on small categories as we were hanging the larger ones--61 in the team-large-pieced, and 44 in the theme (two-color quilts) category. Lake Terrace will be quite a sight when the show opens Friday.

Finding My Way . . . and Showtime

2008-09-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here it comes, ready or not! When I sew on one more label, I will have completed all my entries for the show. We are allowed only two per category, and I have entered eleven pieces in five categories. Whew! Glad to have everything finished. Well, almost everything--still need to turn in a piece for the silent auction. An interesting aspect of our show will be the Miss Hattie's Hat Challenge sponsored by the Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. Below is their logo (which I have permission to use), but I will wait until after the show to post a picture of my challenge piece.

I pulled out from a closet a mariner's compass project I had started about 12 (?) years ago and finished it this summer. I had designed an expanded compass for the center in a Judy Spahn class years ago and added 8" compasses all around on a black sugar-dot background. It was hand-pieced, with a hand-pieced border around the octagon shape, squared off with four large corner blocks and more 8" compasses. My husband kept saying it was too beautiful to stop before full bed quilt size, so I kept trying to elongate the design without liking the results, hence the reason it lived in the closet for so long. Finally I saw that I needed to follow my own creative instincts and finish it in the way I was visualizing it. All this thinking brought about its real name--no longer just "the Mariner's Compass Quilt," but "Finding My Way." It's 65" square.

Center block is approximately 20" across; round blocks are 8".

We wanted to grow to a bigger show, and, working with the Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau (http://www.visithattie.com/) and the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, we will display almost 500 quilts on October 10-11-12 at Lake Terrace Convention Center at the intersection of I-59 and U.S. Hwy. 49.

In addition to the 480 judged show entries, we will have a silent auction of wall quilts plus a special exhibit of 12 of Vicksburg master quilter Martha Skelton's quilts. The new book, Martha Skelton: Master Quilter of Vicksburg (by Mary Elizabeth Johnson and MQA, through University Press of Mississippi), will be available during the show through Main Street Books.

Third Annual Juried Art Exhibit at William Carey University

2008-08-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

The third annual Juried Members-Only Show by South Mississippi Art Association opened on Thursday night, August 28, at the Lucile Parker Gallery on the William Carey University campus for a two-week show. Three of my pieces were juried into the show: a Shiva/Angelina piece called "Neon Lights on Wet Streets," a framed quilted silk painting, "Angel Trumpet," and a framed fiber art piece, "Crystal Beach." Crystal Beach is part of an Elements series and won 2nd place in SMAA's April 2008 Focused show.
The Members-Only show features, in addition to my fiber art, oil, watercolor, acrylic, photography, and 3-D wood and clay sculpture.

Mississippi ArTEAst Festival at Simply TeaVine

2008-06-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

Simply TeaVine hosted a delightful event last week--A Mississippi ArTEAst Festival. Dean Meador Smith, co-owner, celebrated past and present Mississippi artists by inviting 12 artists to display their works in this charming Victorian tearoom.

There were writers, potters, jewelry makers, photographers, stained glass artists, and I was honored to show my fiber art.

The menu featured favorites or special recipes such as:

Elvis Presley's Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

Eudora Welty's Shrimp Eudora

Brett Favre's Chili

Morgan Freeman's Greens

Faith Hill's Cornbread

Oprah Winfrey's Berries

Tennessee Williams' Lemon Ice Box Pie

William Faulkner's Peach Cobbler

Elements Series completed - May 2008

2008-05-28T19:54:00.000-07:00

I took Linda Schmidt's online class on Elements in Fabric through Quilt University. What fun it was to experiment with all those strange products. I burned fabric, bleached holes in fabric, melted cellophane and Tyvek, added several kinds of paints and Angelina and foil, all to make the four elements: Water, Air, Fire, and Earth. Each is a separate layered, quilted piece which I had framed. The Fire and Water pieces won 1st and 2nd place awards in the April 2008 SMAA Focused Art Show (see previous post). The other two elements, Air (15x15) and Earth (23x24) are complete and pictured above before framing.

April 2008 South Mississippi Art Association show

2008-04-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Fire won a blue ribbon and Water a red ribbon in the April 2008 SMAA Focused Show. Purple Mountains placed third. This focused show of limited categories featured Glasswork, 3-D, Fiber Art, and Mixed Media. Although my eight entries in Fiber Art were the entire category, I was still pleased about the sweep. There were some 50 Mixed Media entries, and 10-12 each in Glasswork and 3-D.
I recently learned how to incorporate some weird and unusual materials from Linda Schmidt of Dublin, CA, in a Quilt University online class, and the Fire and Water pieces are the beginning of a series of the four elements. Air is at the frame shop and Earth is still on my design wall. These pieces incorporate paint, puff paint, burned fabric edges, Angelina, organza, cellophane, ribbon, tulle, and Tyvek, in addition to the usual fabric, shiny threads, and machine stitches.
Fire (14x21) and Water (16x14) shown before framing. The finished/framed pieces are pictured at the art show.

Juried Exhibit at William Carey University

2008-03-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

Chatham Meade, director of the Lucile Parker Gallery at William Carey University, selected 17 pieces made by Pine Belt Quilters for a month-long exhibit at the Gallery. The exhibit opened with a reception March 27 and closed on April 28.

My pieces "When Worlds Collide" (left), "Purple Fern Shadows" (below center), and "Return of the Trees" (below right) were part of the exhibit.

Springtime in South Mississippi

2008-03-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

After our one snow day in January, springtime is bursting forth in riotous color. First hint is the redbuds with tiny lavender flowers, then the Japanese magnolias that often bloom so early they get nipped by a late frost, then yellow forsythia and wild vines of yellow flowers, plum and pear trees, and now the large Bradford pears trees covered in fluffy white blooms for a couple of weeks before their green leaves take over. By mid-March the dogwood and azaleas are in full bloom and wisteria vines climb to the tops of pines trees. Our Lady Banksia rose bush climbs and cascades from a dogwood tree as tall as the neighbor's house. Oh, how blessed we are to enjoy these God's gifts to us!

Quick Draw

2008-02-09T14:40:00.001-08:00

No guns involved, just lots of paint with one sewing machine added. Fiber art can compete with oil and watercolor and acrylic!
The South Mississippi Art Association co-sponsored a Quick Draw fund raiser with the AIDS Services Coalition in Hattiesburg, MS. About 25 artists created their works in a variety of mediums during a one-hour session, with patrons and customers milling around watching. At the end of the hour, we had 15 minutes to frame or finish up the piece before the live auction.

In my case, I took my sewing machine, fabric, threads, batting, and a planned design of the landscape I thought I could create in an hour's time. Just to be sure, I did a trial run of another piece the day before, which I learned nearly all the others had done. We cleared over $3,000 after expenses, and other artwork sold for the artists at the silent auction.

It was a fun afternoon with food and drink and music by a steel drum artist and lots of visiting. This event was so well received that it is planned to be the first of many annual ones.

Quilts for Camp Shelby

2007-12-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Thousands of soldiers are trained and deployed at Camp Shelby just south of Hattiesburg, MS. Every time we see these US Army dads and moms saying goodbye to their children, we are moved to want to add a small measure of comfort and to express our appreciation for this enormous sacrifice. Our quilt guild, Pine Belt Quilters (www.pinebeltquilters.com) , makes quilts for children all year, so in November we donated 46 quilts to the chaplains for distribution to children of soldiers shipping out.
1st Sgt. Stephanie Williams brought copies of the Reveille, the Camp Shelby newspaper to our president, Gloria Green (Linda Basden, Marilyn Tucker, Jo-Ann Evans in the background).
Our Children's Quilt group is shown at our December meeting with Christmas goodies.
Our oldest member, Leola Kriegbaum, recently celebrated her 99th birthday on November 10; she continues to make quilt tops and bring them to us for quilting. She was delighted to share in our day with the soldiers. Pictured with Leola are Capt. Terry Partin and 1st Sgt. John Stiles and Martha Ginn, coordinator of the children's group.

South Mississippi Art Association 31st Annual Show

2007-12-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

What a thrill to win two ribbons in our 31st anual art show (SMAA: www.southmsart.org) in Hattiesburg, MS, Dec. 8, 2007! It's always interesting to find a suitable category for my fiber art; if there is a "Mixed Media" category, I enter there; if not, "Other" covers it.

My "Sunrise in the Forest," a small landscape scene in an 8x10 mat with a 16x20 frame won a blue ribbon. "Return of the Trees" (17x22) won a red ribbon. It began as my 2007 Journal quilt but I withdrew it because I had not fallen in love with it in September when it was due. I later added more stitching and was satisfied with it.

But having a well-known collector, Sarah Gillespie, purchase "Slashed Trees" (21x19) was a very special honor. She has a large collection of artwork that was housed at William Carey University on the Gulf Coast. This gallery was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005 and funds are being raised to build a gallery on the Hattiesburg WCU (http://www.wmcarey.edu) campus to house her extensive collection. Fortunately, none of her artwork was lost in the storm, but this valuable collection is in storage and needs a permanent home where it can be enjoyed.

Sunprinting, vintage damask napkins

2007-10-18T01:32:00.000-07:00

I love to do sunprinting using leaves and a little fabric paint. Muslin or other solid light-colored fabric is the usual background, but I tried this on an antique damask napkin and got an interesting surprise when the texture of the woven fabric showed through. Machine quilting with rayon or polyester threads further defines the shapes of the leaves.

Variety in the HOPE Exhibit at the Cancer Center

2007-09-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

The HOPE exhibit was well received. Here is an example of the variety of artwork included in the show.

HOPE Exhibit

2007-08-19T20:00:00.001-07:00

"A Brighter Tomorrow" (23" x 18") was prepared for the HOPE Exhibit in the lobby of the Forrest General Hospital Cancer Center in Hattiesburg, MS, Aug. 20-Sept. 7. The exhibit contains 30 pieces of artwork by the South Mississippi Art Association and is sponsored by Spirit of Women, SMAA, and Waiting for a Cure.

The piece features reverse applique, AngelinaTM fibers, organza, with an overlay of tulle. The bright sun is made of Fantasy FilmTM (http://www.artglitter.com/). Various colors of rayon and polyester thread were used for the quilting, and the white border was quilted by bobbin drawing, using Madeira Glamour thread.

Color My World

2007-08-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

This piece, entitled "Color My World (18" x 17"), was painted with Jacquard textile paints, using melted paraffin and beeswax for resist on white Kona cotton. The four borders are hand-dyes, and the inner borders of print in a swirling, rotating fashion were added to carry out the feeling of circular movement. The binding strips also rotate clockwise.

More Painting on Silk

2007-08-19T19:22:00.001-07:00

Here is the second painting, also using a resist. With this much detail and the objects being rather small, I decided to frame it (11 x 14) under glass. There is no stitching on this one.

Painting on Silk

2007-08-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

I used Jacquard paints on white silk to create this Angel Trumpet based on a photograph of this beautiful flower in my yard. The borders are hand-dyed Kona cotton. The machine quilting was done with rayon thread.

Welcome to Martha's Blog

2007-08-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

As a fiber artist, I love to create using fabric, threads, layers, appliques, and embellishments. This blog will enable me to post pictures and text of what I am working on. I hope friends will check in often and let me hear from you.