eQuilter Blog

This week I’d like to highlight the artwork of Shawna Boulette Grapentine, who has created this central panel depicting indigenous children who were lost at Residential Schools, but in this image they are reunited as they make their way home.

Known for using silhouettes of nature and vibrant colours in her custom paintings, Shawna Boulette Grapentine is an Oji-Cree, born in the city of Winnipeg, Canada. She was raised in the small Metis community of Manigotagan and is a member of the Hollow Water First Nation Treaty 5 territory in Manitoba.

100% of net proceeds from Always in Our Hearts will be donated by Northcott Fabrics, to Quilts for Survivors and the Orange Shirt Society.

Vanessa Genier is the founder and director of Quilts for Survivors in Canada. This amazing organization has gifted over 8,300 quilts to Survivors and families, as of December 2025. I have met Vanessa on my many visits to Quilt Canada, which is happening in Winnipeg June 17-20. I can’t make it this year, but I know Vanessa and her volunteers will be there again bringing love and healing to those in need.

I learned about the residential schools firsthand during my trips to Churchill in Manitoba, where I met elderly Meti and First Nation women who had been taken from their families as children. Of course we have a parallel story here in the US. You can support Vanessa’s work by making and donating a quilt, contributing as a sponsor, or purchasing this fundraiser panel.

Sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana & Paul

Subscribe to my artist website and blog!
www.luanarubin.com

Travel/Lecture Dates:
July 28 – Aug 2 – Festival of Quilts – Birmingham UK
Nov 12-15 – Intl Quilt Festival – Houston

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

This afternoon I returned home after a quick trip to Houston, to speak at a community event for World Environment Day. Many thanks to all who came out to hear my presentation and see my art quilts. I was excited to meet so many leaders of Texas environmental non-profits who are out there doing the hard work on the ground, to save wilderness areas and the wildlife who live there. Wonderful also to see a group of friends from the NASA chapter of Engineers Without Borders, whom we sponsored for many years as they worked on projects with Rwandan war orphans and then abandoned street Children in Maua in Kenya. It is so energizing to be around these committed souls who are out there chasing and implementing solutions for the many challenges in our world.

This morning as I left through the Houston International Airport, wow I was blown away by the crowds, long lines and short tempers. My first night in Houston there was a neighborhood water main break so I had no water in my hotel all that night and the next day. But you know, I just pretended like I was camping, had a cold sponge bath with 2 bottles of water, and went to do the lecture. I always say, travel is one of the truest measure of one’s character. What can you do, but laugh, when these things happen?

Those crowds at the airport were obviously headed for summer vacations, and I noticed this week we have lots of new ocean-themed fabrics that may accompany your coastal adventures this summer.

Be sure to snap up the brand new issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, with a gorgeous cover (People’s Choice from Quiltcon) and a new column by Pokey Bolton!

Sharing your passion for fabrics….
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
July 28 – Aug 2 – Festival of Quilts – Birmingham UK
Nov 12-15 – Intl Quilt Festival – Houston



Visit eQuilter’s Instagram and Pinterest pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Artist Blog, Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

This weekend I watched the screening of the Metropolitan Opera’s “El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego” – a dazzling new production with fabulous sets and costumes. (Of course, the music was wonderful as well!) I was reminded of my many visits to Mexico City for the Mexico Quilt Festival, which sadly ended with the pandemic. But on those quilt festival trips, I visited the Blue House (Casa Azul) where Frida grew up, and the art studios of both Frida Kahlo and her artist husband Diego Rivera.

During those years, I took art and museum tours which included the monumental murals by Diego, and saw the exhibit with Frida’s indigenous costumes, colorful jewelry, and prosthetics. “Frida” with Salma Hayek (2002) is still one of my alltime favorite movies, and I often play the film’s soundtrack when I am in the studio.

Here is the photo album from Mexico City, with Casa Azul, Diego’s murals, and more. The photo above is Frida’s paints and palette, her easel and wheelchair, in The Blue House where she spent most of her life. She was driven to make art, despite her pain and disabilities. I suspect that many of you quilt, sew, and create to help deal with similar challenges.

This Friday evening I am speaking on “Art and Activism” on World Environment Day in Houston Texas, and I am bringing several of my story art quilts to display for the event. You can find more information, and a link to register, on this blog post.

If you have not subscribed to my artist blog yet, be sure to check out my gallery and exhibit schedule, and sign up for exhibit updates.

Sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana & Paul

Subscribe to my artist website and blog!
www.luanarubin.com

Travel/Lecture Dates:
June 5 – Featured Speaker – World Environment Day – Houston
July 28 – Aug 2 – Festival of Quilts – Birmingham UK
Nov 12-15 – Intl Quilt Festival – Houston

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Long weekends at the beginning or end of a season are prime time to organize your work space, review your stash and supplies, and make plans for your next few projects.

Deadlines for the Fall quilt festivals are on the horizon, for those of you daring to dream of seeing your work in a public exhibit.

Right now I am finishing up one project, cleaning my studio, and making plans for the summer. I like the quiet of a long weekend to work on my own projects that require a lot of focus.

On Memorial Day, we remember those we have lost, but we also celebrate life with friends and family. We wish you a creative start to the season.

Sharing your passion for fabrics….
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
June 4-5 – Featured Speaker – World Environment Day – Houston
July 28 – Aug 2 – Festival of Quilts – Birmingham UK
Nov 12-15 – Intl Quilt Festival – Houston



Visit eQuilter’s Instagram and Pinterest pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Artist Blog, Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

I am writing to you today from Lowell Massachusetts, where one of my art quilts is in a Soul Stories exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum. I’ll be giving a lecture about Soul Stories today, attending the artist reception, and we all will enjoy talking to visitors about our work.

Paul and I celebrated our 31 year wedding anniversary this last week. Those years keep rolling by. The time goes by faster when we are having fun – working together to bring you lots of beautiful fabrics!

We had a scare this week with our older male golden retriever Leo. We thought we were going to lose him, but we have him on some new meds and he is slowly improving. In the meantime, we found out the DNA of our new young stray rescue dog River. She is a 1-2 year old Black-Brindle. Imagine how surprised we were to find out she is half Golden, and half Great Pyrenees! She is an enigma of nature!

Sharing your passion for fabrics….
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
June 4-5 – Featured Speaker – World Environment Day – Houston
July 28 – Aug 2 – Festival of Quilts – Birmingham UK
Nov 12-15 – Intl Quilt Festival – Houston



Visit eQuilter’s Instagram and Pinterest pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Artist Blog, Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.