eQuilter Blog

This week I bring you another standout quilt from last month’s event – QuiltCon. This group quilt, simply named “Hilma”, was created by the members of Beesewcial (pronounced Be-Social….get it?) in Denver Colorado.

The 8 participants made improv blocks that were curated into a cohesive design by the bee leader that month. The organic designs were overlaid by bold black inset and applique squiggles that flow into the colors.

Techniques used: Machine pieced, improvisational piecing, hand applique and machine quilted.
100% cotton solids and silk batting.

Denver Metro Modern Quilt Group:
Stephanie Ruyle, Leanne Chahley, Debbie Jeske, Karen Foster, Felicity Ronaghan, MR Charbonneau, Marci Debetaz and Kari Barber.

I invite you to find out a little more about the group’s inspiration: Hilma af Klint. (1862 – 1944)

She was a Swedish abstract artist ahead of her time. In fact she was secretly making abstract art before it had a name, and is considered to be among the first major abstract artists in Western art history. She left her 1200 paintings to her nephew, but stipulated they were not to be seen until 20 years after her death.

Af Klint’s work is set in a wider context of the modernist movement, inspired by the paranormal, spiritual, political, geometric and scientific systems in the early 20th century. She used grids, circles, and petal-like forms, sometimes biomorphic. Her colors were symbolic, and she often used spirals in her compositions.

In the last few years her work has been shown at the Guggenheim and MOMA in New York, and the Tate Modern in London. Modern quilters will find much inspiration in the paintings of Hilma af Klint.

Sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana & Paul

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

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Apr 26 – May 1 – Alegre Retreat, Gateway CO
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
May 18-26 – Montpellier, France
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.

It is always fun when textile friends around the world let you know that your work was shown or mentioned. I got a text from a curator friend today, that my “Enslaved People of Mount Vernon” quilt was in a presentation at a textile museum conference in North Carolina this weekend. (Thanks Alicia and Alden!)

Based on my genealogy research, I had 18th century ancestors in NC, so it is always possible the textiles they study were made in my ancestors’ community. I find the older I become, the more my quilt interests intersect with my genealogy work. But then, many of you know that already!

This brings me to the topic of labels again. I urge all of you to put detailed labels on the backs of your quilts. Lately I’ve been adding some labels to detail the places my art quilts have been exhibited. I know that will be of interest to someone in the future. I have been to AQSG seminars twice now, and I’ve caught the bug. After seeing hundreds of women intensely combing through provenance on one quilt or one historic textile item, I understand how important it is for us to document our work on the piece itself, for those who come after us.

You will notice that we just got in next year’s Hoffman Challenge fabrics.

I shipped off my Hoffman Challenge quilt for judging this week, and I am finishing another larger piece for the Soul Stories Part 2 exhibit that will be in Houston this Fall. I hope you have enjoyed the first weekend of Spring, and are having a productive month.

Sharing your passion for fabrics….
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Apr 26 – May 1 – Alegre Retreat, Gateway CO
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
May 18-26 – Montpellier, France
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.

We are a family of readers, sci-fi geeks, and fantasy nerds. Thankfully all 3 of our kids grew up to be readers (and writers) as well. We love Star Wars and Star Trek, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Dragons, Magic Trees, and the music of John Williams…stretching across so many genres! My alarm that wakes me up in the morning is the theme song from Indiana Jones. I personally love having adventures abroad, to visit medieval castles, historic sites, and rainforests dripping with moss. Fairies and elves live there.

I’ve been going to ComicCon and Starfest for 20 years, photographing costume contests before it was named ‘cosplay’ and became cool. My favorite experience was the Klingon costume workshop: the teacher was a 6′ 6″ guy in full Klingon attire (wig, prosthetics, armor, and platform boots) hunched over a tiny sewing machine. Our kids all have fantasy costumes and I have some period costumes purchased at the Renaissance Faire long ago. And there are some fairy-floral-antler headpieces and a tiara or two. I started sewing my own costumes as a teenager, and our kids all grew up with costume options at Halloween and beyond.

For many years I was the keynote trend speaker at the Las Vegas textile show. Back then there was a Star Trek Experience at the original “Elvis” Hilton Hotel. I have a buddy from the fabric industry who is also a Trekkie, and we would always go to this Trek museum, and then have dinner at Quark’s Cafe. Ah, those were the days….

So for those of you who also love to escape from reality at times….in a book, a movie, or on a trip…I’d like to share this new exclusive design…the Stonehenge Dragon. Isn’t he gorgeous?

Sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana & Paul

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

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Apr 26 – May 1 – Alegre Retreat, Gateway CO
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
May 18-26 – Montpellier, France
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.

This weekend I am finishing the hand-stitching on the binding of a quilt that is being sent out to a show. Every quilt I make, I learn something new. In fact I try to try a new technique in each subsequent piece, so I am always learning and growing in my work. I like to challenge myself.

However the hand-stitching is a meditation, that brings me back to the basics. It is grounding, calming, and centering. I always think of my grandmother when I sit to do hand-finishing work. The simplicity of pulling a needle and thread brings quiet joy.

Tonight as this e-newsletter goes out, I will be enjoying a front row seat as LangLang performs with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Our daughter Sophie Quinn is still finishing her degree in music education, but she also has a full time manager position in Patron Services at CSO. If you don’t know who LangLang is….he is a piano prodigy from China who conquered the world with his brilliant performances as a young man. He inspired Sophie when she was a little girl, knowing they were both born in China. Perhaps she will meet her hero tonight.

Whose brilliant talent in the quilting world is inspiring YOU these days?

Sharing your passion for fabrics….
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Apr 26 – May 1 – Alegre Retreat, Gateway CO
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
May 18-26 – Montpellier, France
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.

Last week I shared with you a beautiful portrait that was voted Viewers Choice at QuiltCon, featuring hand piecing and quilting.

This week I’d like to share another fantastic portrait – a bold figure that was machine pieced and machine quilted on a longarm frame.

“Nyota” by Brooke Veale

Artist Statement:
Nyota, whose name means ‘star’ in Swahili, is an embodiment of female empowerment. She was designed to inspire strength and unwavering grace. The star emblazoned on her chest serves as a nod to her name and symbolizes hope and resilience. It’s a representation of the battles fought and the victories earned, both seen and unseen. Nyota shines as a tribute to strength, courage and the brilliance within every woman who dares to rise.
(Original design, paper pieced)

Every time I walked past this portrait quilt, there was a crowd of admirers. In fact I ran into an old friend (Barb Vlack) one of those times.

Thank you Brooke for giving us this inspirational, powerful image!

Sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana & Paul

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

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Mar 12 – La Plata Quilt Guild – Intl Quilt Trends Lecture
Apr 26 – May 1 – Alegre Retreat, Gateway CO
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
May 18-26 – Montpellier, France
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, 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.

If you don’t already subscribe to Quilting Arts Magazine, I encourage you to check out the brand new issue. My article “Asia Rising” is about Taiwanese and Chinese quilters, and one of them was featured on the cover! This article comes after my trips to Kyoto and Taiwan last year, as a featured artist in those quilt festivals.

Houston and Birmingham have both sent out their Calls for Entry for this summer and fall. I encourage you to enter your work – you never know what will happen!

This week I was delighted to receive an email informing me that my Papa Bear quilt is in the Hoffman Challenge, and I should mail it to them for the judging process. You will be surprised what I did with this year’s “Amethyst” purple and pink challenge batiks!

If you are a SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) member, look for the email sent out on March 4th. The second item is about the new Juried Artist online showcase, which I curated.
“Heart and Soul – the Human Journey”

If you are NOT a member, and you are interested in learning more about art quilts and textile arts, I urge you to join us!

In case you missed the Wednesday morning email, here is my tribute to my friend and mentor, Harvey Kaufman.

I hear British Columbia just voted to do away with Daylight Savings. I wish we could do that here too. But if you live in a US state that participates in this biannual circadian rhythm disturbance (sigh…) remember to set your clocks FORWARD one hour tonight when you go to bed.

Sharing your passion for fabrics….
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Apr 26 – May 1 – Alegre Retreat, Gateway CO
May 16 – New England Quilt Museum, Soul Stories Artist Reception
May 18-26 – Montpellier, France
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.