New Dresses

The time is moving along smoothly. I have suffered every frustration with the speed or lack-there-of of this project. I finally finished the leaves and other greenery to my satisfaction.

The picture is from 1943. It seems to be full summer and a time of gathering for cousins at their grandmother's house.

I was there last week at that same house for our annual family renuion. Our family has been gathering there for more than seventy years. It looks pretty much the same. The house is sinking and the shutters have been updated. It also needs a new paint job, but the joy and memories we all share at that house are astonishing.  My grandmother used to tell us she was born there in that front bedroom in 1886. She lived in that house all her life and died in that same room in 1974. It was a good life. It was full of family and love. She and my grandfather had ten children and a hell of a lot of grand-children. The land the house sits on had two major pecan trees, several volunteer pecan trees, a peach tree, and several pear trees. We all played on the big rock under the pecan tree and picked pears from the tree nearest the back porch. Most of all there is a big open field that we all played on and my children played there and now my grandchildren are playing there.

I am very much aware that it is a blessing to be able to share that kind of longevity with my family. Many of us (African Americans) do not know our family history. My family works very hard to keep that knowledge alive and pass it along to our children and grandchildren. This quilt is going to be an important part of that legacy that we pass along. I'll tell you a little story about what/who each child on this quilt grew up to be. 

Can hardly wait.

                                                                                                                     

The Yellow Brick Road

Just as Dorothy made it down the yellow brick road, I too have been making my way to the Wizard. This journey has  arduous at best. I love how it is shaping up. The shirt on the second outfit may need a little more detailing. Can't wait to do their faces and a picture of what they are eating. Feeling like skipping ahead but that wouldn't be right. I must stay the course. Next I have to make two little girl dresses. That should go fast.

I must confess that when I started with the picture and the image in my head, I wasn't so sure how it would go. I told myself that if I followed the yellow brick road, I would make it. Then it started to take shape. The colors are coming in and bringing it to life.

Last week I launched my first ever campaign on www.indiegogo.com. I am pretty excited about it.

This campaign gives me an opportunity to bring you a quality calendar for 2014 and gives you the opportunity to own several Art Quilt pictures for your collection. I am always so grateful to all the people who have and continue to support my efforts. Your contribution will help make the calendar a worldwide success and help me continue my quest to explore the art of quilting.

This quilting thing is in my genes. It started a long time ago with my ancestors, primarily with my Great Grandmother Emma. I have been told many times about her great quilting skills. Yes my cousin tells me often that I am carrying on Grand Emma's tradition. I am sure she too was carrying on a tradtion from her grandmother and a grandmother before that. I'm proud to be able to carry the tradition on and thankful to you supporting my journey.

All I need you to do is go to http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jazzy-blues/x/3399451 and contribute.
I have set up some wonderful perks with you in mind. Just $5-$10 will go a long way in making it happen. You will get a calendar either way you go.

Pledge $10.00 and get one Jazzy Blues 2014 Art Quilt Calendar, a 2014 Art Quilt Calendar Magnet, and a shoutout on OBA Quilts Facebook page. That is exciting!
The campaign goal is $6000.00, it will be used to publish, print and ship the calendars. Growing up in the rural south, I rarely saw artwork that reflected the soul of my community and people. I decided to create the kind of art that I craved. It is my dream that I contribute to the visions of young people who are newly introduced to art as well as adult art lovers. I choose a calendar as the vehicle because it is a great way to collect art that everyone can afford. Contributors to this project will help me spread my love of art to a vast audience.
I am so excited about this fourth calendar. As you may know, I made my very first calendar in 2009-Two Step; in 2011 I followed with Laughter, Lessons and Triumphs; and in 2012 Metamorphosis was born. Now I am happy to top it all off with Jazzy Blues. It is a journey into Improvisation.


If you can't contribute, there are other ways you can help. You can help me make some noise. Spread the word to everyone you know.

Multi Tasking

I can say for sure that I am a lover of multi tasking. Yesterday, I found myself saying, "multi tasking is for the birds." Shame on me, but I do wonder sometimes if doing a lot of things at once is really a good thing. I am sure my parents watched us as more external stimuli held our attention less and less. We no longer had time to curl up with a good book. "Just watch the book made into a movie on tv; or worse yet get the Cliff notes so you will know enough to pass the test," we would say. I would have missed some really good books if I had held to that philosophy. Now I look at my grandchildren's generation and it is moving even faster. Who has time for tv, watch it on your phone or the computer and fast forward past the commercials. If the world keeps going faster and faster with each generation, where will it end up? I also wonder what my grandmother thought about the world she was leaving me in.

Well anyway, I have been multi tasking like crazy. I feel bad that I haven't gotten to my newsletter but it is getting higher on the list. I started making the outfits for the children on the quilt.

I'm really pleased with the way this one turned out. I had to stop myself from getting too detailed. Afterall, it is just a quilt. I used several different white fabrics in this quilt so that difference between things could be noted easily. I used some kona white on the house. Then I found some white linen in my stash and used that on outfit number one. I had another piece of white that I used on his shirt. Can't wait to find more different ones for the other outfits. The leaves are finally almost finished. Nothing has moved as fast as I wanted it to but it's coming along.

I have to admit that I am getting a little antsy. I catch myself thinking about the next project a lot. I need to be thinking about this one A LOT. I will get it done though because I've got multi tasking on my side.

Week of Leaves

To tell the strange truth I have enjoyed sewing leaves on the quilt. It has taken a lot longer than I planned but that seems to be my claim to fame. I used to make a "Things To Do TODAY" list and it would take me a week or two to do it all. When I calculate in my brain how long it will take me to make something, I don't take into account unforseen things popping up-like cooking dinner.

This week a lot of pop-ups happened. The time I thought I had for sewing turned into volunteering on someone else's project. I worked some late nights to make up the missed time. I still need to put some more leaves in but I can see the end in sight. I'm getting a litte excited about transitioning to the people. I am going to start with the clothes first, then to the faces.

I did get some insight about the picture this week. It was taken about 1943 after a funeral. All four of the children in the picture grew up to be great participants in the affairs of the world. I am working hard to make this a fitting tribute to them.

The quilt has definitely come a long way since I started with the plain white house. I guess that is the real story. What brings life to an otherwise dull and boring house is vegetation and people. This house is slowly coming to life. Therefore, an empty house without people will eventually revert back to lifelessness and die.

Progress?

I recently found out that the picture was taken after a funeral. Now my new detective job is to find out whose funeral it was. I suspected that it was a funeral since the boys had on white. It has always been a belief in my family that children wear white to funerals. I remember my sister frantically going from store to store trying to find some appropriate white outfit for my younger sister and I to wear to a funeral.

With all that said, I am inching my way along on the greenery. I spend my evenings cutting leaves. I cut a bag full, thinking that I had done a lot. The next morning I sewed them on in about an hour and it covered about 4 inches. That is when I realized that it is going to take so many leaves that I can't even imagine. So last night, I cut another bag full. I am all over the place working on the leaves and grass. I get tired of working on one spot and shift to another spot. Then I try to stay focused and work on one area. That lasts a little while.

I'm really getting a little antsy to work on the children. I think I may work on their clothes a little bit. Saving the faces for last. Anyway, it has come a long way from the first white blob. Thanks for checking in on my progress. I can call it progress, can't I? ha ha ha

Slow Progress

My hope is that the greenery will be so detailed that it will add so much beauty to the picture. I just started it. I thought I would be much farther along by now. I had rationed myself a week to work on the greenery. I am into the second week and working hard to finish it this week. It looks like it will take some really late nights to make that happen.

I am working on getting some history of this picture. Thinking that the history might help me come up with a fitting name, unless one of you come up with something even better. Right now I am calling it "Four" just as my reference, but that is not what I want for the name.

First Construction

I started building the house for the quilt. I have to admit that it doesn't look like much, but it will. This is the foundation for something great to come. Or at least that is my plan.

Is this how the Wizard of Oz felt when Diana Ross pulled back the curtain to find that he was only smoke and mirrors? When I first start with this blob, I can see the finished product. Something is missing in this picture, though. Plan to go to the fabric store tomorrow. I will post another look once I get that fixed.

Over the years I have noticed that most people do not see my vision or care to. Then there are those special few- who can see where you are going -- or are willing to wait to see where you are going.

I have met those who ask me what I am going to do next and then proceed to tell me what they think I should do. I pray that I am not one of those people. When someone shows me a work in progress, I consciously look and listen. Then try to follow their dream.  So much of the work goes on inside one's head that it is magical when it finally makes sense in reality.

I am starting on the greenery and shrubs next. I am pretty excited about all the different colors of green I have to work with as well as all the techniques I want to try in order to make it look real. That is always the goal, and hope that each time I get closer to that look.