Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Happy Dancing in NJ Tonight!!!


GRANDMA'S COOKIES c2005 Pat Dolan

It's a banner day today - I received a letter from Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center (Auburn, NY) that one of my quilts, "Grandma's Cookies," has been accepted by jury into the annual Quilts=Art=Quilts Exhibition scheduled for November 5 - January 8!!! This little quilt has photo transfers of my grandfather's old photographs from the very early 1900's of my grandmother & my mother. There are also photos of my sister, my best friend from HS + College with me, plus old postcards (grandpa was a postman), and the cookie recipe. Dangling from the quilt are buttons from Grandma's button box...


detail GRANDMA'S COOKIES c2005 Pat Dolan

And then I got an e-mail from Virginia Speigel telling me that the newest edition of CLOTH, PAPER, + SCISSORS magazine has an article about her American Cancer Society on-line + Houston Quilt Show fundraising event - with 3 postcards from Karey Bresenhan' collection gracing the 2.5 page article. The postcards featured were by Virginia (who literally made HUNDREDS of postcards for that event), Gerrie Cogdon from our QuiltArt membership, and myself!!!


OWL 4x6" cPat Dolan - from the Collection of Karey Bresenhan

Now if I could just get around to completing the FabriQuilt quilt for Quilt Market due to be mailed out by the end of this week, I'll really be flying high! And I was going to enter something in the Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine's challenge re: vintage fabrics...that deadline is Friday, too, I think........

Monday, September 26, 2005

ACS Art Cards for Houston


FEATHERS cPat Dolan 4x6" fiberart card

As most of you know, Virginia A. Spiegel established an on-line fundraising event called Fiberart For A Cause 2005 where she raised (with the help of others) $13,7000 in a very short period of time. (To learn more, click on the subject heading above and you will be linked to Virginia's ACS website.)

Many of you also know that Karey Bresenhan has invited Virginia to continue this event during the Houston Quilt Market and Festival coming up in mid-October. I have been fortunate enough to have been part of this extraordinary fundraiser and continue to be as we approach the big quilt weekend. Last week, I posted 5 of the 10 cards I have donated for the upcoming event. Tonight I will post a few more. Within a day or two, I will post my donation to the silent auction entitled "Band of Feathers" - which will be among those contributed by 11 invited artists to participate in this particular aspect of the fundraising effort. But for now, here are the remainder of my 'regular' cards now in Houston awaiting the big show.


ORANGE BOTTLE cPat Dolan 4x6"


THE BOOT cPat Dolan 4x6"


SOMBER cPat Dolan 4x6"

Sunday, September 25, 2005

The Dalai Lama at Rutgers Stadium...

It was an early morning arriving in New Brunswick, NJ as the sun was rising in the East briefly bathing the world in a deep peachy glow before turning gray for the remainder of the day. The clouds were a welcome covering over the open stadium - almost dome-like in holding the energy of the events of the past week culminating today with the public address given by the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Earlier, Tibetan mandala sand-paintings had filled the space with visual prayer, intention, and compassion. Now artificial turf again carpeted the floor while people trickled into the stadium in the early morning blur.

The morning began at 6:30am with movies of the Tibet, her culture, her people, her countryside, her Tibetan monks praying, chanting, working, creating mandalas, etc. filling the massive screen above the stage. Energy vibrated at a different frequency than any I've noted elsewhere - most likely residue from the prayerful mandalas of the previous days. The energy moved from the outside in...sinking into the skin like the warmth of the sun.

At 8:30am, a small group of monks appeared and began to chant, using deep tones vibrating in waves throughout the still mostly empty stadium. Chakra chanting... the energy now flowing from the inside out... the energy building with the chanting to a crescendo, then dropping off dramatically only to rise again flowing across the open field gracefully touching all who were open to receive.

Then the throat singing... amazing, deep-throated singing unlike anything Westerners produce with the vocal chords. Several musical instruments accompanied the singers although with or without the accompaniment, the toning was amazing. Vibrationally, the upper chakras seemed briefly attuned during this altogether too brief a demonstration of this extraordinary music/toning/singing.

The energy changed abruptly with the performance by one of Rutgers orchestras performing an American composer's piece. The music was so different energetically than everything previously experienced that we chose to rise and walk about the stadium a bit while taking note of different energetics at different locations. It was an exercise in full body awareness, to be sure!

At 10:30, Rutgers current president, whose name escapes me - McCormack or something like that - appeared with the Dalai Llama and the entire stadium arose applauding the arrival of the one for whom they waited. The pair disappeared briefly from view after mounting the stairs and a total hush filled the stadium with a reverence and an expectancy that immediately returned to applause as they reappeared before all now on stage. A brief ceremonial conferring of the honorary degree of the Doctor of Letters in Humanities to the 14th Dalai Lama by the president, and finally, the Dalai Llama himself. And it was as though there was a universal pause or catching of the breath as he began to speak...

He was seated center stage, the new doctoral robes hanging loosely over his shoulders, slipping every now and again. He was barely visible above the potted mums that edged the stage yet the large screen over and behind the stage provided all with a glimpse of this man of peace.

The topic assigned was: War, Peace, and Reconciliation. His message was neither new nor earth shattering. War brings death. Peace supports life. Reconciliation leads to peace thus brings new life. He pointed out that emotions tend to exaggerate ones perceptions of situations, particularly negative emotions. Therefore he suggested using the mind to educate oneself and to expand ones understanding of reality so as to step outside emotions and make wise choices in all things. He indicated that given the global perspective, war in the 21st century is now obsolete and potentially life threatening to all. Thus reconciliation is the only path open to work through differences to peaceful solutions.

The Dalai Lama had one perspective that our little group found interesting – mostly because none of us had seen things in quite this perspective. He noted how much BETTER the world is today than it was in the 1950-1970’s – the time of the Cold War when there was a constant escalation of nuclear arms and a constant state of fear. He noted how major nations have found ways to work together for the benefit of all, how nations help one another in times of natural disasters, etc. It was a good and gentle reminder to view things from a broad perspective rather than from the isolation of the current politics in power…

Interestingly enough, I had not planned to attend this function nor had I any real interest in doing so. Just a few nights ago my husband and I were discussing his appearance and we both indicated that we would not go to see the current pope, nor did we see the last pope, nor would we go see a president who was ‘passing through/ (aka campaigning) – it’s just not our thing. Huge public gatherings are places we generally avoid! Yet Friday morning I received an invitation, including a ride, and I chose to go. And again Saturday morning, I received a second invitation and ticket offer… Now how often does that happen? Next to never. A ticket alone would not have brought me to the stadium but a ride with friends and a ticket – followed by lunch on the way home – that got me out of my home and into Rutgers Stadium to see a very holy man and hear him speak. His voice alone was like a toning experience!

Best of all was his sense of humor and his very down-to-earth presence. Here is a high holy man seated comfortably on the floor telling jokes, cross-referencing with his translator when a word escaped him, scratching his head, adjusting his newly received PhD garments, coughing into the mike or into his hand – no false front, no artificiality, no pomposity, no judgment or criticism, no pride of any sort. A holy humble man giving witness to the application of peaceful living for all who could see. I will remember His Holiness… I will remember his bowing to us, the audience. I will remember his voice. I will remember in my deepest being the energy of this day realigning my energy more clearly toward peace…

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Houston Stuff is Almost IN THE MAIL!!!


FEATHERED FANCY cPat Dolan SHIVA Paintstiks on Lutradur w/feathers

I'm cutting it pretty close, I know, but I did finally package up three separate packages for the Houston Quilt Festival today - but not before the PO closed for the day. Package One contains my Journal Quilts 2005 - the photos of which I cannot post until after the Quilt Festival. Package Two contains 9 postcards for Virginia Spiegel's American Cancer Society Fund Raiser Special Exhibit. I will post some of those.

HAPPY DAYS cPat Dolan Painted Lutradur, colored pencil, machine quilted


CHANGES cPat Dolan Angelina Fibers, specialty yarn, loose threads, quilted

And Package Three contains my special to-be-auctioned fiberart card for the ACS fundraiser silent auction. I don't know if I can post that or not, so I'll wait on that. Meanwhile, what you see here are photos of the postcards that will be availabe at the ACS booth in Houston in mid-October.

HOT cPat Dolan Twisted fabric, fused applique, machine quilted


FISHNETS cPat Dolan Angelina Fibers, my dyed gauze, fused applique, quilted

What Color Should My Blog Be???

New quiz. Fun & funky.

Your Blog Should Be Purple

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.
You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.
You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.


Interestingly enough, I'm not much into the color purple... although I'm beginning to lean into the blues/purples in my fabric purchases! Change happens. Lots of folks think I 'ought' to be 'into' purple due to my spiritual outlook on life. Meanwhile, my skin tones indicate I am an "autumn" and look good in fall colors. And the colors that REALLY turn me on in the fabric stores are vibrant reds, oranges and yellows! But I love the cool colors, too - just not as much. O well. So much for "shoulds" and "oughts!"

Sunday, September 18, 2005

SHIVA Paintstiks


BIRD CRAZY
Our adventures through the vendor section of the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza show were delightful, fascinating, informative, educational, costly, and profitable! Nearly all of us purchased Shiva Paintstiks from Laura Murray's booth - along with Shelly Stoke's book on the medium (which I have yet to open). Mary Manahan wrote this morning and was already experimenting with hers, so naturally I had to get mine out and try them, too!

BLUE FERNS
Above and below are the fruits of my efforts - Mary said she'd post hers as well. I chose to use purchased batiks for the surface upon which I worked. Anything with texture works, so this is what I used: foam stamps, a batik tjap of a bird, cut glass from the china closet & a metal cookie-maker shaper - the kind of cookies that you dip into batter & drop into hot oil to cook.

TURMOIL
The process is simple - place your dark fabric on top of whatever it is you are using for a textural effect. Then rub the Shiva paintstik across the fabric contacting the highest surfaces of the textural object beneath the fabric. It's as easy as child's play and just as much fun! I liked overlaying colors, shapes, etc. as you can see from my photos.

RUSTY FERNS

SPIRAL ON PURPLE
Tomorrow is another day - I need to design a quilt for FabriQuilt's booth at the Houston Quilt Market so I don't know when I'll be back posting here - probably before the end of the week!

Happy Dancing!


FLAMING FEATHERS 25x48" cPat Dolan 2005

I’m sharing my good news - I was just notified that I won a Judges Choice Award for my art quilt entitled “Flaming Feathers” at the Indelible Spirit Challenge sponsored by the Fiberarts Connection of Southern California. It is on-line at:

http://www.fiberartsconnsocal.org/IndelibleGallery.htm

The quilt will now be part of a traveling exhibition through 2006.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Ft. Washington Show

What a wonderful time we had going to the show! I went with Anne, one of the graduates from our holistic health program, to join me, who was willing to attend even though she doesn't quilt! She is extremely creative and has long combined art and healing, both in her personal life and as a teacher to others seeking personal development. I knew she'd LOVE the merchant mall and she did, of course.

The quilts were magnificent - what a great 1st show for a non-quilter to attend! The World Quilt Competition was full of marvelous, inspiring artwork, as was the entire show. Anne kept saying, "I don't understand how they can JUDGE this work! It's all unique and so very different from one another. How do they even choose criteria from which to judge?!" Good point. Workmanship, of course. Creativity. Use of color. And more. So much more - much of it unconscious, personal, and beyond words.

By far the BEST part of the past two days was meeting Mary Manahan (http://quiltstudio77.blogspot.com/) from QuiltArt (and her family and friends!) in person. Mind you, we had never met, yet Mary blythly invited me (and my pal) to come for dinner, spend the night & make it a two-day extravaganza! Even more strangely, Anne did not remember me telling her that we'd be staying with perfect strangers... This she is told en route to the show! Fortunately, Anne was driving and she could 'just say no' if Mary was too scary!!! What a hoot! And today we met Sue Reno (http://www.suereno.com/) and a lovely mother-daughter team (whose names I have forgotten) at the show, thanks to Mary. So many from our list had ribbons, too! I am SO glad I found the QuiltArt list and dared to join...I just loved recognizing the names from our QuiltArt list! And meeting some of you, too!

Needless to say, we had all sorts of fun together - first at lunch (anyone who goes to the convention center knows the food court is NOT the high point of the show), then wandering the aisles together a bit, and the most SUPER fun doing our version of "show & tell" with all our newly purchased goodies and talking/sharing/laughing into the night.

Mary is an excellent cook and gracious hostess. Her husband is a delightful, charming Irishman - they make a wonderful couple! Anne commented today that at first she thought "they were too good to be true!" She hasn't met many balanced couples, I guess. Then again, healthy marriages seem to be in the minority these days, don't they? My DH and I certainly don't know very many couples that have been married as long as we have.

My honey and I are preparing to celebrate the 44th aniversary of having met each other - at the first freshman mixer of our college careers. I went to the College of St. Catherine in my home-town of St. Paul, MN while he (from Chicago) went to the College of St. Thomas (now the U of ST or STU) a mile down the road. It snowed in MN that night (September 30) - which he has never forgotten! He, much later, admitted to me that he 'knew' I'd be the girl he'd marry one day...Thank heavens he didn't ever tell me that until we were married! I would have cut and run for sure - marriage did NOT look like a good deal for a woman back in the early 1960's! And my sis was married and she had had 3 kids in the first 4 years of her married life - six altogether. I was in no mood to be tied down without first going abroad, seeing art until I dropped, and having some fun.

Goodness, this has stooped to the level of memory lane! Yikes!!! Long story short, I went to Europe (alone!) for 7 weeks following our graduation. We were married the December after graduation. We had our first child within a year... our second two and a half years later. Then God was good or something else was. Two turned out to be the final and perfect number for us! Now there are 3 grandchildren, one step-grandchild, and one Russian foreign exchange student 'grandchild' to celebrate.

And there is art, quilting, music, dance, quilt shows, new friends like Mary, et.al. - and creativity thrumming through my life, as always. Life is good...very, very good.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Open Hearts, Helping Hands


PINK SEAWEED II 5.5"square cPat Dolan

The "Art Doing Good" website is doing very well, with nearly $1000 already contributed to the American Red Cross in exchange for art donated and displayed on this site for this purpose. I hope you will take an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful work that has been donated to be sold with proceeds going to help those displaced by Katrina. To see only items that are currently FOR SALE, go to the RED "Sale Status" column and click on it. You will have all the items that are FOR SALE listed prior to all the SOLD items. If you are interested in a particular artist's work, go to the BLUE "Last Name" column and click on it. You will then have an alphabetized listing of all the artists with their work, sold and unsold.

Here are a few more of my donations: AUTUMN JOY 8x10" cPat Dolan


FUNKY BANANA 2.5x3.5" cPat Dolan
and
ORNAMENTAL 2.5x3.5" cPat Dolan



Art Doing Good – My Response to Katrina

"Go With The Flow" ACT 2.5x3.5" cPat Dolan
"Three Moons" 4x6" cPat Dolan
"Autumn Feathers" 5.5x7" cPat Dolan
"Katrina's Chaos" 4x6" cPat Dolan

I have just donated 17 pieces of fiber art to “Art Doing Good,” a non-profit fund-raiser to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina. My contributions are or will be posted here. To purchase/donate, please visit the following website - all proceeds go to the American Red Cross:

http://www.artdoinggood.com/