Food for Thought
This catalog is made possible due to the generosity of SAQA’s members.
ISBN: 978-0-9896896-6-3
Cover artwork: Cherrie Hampton, Sarah Ann Smith, Jim Hay Back cover: Judith Roderick Catalog design: Deidre Adams Contents copyright Š2015 Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. Images copyright the individual artists. Images may not be reproduced or used in any way without written permission. All rights reserved.
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Food for Thought | 1
Juror’s essay 2015 may be remembered as the Year of Food. EXPO2015 in my native Milan is dedicated to “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” The expo will look at human history through two aspects of food production: traditional cultural values and the use of new technologies. The main purpose of this exposition is to stimulate major debate on nutrition and food, comparing all aspects of this theme. I was therefore very pleased to be asked to be the juror for SAQA’s Food for Thought exhibition, which will also premiere in 2015. This exhibition allowed artists to explore any aspects of food that they found inspirational, from a single piece of fruit to a still life to the family table to the significance of food in culture and the celebration of family milestones and religious holidays. Artists portrayed how and where food is grown and harvested; how it is sold or distributed, prepared or consumed; where it is abundant and where it is scarce.
Having been asked to be the juror of this exhibition, I was at first very honored and then felt a little scared. My concern was that I would have to select the artworks solely by viewing photos online, but when I received access to the online image gallery, any doubts I had dissipated. Wonderful photos and close-ups that revealed details were provided, making it easier to tune in to the art. Every entry was accompanied by an artist’s statement which was very helpful in understanding the artist’s point of view, personality and inspiration. The names of the artists were not revealed to me. I had been asked to select thirty to thirty-five artworks. My task took me three weeks in order to give myself time to properly view each work. Initially I looked carefully at each piece, then I started to generate a primary ranking based on color, design and content. Subsequently, I started a daily overhaul of the works, sometimes
in the morning, sometimes during the day, and sometimes even in the evening in order to review them under different moods. This step generated a continuous updating of my ranking of favorites, as every day I would see aspects of some of the works that I had not noticed previously. All of the works submitted were, in fact, beautiful works of art and it was a pleasure to have been asked to take part in this worthwhile event. —Alex Veronelli Alex Veronelli is 100% born and bred in Italy. Product Manager and a shareholder of Aurifil, he develops threads for the quilting and sewing markets. His family comes from the textile industry on both sides for several generations, and his father helped found Aurifil in 1983. Alex serves on the board of The Quilt Alliance and is on the Advisory Board of International Quilt Study Center & Museum. Alex observes that his CV is really short: “Just Aurifil, but I am proud to have been able to build on and expand my family traditions in business.”
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Foreword We eat every day, but how often do we really think about the food we eat? Every culture has its celebrations, family meals, traditions that involve food. Although these vary in different parts of the world, the impact of food is universal. Food nourishes and fuels our bodies; food traditions nurture our souls. Food For Thought is an exhibition of 34 art quilts created by members of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA). With SAQA members residing worldwide, there was ample opportunity to reflect a wide variety of methods of growing and producing food, not to mention a host of regional cuisines and ingredients. In the artwork presented here, titles often hint at cultural backgrounds or the provenance of a favorite recipe, as do the choices of patterns and fabric motifs. Yet the world has become so interconnected that it is no longer always possible to identify a person’s locale through the foods they eat. Perhaps our response to food boils down to the elements that everyone everywhere experiences, such as food preparation. Starting with harvesting and gathering ingredients, then cooking or otherwise constructing a dish, the enjoyment of
eating, and finally rinsing the peels down the drain; the making of food is something everyone can relate to. There is something inviting about a single piece of fruit. The bright color of a plump red tomato or the exotic contours of a dragon fruit are inspiration enough. Honoring the perfect ingredient is delicious subject matter. The long tradition of table-scapes in art is also perfect fodder for this theme. The table might indicate a time of abundance or a time of want. A still life implicitly invites a friend to a meal, be it a birthday, a religious or cultural festivity, or just Tuesday. A particular recipe can be a connection to one’s traditions and ancestors. Of course the darker side of thinking about food is when people don’t have enough. How does nourishment in first world countries compare to that in the developing world? Do we have the luxury of exalting the alluring and sumptuous on special occasions? Or is one simple meal each day reason enough to celebrate? Often, we admire what appear to be simple ways of processing food and eschew the industrialized food industry. But is a seemingly idyllic image actually pointing out a resource divide indicative of the many around the
world who live at a subsistence level? Can food production keep up with population growth, and how does that affect food quality? Solutions require expanding the way we think about food, be it focused on production, distribution, or consumption. Artists have a part in highlighting the growing concern about the current trajectory of life on earth and therefore about the value of food and thus life itself.
Food For Thought offers a great balance between the beauty of individual food items and the importance of food in other aspects of life. Exploring this catalog for themes and variation, comparison and contrast, for the bounty of color, design, and concept, will undoubtedly enrich and inspire readers. It’s an exhibition of wonderful artworks that approach a theme that everyone can relate to from a variety of different perspectives. — Kristin LaFlamme, SAQA Education Committee
Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development, documentation, and publications. Founded in 1989 by an initial group of 50 artists, SAQA now has over 3,000 members worldwide: artists, teachers, collectors, gallery owners, museum curators and corporate sponsors. Since its establishment, the organization has grown alongside the evolution of the quilt as an art form. Today, SAQA defines an art quilt as a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure. One of the many member benefits SAQA offers is to bring beautiful, thought-provoking, cuttingedge artwork to venues across the United States and around the world. The exhibits not only give artists the opportunity to show their work, but also expose the public to the variety and complexity of the art quilt genre. In addition to mounting museum-quality exhibitions that travel the world, SAQA documents the art quilt movement through exhibition catalogs such as this one. These catalogs serve as not only as preservation and educational tools, but also as sources of inspiration and beauty to be returned to again and again.
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Nancy Bardach Berkeley, California USA Here are ordinary alimentary settings and kitchen implements writ large. Each is poised on a striped tablecloth to delineate a fantasy foursome: five pepper blend, mushroom soup, Gilroy garlic with press, and a glass of Montepulciano. Cotton Machine pieced and appliquĂŠd, machine quilted
photos by Nancy Bardach
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Tableau—Morceaux 44 x 32 inches
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Vicki Bohnhoff Anthem, Arizona USA So many little seeds from one pumpkin! Camille Spurlock washed and roasted them in a pan and took this photo because the spirals formed reminded her of the Fibonacci spirals I was quilting. Silk charmeuse printed with archival inks Machine quilted
photos by Bill Bohnhoff/StudioWest
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Pepitas 40 x 39 inches
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Dianne Browning Bend, Oregon USA I love creating big graphic fruit, and I was inspired by a classic still life painting. I wanted to give the whole piece a lot of texture, so layers of sheers on the background, along with a whimsical layered leaf, added to the textures of the peach. Cottons, poly/rayon blends, silks, sheers AppliquĂŠd, machine pieced and quilted
photos by Dianne Browning
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Just Peachy 31 x 33 inches
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Susan Callahan Silver Spring, Maryland USA I am a chef and a teacher. Often I am asked to taste what my students are preparing. I generally grab a handful of forks and start tasting my way around the kitchen. Commercial and hand-dyed cottons, paint Machine pieced and quilted
photos by Eric Reiffenstein
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Forks 35 x 37 inches
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Barbara Cordio Bluffton, South Carolina USA When I think of Maine I remember the full moon over the ocean, the crashing waves, and “Sarah’s Fish Chowder.” Cotton fabrics, iridescent ribbon Collaged, appliquéd, free motion quilted
photos by Barbara Cordio
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Fish Chowder 25 x 24 inches
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Phyllis Cullen Ninole, Hawaii USA Here on the island of Hawaii, we take our coffee seriously. (For me, it’s always been one of the 4 food groups required for survival). Sugarcane, pineapple, and onions are part of Hawaii’s legacy as well, but our coffee is the best because of the climate, the aloha, and the beans. Hand-dyed and commercial cottons, tulle, ink Raw edge appliquéd, machine quilted
photos by Randall Duryea
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It’s the Beans 34 x 40 inches
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Jennifer Day Santa Fe, New Mexico USA I spent hours in the grocery store looking for just the right fruit, roots and foods to use in this quilt. From the newly sliced pomegranate to a clove of garlic with a dash of moisture on its skin, these foods each have unique tastes and colors. I particularly enjoyed selecting the jicama with its tendrils spiraling into the air. Photograph on fabric, threads Free motion embroidered, quilted
photos by Jennifer Day
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Elegant Edibles 46 x 38 inches
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Gabriele DiTota Melbourne, Florida USA The theme caused me to stop and think about those who don’t have enough. There is enough food to feed everyone; Americans throw away as much as 40% of their food. Commercial and hand-painted fabrics, tulle, paint, colored pencils, painted fusible Raw-edge appliquÊd, quilted
photos by Gabriele DiTota
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What’s for Dinner? 24 x 32 inches
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Lisa Dodson Martinsville, Indiana USA In many ways, the essence of life can be represented by the humble egg. While the egg provides almost perfect nourishment for the body, the versatile egg still holds some of life’s great mysteries. Hand-dyed and commercial cottons, paints Painted, printed, machine quilted
photos by F.D. Redman
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Consider the Egg 32 x 42 inches
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Janis Doucette North Reading, Massachusetts USA A critique blog that poses themes for art quilts challenged participants to do something cubist, which I’d never done before. I tried a number of different approaches, which in the cubist mode seem infinite. I loved the playfulness of this genre. Cotton, nylon netting, voile, polyester Machine pieced, fused and appliquÊd
photos by Janis Doucette
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The Invitation 30 x 31 inches
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Sarah Entsminger Ashburn, Virginia USA A few years ago, I learned that I had developed an allergy to the proteins found in animal milk — casein and whey. Unfortunately, all of my favorite foods included at least one of those proteins. Plant-based milks have saved my sanity as well as my health, and I am very grateful for the almond trees that produce milk for me to enjoy. Cotton Machine appliquéd and quilted
photos by Neil Steinberg/Photoworks
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Mother Nature’s Milk 31 x 31 inches
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Helen Godden Latham, Australian Capital Territory, Australia With my new couching foot, I am couching anything and everything. The opportunity to describe the texture and patterns of vegetables in an oversized still life was too tempting. C is for many healthy veggies, such as celery and carrots, cabbage, corn and cauliflower, but C is also for ‌‌..Couching! Cottons, wool and acrylic hand-dyed yarns Dyed, bleached, couched
photos by Helen Godden
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C is for........Couching! 42 x 25 inches
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Betty Hahn Sun City, Arizona USA My challenge was to use my photos to create a realistic-looking tower of fruit. I would not have been able to assemble this pile in real life, but I wanted it to appear as if it were real. Creating art is making the unbelievable, believable. Painting on canvas transferred to silk Digital reproduction on silk, over-painted, machine quilted
photos by Studio West Gallery
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Artichokes and Friends 45 x 36 inches
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Cherrie Hampton Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA On Jillian’s sixth birthday, she was presented with an enormous chocolate cake with funny twisted candles. Her eyes grew wide as she focused on her special wish. When she blew out the candles, smoke lingered in the air creating a magical haze in which both her wish and time stood still. Hand-marbled cotton, polished cotton, knitted yarn, paint Hand-painted face, free motion embroidered
photos by Cherrie Hampton
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Make a Wish 40 x 33 inches
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Jim Hay Takasaki, Gunma, Japan My grandfather Henry Emile Trouteaud and his brother Edward bought ship tickets so their families could move from Guernsey Island to America. Great grandmother (Emma Elizabeth Hancock Trouteaud) became ill before they could leave so the sons returned the tickets. The ship sailed past Guernsey on its way out of the English Channel. Great grandmother was eating soup. The ship was the Titanic. Gunma Meisen silk, neckties, pencil, ink, canvas, photos and words printed on cloth, transparent cloth, lace, kimono, obi, American glossy cloth, colored thread, ribbon AppliquĂŠd collage, machine sewn, drawn, photos and words printed on cloth
photos by Jim Hay
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August 10, 1912 Tomato Soup 46 x 46 inches
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Susan Jackan Madison, Wisconsin USA The inspiration for “Kwasini Sifting Beans� was a photo taken by my son while in the Peace Corps in Cameroon. Beans, especially soy, are an important staple in many villages. Wood burning mud stoves are used for cooking in the absence of electricity. Cotton batiks and hand-dyes, paint, pencils Painted, pieced, fused, quilted
photos by Susan Jackan
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Kwasini Sifting Beans 43 x 37 inches
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Bella Kaplan Kfar-Giladi, Israel I live on a kibbutz and we have a large herd of cows for milk and cheese. I celebrate them in my quilt. Hand-dyed silk Hand-dyed, screen printed, fused, collaged, machine quilted
photos by Miler Dror
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Hello Cow 30 x 36 inches
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Kathleen Kastles Wailuku, Hawaii USA Everyone who has had a sibling or has parented more than one child will understand this scene. The fruit in question is something you might not recognize, however. In India they call it a raspberry. It is actually a bunch of cape gooseberries tied together to make a ball. To eat it, one pulls off the gooseberries one at a time. Cotton, acrylic inks Wholecloth quilt, hand painted, machine quilted
photos by José Morales / Xinia Productions, Inc.
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That’s MINE!
41 x 42 inches
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Karol Kusmaul Inverness, Florida USA One thought that this theme inspired in my mind is how writing and reading has fed my soul. Bella is a memorial to my mother, Anne, who was a wonderful cook and writer. Commercial and recycled thrift store clothing fabrics Raw-edge hand appliquĂŠd, machine quilted
photos by Karol Kusmaul
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Bella 32 x 36 inches
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Cat Larrea Anchorage, Alaska USA In south central Alaska, digging for razor clams is a summertime celebration for thousands of people when the extreme low tides expose broad reaches of beach along the shores of Cook Inlet. On one gray day of clamming, I could easily spot my friend by her bright orange gloves. A quick photo I took of her became the theme of this piece. Hand-dyed cotton Fused appliquĂŠ, machine quilted
photos by Cat Larrea
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Clam Chowder: Step 1 39 x 34 inches
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Elaine Millar Portland, Oregon USA In late summer, tomato crops peak. This quilt depicts the light that would come through the window and reflect on the granite counter top, which is covered with the tomato harvest. Commercial cottons Machine pieced, appliquĂŠd and quilted
photos by Elaine Millar
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Heirlooms 40 x 30 inches
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Jeannie Palmer Moore Escondido, California USA There is nothing more enticing than a display window at an Italian Market. Juicy, fresh tomatoes arranged among Italian olive oil, balsamic vinegar and wine tempt the palate. Untreated canvas, water-soluble crayons, organza, Thermofax screens, gel medium Painted, newspaper transfer to organza, appliquĂŠd, freemotion quilted
photos by Bob Hill/ Photo Darkroom
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Il Mercato 34 x 46 inches
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Velda Newman Nevada City, California USA This is one piece from a series called ALL AMERICAN PIE. There are twelve quilts in the group, each one representing a different slice of America’s favorite dessert. Cotton sateen, paint, ink Machine stitched, hand appliquÊd, quilted
photos by Steve Buckley
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Cherry Pie 38 x 42 inches
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Diane Powers-Harris Monroe, New Hampshire USA Quilters and food are a winning combination. Loving to bake, I alternate between several different desserts for covered dish events. To make this quilt, a Pineapple Upside Down cake, my absolutely favorite yummy comfort food dessert, had to be baked first! Take a moment to enjoy what was a scrumptiously mouthwatering dessert. Oh, and please don’t drool on the quilt! Manipulated and printed photo on cotton Quilted, thread painted
photos by Diane Powers Harris
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Yum! Pineapple Upside Down Cake 25 x 35 inches
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Judith Roderick Placitas, New Mexico USA This quilt speaks to our eating habits and to my belief that we should eat actual food. I fondly remember all of the gardens of my childhood. I grew gardens while raising my family and now look forward to picking up my boxes of organic produce. Hand-painted silks, printed linen, buttons Painted silk, fused, machine quilted
photos by Judith Roderick
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Eat Actual Food 43 x 25 inches
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Judy Ross Avon, Connecticut USA I saw the phrase “Food for Thought,” and I thought of something that I frequently don’t eat. If it weren’t for wax on the peels and pesticides in the fields, I would always eat the peels of the vegetables. However unless I buy organic, I am leery about eating the vegetable peels even though they are undoubtedly packed with nutrients. Commercial and hand-dyed cottons, satins Machine appliquéd and quilted
photos by Judy Ross
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Vege Peels Circling the Drain 29 x 37 inches
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Ann Sanderson Nevada City, California USA In our town we are lucky to have a wonderful sushi restaurant. The chef hand selects fresh fish daily and prepares “works of art� that are colorful as well as playful for his customers. Marbleized fabric, hand-dyed and mono-printed cottons Printed, painted, pieced, quilted, hand-embroidered
photos by Ann Sanderson
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Sushi Q 29 x 33 inches
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Helena Scheffer and Marion Perrault Montreal, Quebec, Canada The dragon fruit is surely one of most strikingly colorful natural creations. The fruit, which is an unassuming staple in emerging countries from Cambodia to Mexico, is crowned with a large fragrant flower that blooms only in the dark, giving it its royal name: queen of the night. Artist-dyed and commercial cotton, tulle, vintage damask, beads Collaged, machine appliquĂŠd, beaded, freehand machine quilted
photos by Maria Korab-Laskowska
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Queen of the Night 42 x 41 inches
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Sarah Ann Smith Hope, Maine USA When visiting my mother we would often go to a restaurant called Insalata, housed in a building that had been a bank when I was a child. The chef/owner met the challenge of the enormous ceilings by commissioning oversized artwork of fruits and vegetables scaled to fit the soaring walls. As I worked on these salad ingredients, I recalled the flavors of our food and the company of my mother and her friends as we lunched there. Artist-dyed and -painted fabrics, commercial batiks, raffia Dyed, painted, fused collage, machine quilted
photos by Sarah Ann Smith
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Insalata 29 x 33 inches
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Jean Sredl Riverside, Illinois US Used for centuries as flavorings, mushrooms are present in almost all cultures’ foods. My fantasy mushroom garden is complete with all my favorites. Why is it a fantasy? Because giant puffballs grow in the fall, morel mushrooms in the spring and shiitakes in Japan! Hand-dyed linen, cotton, yarns and wool felt fabrics, batiks and commercial cottons, pearl cotton, smooth tumbled stones, leather, over-dyed yarns Pieced, hand and machine raw-edge appliquÊd and quilted, couched yarns, hand-embroidered
photos by Jeannie Sredl
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Mushroom Frittata 29 x 31 inches
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Cynthia St. Charles Billings, Montana USA My “Learning to Cook� series is an exploration of multiple surface design applications made in layers. The final layer is composed of prints made with a Thermofax screen adapted from recipes handwritten by my maternal and paternal grandmothers. Hand-dyed cotton, paint, screen printing ink Dyed, screen printed, fused, machine quilted
photos by Cynthia St. Charles
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Learning to Cook #2 46 x 32 inches
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Mikiko Takase Tamamura Machi Sawa Gun, Gunma ken, Japan Next spring my younger daughter will finish school and leave home. She’ll be sailing from a small glass to the big ocean. I feel like a lonely lighthouse. Every time she comes home, I’ll welcome her with pizza. Cotton, braided trim, embroidery threads, silver thread Machine and hand sewn, appliquéd, embroidered
photos by Mikiko Takase
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Light Pizza House 38 x 31 inches
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Mary E. Vaneecke Tucson, Arizona USA This is my abstract version of a delicious Japanese dish: steamed fresh soybeans. Pass the salt. Commercial cottons Machine pieced, machine quilted
photos by Mary Vaneecke
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Chopsticks and Edamame 45 x 35 inches
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K. Velis Turan Earlton, New York USA Garden for Victory is an homage to a poster produced during World War II. It was part of an effort to get the civilian population of the Allied countries to produce their own food. Cotton broadcloth, dye, paints Deconstructed screen print, painted, machine free-motion quilted
photos by Bob Turan
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Garden for Victory 35 x 25 inches