Under the Western Sun (SAQA Regional Exhibition)

Un d e rt h eWe s t e r nS u n

Under the Wes tern Su n Where an artist lives impacts the voice with which they speak.

Here in the west we experience extremes of climate and altitude, intense color and light, unusual landscapes and plants: unique people and cultures. These all influence the work we do Under the Western Sun. This show features 30 contemporary mixed media fiber art works. These were juried from 99 entries by SAQA artists living in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

Show Premiere: Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Boulder CO, April 27-July 25, 2017 Also exhibited at Macey Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM Juror: Patricia Kennedy-Zafred Organizers: Bev Haring and Barbara Beasley

Studio Art Quilt Associates

SAQA is an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the art quilt and the artists who create them. We are an information resource on all things art quilt related for our members as well as the public. Founded in 1989 by an initial group of 50 artists, SAQA members now number more than 3,400 artists, teachers, collectors, gallery owners, museum curators and corporate sponsors. For more information, visit the organization’s website at SAQA.com.

Catalog Designed by Shannon Conley

Juror’s Sta te ment

In the midst of a grey Pittsburgh winter, it was my fortune to have the pleasure of jurying Under the Western Sun for Regional SAQA members living in four Southwest states. What a delight!

Bursting onto my computer screen were brilliant colors, sunrises and sunsets, deserts scenes, cactus, flowers and rock formations.

The images were bright, dynamic and beautiful!

The final selections include digital, thread painting, hand painting, printing and sculptural work. Some pieces expressed a political or environmental message, while others exemplified beauty and craftsmanship. There are bright, luminescent and bold works, juxtaposed with others exuding subtlety and quietness.

The jury process was difficult, especially with so many qualified entries. As an artist who frequently enters juried exhibitions, I was keenly aware that my selections were important decisions for each entrant. Every entry was reviewed multiple times, and the statements, techniques and materials were carefully read.

Some decisions were especially difficult, but the limit to choose thirty works set my parameters. At times, a choice was made based on duplication of style, technique or imagery between pieces that were both extremely well executed.

Landscape images of the Southwest, including hills, canyons, cacti and flowers were abundant in the entries. Alpine Forget-MeNots by Annette Kennedy is clear, crisp and almost photographic

in execution. Valley of Fire by Betty Busby and The Sentinel by Indrani Gunawardana each uniquely express the beauty of the region. Some artists chose to view the geography from above, and creatively executed that vision, as seen in Mapforms #9 by Michele Hardy, and Arid Agua by Lynn Rogers.

Some of my favorite pieces were the sculptural entries, which impressed and delighted. On Dahlias by Shannon Conley is a dynamic execution of fabric, and also large in size; definitely a flower to be noticed! Melody Money’s Canyon Wrapped in Starlight is an exceptional jewel of abundance, texture and components, curled into an exquisite gem. Relevant environmental statements were also part of the mix, and expertly addressed in Bev Haring’s Parched Earth, and Give Bees a Chance

by Barbara Yates Beasley.

Without a doubt, it is my hope that this exhibition displays, in reality, the vision that I had hoped to create, having juried strictly from digital images. It can be difficult to grasp the size, the texture and the true colors viewing an image on a computer screen. Certainly, photographic quality became extremely important.

Thank you all for entrusting me to make these selections. It is my wish that the beauty of your region is reflected in this exhibition, and that all of the artists who entered continue to make work reflecting their unique personal style and the spectacular region of the country, where you are all so very fortunate to reside.

Patricia Kennedy-Zafred, 2017 http://pattykz.com

Tom

Margaret Abramshe Saint George, UT metaphysicalquilter.com, metaphysicalquilter@gmail.com

Portraits of family members provide me, as an artist; with an immediate subtext and are rich with inspiration. “Tom” was born in a mining camp near Silverton Colorado. He and the rest of the family were always proud of their western roots.

34” x 24”

5

The Sentinels

Carole Angel Arvada, CO Artistry in Fabric.com, Angels2643@Yahoo.com

Inspired by the amazing Saguaro cactus found in the deserts of Arizona. The design process began by sketching the cactus on a piece of drawing paper, then transferring the drawing to a large piece of white PFD cotton fabric. The entire piece is hand painted with fabric paint. The cactus are not appliqued, they were painted in place and then thread painted to achieve the texture. The piece was quilted on a domestic sewing machine.

27� x 33�

7

The Seed and Water Blessing

Jullia Brigham Ocate, NM blueirisstudio/gallery.com, blueiris@kitcarson.net

I attended the seed and water blessing in Taos and was so moved that I created this art quilt. Our dependence on clean water and clean air for our food should be a call to action for us all. I have been a professional artist for over 40 years and for the past 4 years I have added the medium of fabric and thread, beads, milagros, buttons, and anything that helps make a statement of beauty.

26� x 47�

9

Valley of Fire

Betty Busby Albuquerque, NM bbusbyarts.com, fbusby3@comcast.net

The blazing red rocks of the Valley of Fire in Nevada were the backbone of this work. I tried to keep it elemental, with the blazingly blue, only in the West sky and the cool green of the valley floor.

58� x 40�

11

On Dahlias

Shannon Conley Moore, OK shannonconleyartquilts.com, la.emperatriz@gmail.com

I love the depth and variation in color found in flower petals.

I’m particularly intrigued by dahlias, which have layer after layer of petals, sometimes loose and flowy, other times tight and almost cylindrical. This piece was the outcome of study of many different forms of dahlias.

48” x 60” x 8”

Photo by Michael Cox

13

The Yucca and the Moth

Shannon Conley Moore, OK shannonconleyartquilts.com, la.emperatriz@gmail.com

I created this abstracted landscape depicting yuccas against characteristic red sandstone cliffs to reflect the fragile balance in the New Mexico high desert ecosystem where I grew up.

In spite of its succulent heartiness, the yucca relies on the tiny, almost invisible yucca moth for pollination and thus proliferation of new plants. I love the shimmer that comes from working with metallic and synthetic fabrics, in this case it evokes the crisp sunlight reflecting brightly off the rocks.

59� x 52�

15

Golden Canyon

Vicki Conley Ruidoso Downs, NM vicki-conley.com, vickiconley55@gmail.com

The radiant colors of Golden Canyon in Death Valley evoke a sense of warmth in the stark landscape. Deposited over eons of time, layer upon layer of strata tell the story of our past; of our ever changing planet, our environment, and life itself. The geological and biological cycles that give us the striking rock formations that capture our attention today are unending and ongoing. These structures will evolve and erode away only to be captured eventually as new layers of sediment, preserving and telling the story of our future.

24� x 40�

Photo by Doug Conley

17

Bighorn Sheep

Rhonda Denney Canon City, CO RhondaDenney.com, Rhonda@CapRockInspirationsLLC.com

When I think of living under the western sun, my mind goes to the Bighorn Sheep, a natural symbol of the Rocky Mountains.

The males, called rams, are famous for their large curled horns, sometimes weighing 30 pounds or more. During the mating season, you can hear the resounding clash of Bighorns throughout the mountains as rams fight to compete for mating rights to the ewes. I wanted to capture the beauty and majesty of these mountain goats. Although the Bighorn Sheep population has numbered in the millions at their peak in North America, their history also includes reaching near extinction. Though they are still on the endangered list, conservation efforts are helping them make a significant recovery. I want to focus on the allure and power of different animals and their eyes, be they mammal, bird, reptile or insect, and try to capture it in my fiber art. To me animal eyes are a large part of their distinctiveness and character, and I love the challenge of recreating that in my art.

30� x 40�

Photo by Michael Arterburn

19

The Sentinel

Indrani Gunawardana Longmont, CO iwgunawardana@gmail.com

In making this quilt I tried to capture the beauty and the mystery of the Delicate Arch in Utah. The layout for the quilt came from a photograph I took couple of years ago, but I did not stay true to the photograph. When I first saw the Delicate Arch, I was in awe and wanted to keep that image in my mind forever. The photographs I took did not do justice to the silent sentinel that stood before me keeping the secrets of 65 million years or more; I wished the arch could tell me the stories of a bygone time. During the construction of the quilt I spent many happy hours revisiting the arch experiencing the sun and the wind on my face. This quilt is my tribute to the forces of nature which sculpt our world every day.

48� x 51�

Photo by Geewa Gunawardana

21

Mapforms #5

Michele Hardy Silverthorne, CO www.michelehardy.com, mhardy@michelehardy.com

Maps, land surfaces, and aerial views continue to inspire and fascinate me. Combining organic lines along with structured grids, I have portrayed a sense of the importance and beauty of rivers through various landscapes.

27� x 40�

23

Mapforms #9

Michele Hardy Silverthorne, CO www.michelehardy.com, mhardy@michelehardy.com

Maps, land surfaces, and aerial views continue to inspire and fascinate me. Combining organic lines along with structured grids, I have portrayed a sense of the importance and beauty of rivers through various landscapes.

30.5� x 50.5�

25

Parched Earth: Wilted Corn Bev Haring Longmont, CO webspinner51@yahoo.com

Water is the most important resource on our small planet.

This series seeks to explore what happens to our world when there is not enough water.

32.5� x 33.5�

27

Fertile Hills

Jean Herman Denver, CO www.jeanherman.com, jean.herman@gmail.com

Feel yourself in Western Colorado in wine country, autumn sun and vines on the hillside. This is the place I want you to be with me in “Fertile Hills”. I hope that the colors and horizontal composition make you feel the expanse of this wonderful place.

31” x 41”

Photo by Wes Maygar

29

Everything’s Going to be Alright

Heidi Heuerman Sheridan, WY www.HeidisArtEmporium.com, heidih27@yahoo.com

This quilt art was inspired by a beautiful statue I saw while traveling. The lady seemed to say to the bird “Everything’s Going to be Alright”.

31” x 25”

31

Colorado: Columbine

Ronni Hunter Lakewood, CO www.ronnihunterstudios.com, rhunterartist@gmail.com

The focus of this quilt is the columbine, Colorado’s state flower.

The colors evoke the purple and green of the columbine and other wildflowers, the blue of wide open western skies, and the yellow of aspens in autumn.

42” x 30”

33

Alpine Forget-Me-Nots

Annette Kennedy Longmont, CO annettekennedy.com, annettekennedy@hotmail.com

In real life these flowers grow above tree line in the Rocky Mountains and each flower face is smaller than a dime. I first saw them on a wild flower hike sponsored by the Denver Botanic Gardens. The cushion- like plant is a perennial herb which grows to 6” high and blooms from April though August.

I wanted to blow up the small flowers to a much larger size to show off their intricate centers. I used transparent textile paints to enhance the image and increase the visual depth.

35” x 26”

35

Woodland Berries

Annette Kennedy Longmont, CO annettekennedy.com, annettekennedy@hotmail.com

This piece was inspired by a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park in the late summer when the spring and summer plants have grown their hips and berries. These bright colored berries were highlighted against an Aspen tree trunk. I enhanced the fabric quilt top with transparent and iridescent textile paints to add some details and increase the visual depth of the overall piece, however, I decided not to do any painting on the berries as they seemed to “speak” just as they were.

24” x 31”

37

Larger Than Life

Carol Kolf Sheridan, WY www.carolkolf.com, quiltercarol@yahoo.com

I don’t often think of moths being beautiful, but the Cecropia Moth is an exception. This one landed in a tree at my Wyoming home. He was at my eye level as though he wanted to be photographed.

31” x 33”

39

Canyon Wrapped in Starlight Melody Money Boulder, CO MelodyMoney.com, mellymoney@gmail.com

This piece was inspired by the local landscape, the many colors and layers of stone of the canyon.

18” x 8” x 8”

Photo by Wes Maygar

41

Hematite

Margaret Adele Parker Golden, CO parkerrp@earthlink.net

Wind, water, erosion, uplift and red! Hematite, a rusty red iron oxide mineral that coats the particles forming the west’s massive sandstone and shale canyon walls, colors the rock formations of the plateaus and high deserts their distinctive red. The hand painted cotton used to cover this vessel captures these shades and the penned lines suggest the rock faces of cliffs. For those of us who love these canyons, I hope this vessels pulls memories of desert varnish, shadows and sunlight, and the piercing call of a raptor.

8” x 10” x 10”

43

Wildfire

Margaret Adele Parker Golden, CO parkerrp@earthlink.net

Terrifying, awesome, destructive. The wildfires of mountains and plains can blacken the skies, consume nature’s bounty and the work of man. I have embellished the commercial fabric covering this vessel with deep red acrylic paint and novelty fabric to convey the intensity felt when experiencing the power of wildfire.

7.5” x 4.5” x 4.5”

45

Remembering John Denver/ Fire in the Sky

Char Punke Albuquerque, NM charpunkefiberartist.com, charpunke@gmail.com

Stepping outside my front door uplifts my spirit. Nature is the subject of my work. Through the use of dyes, paints, batiks,threads & quilting my representational art comes to life. Just as John Denver sang of his love for the mountains and skies of Colorado, I wish to bring to the viewer the beauty one can feel when seeing our magnificent sunsets. At the end of the day, a beautiful sunset reminds one to be grateful for all the beauty there is to see in our lives.

26” x 35” x 1/2”

Photo by Walt Punke

47

Vortex

Dorothy Raymond Loveland, CO www.dorothyraymond.com, dorothy@dorothyraymond.com

Fourth in a series exploring how water, land and rock interact.

This piece is inspired by water carving through rock, creating a vortex of sand, caverns and mysterious places for green plants to survive.

29� x 48�

Photo by Ken Sanville

49

Arid Agua

Lynn Rogers Rio Rancho, NM kblr049@aol.com

Arid lands are blessed by small meandering, life-giving streams of water. Throughout time people who inhabit these lands know where water is available and respect the power it has to sustain life. This piece features water symbols ancient Puebloans used to mark such places. The thin blue line marks water’s tenuous path through the landscape.

42.5” x 32”

51

Singular

Joan Sowada Gillette, WY www.joansowada.com, joansowada@gmail.com

My earthy tactile pieces show our connection to nature and to one another. In both my abstract conceptual and my figurative work this relationship is what I am drawn to, as well as ideas about time, impermanence, and communion. Within the work I have a balance of unfinished imperfect areas with those portions clearly in focus.

40� x 36�

Photo by Ken Sanville

53

Rock Sentinel Karen Stalgren Frederick, CO hkstalgren@q.com

This image shows the characteristics of western landscapes which are close to my heart. Spare and powerful rock formations, vast spaces, clear sky illustrates the expanded nature of the west.

32� x 40�

Photo by Joe Bammann

55

Flight Lessons I Irene Takahashi Boulder, co imtak55@gmail.com

There is a 75 mile stretch of the Platte River in Nebraska that hosts a magnificent annual Spring migration of Sandhill Cranes. The migration highlights the crane family unit.

Adults choose their lifetime mates when they reach 2-7 years of age. In the mornings we witnessed playful juvenile dances and courtship dances before the birds flew off to forage the fields for the day. It was truly a privilege to experience this wonder of nature.

54� x 30�

Photo by Ken Sanville

57

Yucca Ridge

Lynn Welsch Mimbres, NM mountainspiritsstudio.blogspot.com, lbwelsch@hughes.net

Inspiration for this piece came from a combination of a scene I photographed in a western national park and the amazing sunsets and sunrises that I view where I live in New Mexico.

24� x 29�

59

Succulent Sorbet

Hope Wilmarth Spring, TX hopewilmarth.com, hlwilmarth@hotmail.com

Succulents majestically adorn the western landscape especially when in bloom. They lend themselves to abstraction as represented here…allowing imagination to inspire art.

38” x 24”

Photo by Rick Wells

61

Give Bees a Chance

Barbara Yates Beasley Boulder, CO www.barbarayatesbeasley.com, barbara@barbarayatesbeasley.com

Happiness for me is the buzz of the honeybees out on their appointed rounds. The warmth of the sun on a spring day, with a backdrop of our deep blue western sky, welcomes a pair of honey bees gathering nectar. In the process they are pollinating not just our dandelions but many of our food sources. To continue the production of 35 million pounds of honey from 300 beekeepers in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain States we need to Give Bees a Chance.

31� x 39�

63