Saturday, March 15, 2014

Acceptance

Last month I wrote a post about rejection from a show. Today I have news about acceptance to a show. This post is much more fun to write! My piece, "The Cloth Remembers", above was juried into the national SAQA exhibit called "Redirecting the Ordinary." This makes me very happy! My first entry and first acceptance into one of the national SAQA shows. It is also a confirmation of my feeling about the piece. I am happy with it. It expresses the vision I had for it, which is not always the case.
My statement about the piece:
The Cloth Remembers
Cloth is cloth, whether it is new or well-worn, yet it seems that the clothing we wear carries memories of the life lived in that clothing. The shirt of a stranger becomes the raw material for a work of fabric art and imbues that work with mysteries and memories the artist can only imagine. For the past year I have been disassembling and over-dyeing mens' shirts, from which I make my quilted work. In the process of taking the shirts apart, clues like a broken button, a stain or tear are evidence of a past life. I fashion my own story from the recycled cloth, but there are stories, unknown to me, that live within the work. The ordinary holds layers of meaning.
 The piece is not made from a real shirt, but from shirting fabric—people always ask. And no, it is not 3-dimensional. The shadows are made using the same shirting fabric that was overdyed a slightly darker shade, plus a little shading with pastel pencil. Here's a detail that gives a better idea of how it was constructed.

 The exhibit will be debuted at the International Quilt Show in Houston and will travel to various exhibits, including (ta da!) Portland!

24 comments:

  1. This work is amazing.

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  2. Congratulations it's lovely.

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  3. Congratulations Terry, this is such a great piece, I'm glad it's getting the recognition it deserves, and I'm happy you finally entered a national SAQA show!

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  4. Terry, Congratulations on your acceptance to the SAQA show. I love this piece... it is screaming out to me to spend some visual time with it...so I saved to the desk top to have some more viewing time. The shirt does so successfully look three dimensional.

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  5. Thanks for the close up. It really looked like a shirt hanging on the quilt. Bravo. I love your repurposing of the shirts.

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  6. Congratulations! I have so enjoyed the shirting adventure and now lots more people will get to see it!

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  7. Congratulations on your "acceptance", Terry! I will be looking for it in Houston!
    You definitely have that "artist eye" for dimension. Amazing work!

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  8. Anonymous2:46 PM

    YES! This is definitely one for show! I am thrilled for your success and as ALWAYS: LOVE EVERYTHING YOU CREATE! pg

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  9. Anonymous3:30 PM

    Terry, this is a GREAT quilt!!! I buy men's shirts too, because the plaids out in the stores are icky...and I do love the idea of reuse!!
    Great job, congrats on the acceptance!

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  10. Congratulations!!! I have always liked this quilt and the fact that you have to explain the shirt says you did an excellent job. Way to go, Terry!

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  11. OMG!!! How EXCITING! I'm so happy for you. :) :) :) :) :)

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  12. Hi Terry--yes, accept is always better. :) Very happy for you. I can see why people would ask about the artistry involved--the shirt looks so "real." I've also enjoyed your "shirt adventure"--and this is a fun idea for sharing it.

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  13. Congratulations Terry!! I had to look at it twice...the direction of the shirt fabric is so perfectly executed.

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  14. Congratulations, Terry. and well deserved. the detail in this quilt is glorious!

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  15. Anonymous12:44 AM

    What a unique design idea for a quilt - it's stunning! Congrats on the acceptance for the show.

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  16. Congratulations! You've managed the dimensionality on the shirt superbly (as everyone notices!).
    I take apart pre-loved shirts too and often wonder about their previous owners.

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  17. Love this piece ! And your statement reflects my thoughts about worn clothing....
    I have a shirt I very very often wore to meetings with my girlfriends ... and I always think it holds the laughter and joy of our group

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  18. Anonymous6:10 AM

    Your quilt is amazing. The shirt is exceptional and shows what an artistic eye you have and how clever you are in executing your idea in fabric and quilting. The powers that be made a good choice to accept your quilt!!!! Hooray!!!!!

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  19. I really like the work you've been doing with shirting fabric, and this piece especially!

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  20. Congratulations Terry! Beautiful work and love your statement about the piece.

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  21. This is very unique. Actually, refreshing and very original. Congrats.

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  22. This is a wonderful piece! I am amazed to have the good fortune to have had a piece accepted also...amongst such very talented artists. This is clearly my month for "the Twelves," had the opportunity to meet Karen at the opening of her incredible show at the City Quilter last week ;). (Began rereading the book this past weekend!). Congratulations!

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  23. Congratulations. I'm so glad you got some well deserved good news. Your technique is flawless and the shirt floats on top of the traditional quilt background, but more than that the story is empathetic and moving.

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  24. Super congrats on getting in! I love this piece BTW, the shadows and shading are outstanding...

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