Quilt Show from my Winter Group

Here is a few quilts from the Quilt Show I was in this winter. We have some excellent quilters in our group. I am much a beginner and I am thankful members are so willing to share there knowledge with me.

Three of my mini quilts with fruit hand painted pieces.
'Carol and Sue' raw edge applique and free motion thread sketching.

 A sketch I did of Carol in the studio. The farm scene was added after.

 This is the sketch that inspired the textile art piece 'Carol and Sue' which is shown in the photo above and below.

Two 'Barn Series' mini quilts of mine.

Original Design by C. C.

Don't you love the pieced sashing by J. W.

P. B's quilt. When you look at this quilt awhile, you see circles even though there are no curved pieces in it.

Wall Hangings

One of my hand painted panels made into a wall hanging by C. K.

 

S. A. bought these quilt blocks at a yard sale, added the sashing and had it hand quilted.

I can see why this viewer was attracted to A. J.'s black, white and red quilt, can you?

Made with 'Crown Royal' bags by C. K. Did you know that you can actually buy this bag from the company?

Quilt's for Charity



For Fall: Textile Cards Ready for the Stores

For Fall: Textile Cards Ready for the Stores

A new selection of textile cards will be available tomorrow at Creston Card and Stationery and at the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce. The cards are painted with dyes onto natural fibre fabrics then details are stitched by free motion thread sketching. All are my original designs and all are created by me.

If you don't live in my area and would like a textile card, email me at egidman@kootenay.com

Yesterday, I free motion sketched 3 different poses of a blue heron. In the morning, (Don't you always check your yesterday's creations first thing?) I realized the two on the right required more substance to show over the background.

 More stitching to the wings and the addition of breast feathers let the viewer know this guy is here! Much better, I think don't you?

Adding the suggestion of feathers to this heron's back help to provide form to his shape.

No additional stitching is required as the background is light and therefore his outline stitching is enough.

 

Mountain Ash
The berries will soon be ready for the birds to swoop in on mass and eat them. Hope to see some Grosbeaks.

Golden wheat. Thinking of harvest time.

The pears are ripe and our neighbor brought us some from his very own tree. Precious pears!

My personal favorite. The pinkish beige is just such an odd colour on it's own that I am enjoying it in this fall landscape. Note that just a few meandering stitches give the tree leaves definition.

 I plan to be painting with red soon. What are you doing to celebrate the beauty of fall?

Art, Autumn and Abundance

Opening night of the Core Matters: Farm and Food, art show.

The opening was hosted by the Creston Chamber of Commerce. Click  here for their website.

Abundance: I met a woman this week that came especially to visit Creston because of the valley's ability to grow a wealth of food. To be reminded through this visitor's eyes how special that is, was delightful. The nine artists of this show are also paying tribute to the abundance of agriculture we enjoy here. The show is up at the Creston Chamber of Commerce until Oct 3. Please visit if you can.

The opening was well attended giving us artists a chance to mingle with people who support the arts. Thank you.

Check here for Creston's Newspaper. http://www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca/  which featured the Core Matters: Farm and Food art show. Thank you to the Advance staff for your coverage of Creston's art events.

 

 

The air is filled with exciting art related experiences for me this fall. Check future posts for full details. Here is a sneak preview:

• Note that the two palettes, that were just refilled, are different and I will be needing them both!
• An antique door painted with a 'Sunlit Piazza' colour.  
• Low immersion dyeing of men's Tshirts. 

 

Baby Book with Textile Art

Baby Book:  I looked to see what I had for hand painted textiles that a toddler might like. These brightly coloured fruit might work. I've edged them in some fun commercial textile and I am in the process of free motion quilting the layers together. I am a bit puzzled as to how to quilt the front and back layers together as they both contain pictures. Next post I'll let you know what I have come up with.

Low immersion dyed baby 'onesies' are cute! You'll have to wait for the next post as they are in the washer rinsing. 

This is as far as I've gotten on the baby book.

Cotton natural batting for between the pages.

  

Adding fun fabrics for edgings

 

Free motion stitching details.

Free motion stitching: I've sewn 1000 meters this summer!

'Creston Valley Fruit and Berry Series'
Core Matters: Farm and Food Art Show
9 artists
 Creston Chamber of Commerce, Sept 4 - Oct 3, Mon - Fri 9-5.
Opening reception Tuesday Sept 9th from 7 - 8:30pm

Yesterday looking at the paintings of the other artists, I was astounded at the fine quality of the art work. Also the subject matter is a tribute to the finest of living in the Creston Valley and I am very proud to be in this art show. Please come to the opening reception if you are able to.

Hiking with friends in the mountains. Life can't get much better than that!

A hidden gem of a lake in the mountains of the Kootenays

10 min sketch at the lake. A sketch brings back so many more memories than a photo for me. I will have to add colour in the studio.

This Week Is About Art Shows

'APRICOTS'
'Creston Valley: Fruit and Berries Series' honoring the amazing capacity of our valley for growing food

 

This week sees me closing 2 art shows, one at the Library and one at Creston Card and Stationery. Sad as that may be for me, I am delighted to be a part of the Art Show, Core Matters: Farm and Food that will be opening this week at the Creston Chamber of Commerce.

 

Art Walk this summer was wonderful for me with sales and 3 commissions from people seeing my work around town. Thank you to the organizers Elaine Alfoldy and Eileen Hirota!



A successful show closing. Wonderful to be in a show with friends and hear comments like "Your work shows very well together."

As Art Walk is finished Sept 1, I will be taking down the display at Creston Card and Stationery of my Watercolour Paintings, Textile Art and Artisan Pillows. What a wonderful venue this has been for my textile work.



For a poster of the upcoming show Core Matters: Farm and Food, click HERE . I am looking forward to showcasing my 'Creston Valley: Fruits and Berries Series'. Nine artist will be showing including Elaine and Andy Alfoldy, Karen Arrowsmith, Ute Bachinski, Eileen Gidman, Eileen Hirota, Sandi Kunze, James McDowell, and Carol Schloss.  Below are a sample of my Textile Art Series honoring the amazing growing capacity of our valley.

Red Currants, Peaches, Apples, Pears, and Apricots depicted in hand painted textile.

Art Walk 2014

Mike Poznikoff of Creston Card and Stationery http://crestoncard.com/ in front of his store.

This is my venue for Art Walk 2014 in Creston, BC for July and Aug. Thank you Mike for supporting the local artists!  Greeting cards by local artists are also available at the store.

'Grapes': Textile Art; painted by Eileen Gidman
Sample of my art work available at Creston Card and Stationery for Art Walk July & Aug 2014

Display panel for Art Walk. It is located right beside the checkout counter. My art work includes watercolour paintings, artisan pillows, mug rugs and hand painted fabric squares for framing or sewing. If you are in Creston in Aug come and check it out.



Need a present? Like something unique and locally made? These one of a kind textile art 'mug rugs' have been popular this summer. Women and men alike seem to appreciate them. Customers have told me they use them not only for a coffee cup but also a wine glass, reading glasses, cell phones and TV remotes. They are washable and keep in mind, they are easily mailed. Available at Creston Card and Stationery, this month only for $25.

Watercolour Paintings by Eileen Gidman. These are featuring birds and botanicals.

Cloth, Paper, Water: 3 Friends, 3 Mediums

If you are in Creston, BC July or August 2014, be sure to check out the 'Cloth, Paper, Water' art show at the library for Art Walk.  I am pleased to be showing with two other artists Laura Leeder and Win Dinn. You can also check out Laura's work here http://www.lauraleeder.com/  and Win's work here http://windinnart.blogspot.ca/ 

 

 



Win Dinn, Val van der Poel, Laura Leeder hanging the work.

There usually is a bit of nervousness as you hang an art show, as least there is for me. Each artist busily works away, alone, in their studio painting for months and then the day of 'true' comes when you have to,  get to, share your creations with the world.  

 



Thank you Val van der Poel, organizer for the art shows at the Creston Valley Library. Thank you Val for coming out to help us hang the art show for Art Walk. Val is currently showing at the Creston Chamber of Commerce and you can see her work here.  http://mellowood.ca/art/index.html

 

My (Eileen Gidman) textile paintings on the left and Win Dinn's mixed media paintings on the right.

My (Eileen Gidman) 'Rhododendron' textile painting on the left and Laura Leeder's water colour paintings on the right.

Laura Leeder, Win Dinn and me, Eileen Gidman
'Tomatoes on Textile' by Eileen Gidman on the left
Mixed Media by Win Dinn in the middle
Water colour by Laura Leeder on the right

This is what you will see as you enter the library. Art show hanging challenges: not only is that wall orange, it is also curved! I am also in another venue in Creston, but that will be for another post.

It is always relieving to have the art show hanging behind you so you feel like you can take the time to do something else sometimes. I had the pleasure of hiking in a new place, 'Parker Pass' on the weekend. Yes, we were so high that there were patches of snow still and because of that the alpine flowers are just coming out! If anyone knows that name of that flower, could you put a comment or send me an email at egidman@kootenay.com Thanks.

Note the four shades of blue in those distant mountains

Alpine Flower