Art quilter Debra Kay

I finally have some art quilt news to blog about, thanks to an email from an artist from Maricopa, AZ, named Debra Kay! She has been following my blog and emailed me to let me know she would be teaching a workshop in Tucson and could we meet up during a break in the class. Of course!

Check out her story and art at

www.debrakay.art

The four-day workshop was at a place in the Tucson Mall called CATALYST Collaborative Arts & Maker Space about-catalyst.html, which was also new to me. Here's a photo of some of her students in the fabulous, colorful classroom. Besides offering classroom space, Catalyst provides space for art exhibits, concerts, a teaching kitchen, art and digital art studios, a robotics and engineering lab, a community room and more. I'm so glad Debra put it on my radar. 

But back to Debra. Her workshop taught 12 art quilt techniques, which were worked on six reversible panels that were attached accordion style. I think it's an ingenious way to present the teachings. Here are some closeups of what she taught:

The panel above features the skeleton of a prickly pear cactus pad that she varnished.

Her panels were in fall colors and used techniques such as couching, beading, hand embroidery, reverse appliqué and more. The other students were having fun with their own colors and unique found objects that were incorporated into their pieces.

I didn't take a lot of pictures because  they had to get back to business, but check out Debra's website to see more of her art and classes.

Have a colorful day

My boy visited!!!

My son, Keith, visited me this past week from Madison, Wisconsin!!! It was the first time he's been to my Tucson house since I moved here two years ago and it was wonderful to have him here.

After I picked him up at the airport, our first stop was for lunch on the outdoor patio at CharroVida, a healthful Mexican restaurant that features vegan and vegetarian options. 

Then it was a hike a day for five days! We hit the trails at Catalina State Park (twice), Sabino Canyon, and the Linda Vista Loop (twice). 

He also fixed some cracks in the house, changed a furnace filter that was so high on my bedroom ceiling that we had to buy an eight-foot ladder, and fixed an issue on my iPhone so that I'm finally able to play music from it through my car while it's charging. And now I can charge the phone while the navigation voice is on, which it wouldn't do before.

The water in the desert is at Sabino Canyon, where snow melt is feeding the stream.

The palm trees were my view from the car as I waited for him in the airport's cell phone lot. I still have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming about living with palms and blue skies.

The first night we watched the sunset from my front porch, where he climbed up on the wall to get a better photo. I wish he was still here, but he promised to come back again next year. 

Have a colorful day

More spirit dolls for sale

My spirit dolls are finally taking off at the gallery (Absolutely Art Gallery and Gifts in Catalina), so I just made a few more. 

And here are five that I'm selling through the blog for $30, which includes shipping. If interested email me at sherriequilt.yahoo.com. They're 6-9 inches wide and about 11 inches high, plus the length of the yarn hanging from the bottoms.

"Dawn Spirit"

"Earth Mother"

"Spirit of the Southwest"

"Night Guardian"

"Twilight Spirit"

Here are the ones I just made for the gallery. They're bigger and cost more:

After making embellished bodies from my hand painted fabric, I select eye beads and decide on yarn for the hair.

Here's the finished green and blue one, called "After the Monsoon" because that's when the desert greens up and there are pools of water.

This next one is "Desert Blues." I decided to skip the hair and just use feathers on it.

I took the next two, representing twilight and desert heat, up to the gallery last week.

They're all inspired by the beautiful colors of nature in Arizona, like the sunset this week from my front porch ...

... and the next morning's sunrise from my back yard.

Have a colorful day

Feet and Forks visit Tucson!

My Feet and Forks friends from Gig Harbor, WA, visited me last week and we walked and ate and walked and ate and walked and ate!!! We started walking and then going out for lunch 12 years ago, then I moved to Tucson two years ago and I've really missed them. It was so much fun to have them here all camped out in my house in the sun (except for one rainy day).

Here are some places we walked:

Catalina State Park

Sabino Canyon

Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum

Desert Museum

Happy javelinas at Desert Museum

Tohono Chul Gardens

Ted DeGrazia's Gallery In the Sun

Happy Saguaro Mexican shop

And here are some places we ate:

Guadalahara's on Oracle

Churros at La Hacienda

Mexican at La Hacienda

Happy hour at home (above and below)

Four kinds of fries at Zinburger's

 Bake case at Kneaders

We bought Chunky Cinnamon and Churro breads

Have a colorful day

Tohono Chul with Nancy

Nancy is visiting from Gig Harbor and we went to the Tohono Chul gardens two days in a row. Besides fabulous desert gardens, there are three really good gift shops and an art gallery.

Here she is in front of a wall with a nice saying about nature.

There are some real architectural gems here, with old stucco and bright walls.

I'm also inspired by the doorways, arches and seating areas. I'd love to try some of these ideas in my back yard.

 

There is a lot of outdoor art ...

... as well as indoor art.

It's been such a relaxing two days at the gardens, in addition to trips today to a quilt store and needlework/gift shop. Tomorrow Joyce and Kandi will join us for a reunion of the Feet & Forks!!!

Have a colorful day