Change of plans.

I had planned to work on some other projects yesterday. But two boxes arrived that required attention. Flexibility is good, right?

I had been working on a few paper collages. Above, I’ve got them taped down to a thin sheet of plywood to keep the paper from buckling as I collage. Time to move, guys. I have a number of these wooden sheets in my studio and I use them as a moveable easels.

Here’s the first box that needed attention: five quilts returned from exhibiting at Florida CraftArt in St. Pete.

My normal procedure for shipping quilts is to roll them. In this case, because there were several, they stacked on top of one another and rolled as a unit.

I’m picky about two things in shipping works: First is building a strong box. I frequently cut down and reassemble shipping and storage boxes to create custom shippers just the right size.

The second thing I am picky about is instructions. I include instruction sheets on how to hang the works and how to re-pack them for return. I was grateful that the folks in St Pete did a nice job of repacking.

Thoughts about exhibiting: I apply to juried exhibits as often as possible. If I have work that’s appropriate for the exhibit theme and if my exhibiting budget isn’t all used up, I apply. I consider this to be part of my art life as a professional artist. I make work so that it can be seen. It sometimes happens that a work in an exhibit will sell to a patron. When that happens it is wonderful. But it does not always happen. The whole process of applying, showing, along with the logistics of shipping, is an investment.

How do quilts hang on the wall? This is a good opportunity to take a look at the back.

I create all of my quilts with a “D-Shaped” hanging pocket. This means that the pocket is constructed with a 1” basted tuck while I am sewing it on. This basted tuck is ripped out once the pocket is on the quilt, creating a pocket that is not flat and that has some give to it. It accommodates a hanging dowel without puckering out on the front.

The quilt back shown on the left is the way I now finish all my art quilts. I use a grey eco felt backing. I like the presentation and the weight when the work hangs.

In the middle of the hanging pocket I create a finished-edge oval shaped hole for a standard picture hanging D-Ring, attached to the hanging dowel, to show through. This construction makes the work easy to hang: just one simple picture hook. But the pocket could also accommodate a horizontal pole for hanging, as some exhibit spaces use.

Two of the quilts in this batch are finished differently. They were created several years ago. At that time, I usually painted muslin for the backs. And instead of a single pocket with a finished hole, I would make two separate pockets with a very slight gap between them. The D-ring on the dowel fits in the gap.

To store my quilts, I remove the dowels from the pockets and stack the quilts flat on a shelf. Shipping: rolled.  Storage: flat.

I get to look at them all again as I do this. When I get a chance to handle and re-visit my own work, I confess I like to spend a little time looking at each piece. I like remembering what I was thinking about. Sometimes I rediscover images I had not remembered.

This is “Secret Garden.”

I enjoyed revisiting this one. It has a very complex surface with a lot going on. I worked to unify the patterns and colors with a few big shapes and with photos (transferred to fabric) mixed in with other surface design methods. (You can learn more about Secret Garden on my website HERE.)

This is “Neither Up Nor Down.”

The main character in this one is the little girl in Mary Jane shoes who has appeared in a number of my storytelling quilts. This work also has a complex surface. I used a grid like a large window with panes to hold the sections together. And, I worked on contrasting the dark dark background with the lighter section where the girl is. (You can learn more about Neither Up Nor Down on my website HERE.)

The second box that arrived is a re-stocking order for my book of artwork with poetry: “It Was There I Believed.”

I’m happy to say that my inventory had been depleted. (Thank you patrons!) You can learn more about this book on my website HERE.

I now have books on the shelf ready to rock ‘n roll.

Looks like I stayed on task and got my worktable CLEAR!

Aaaahhhh! An empty studio. How appealing. Ready for a new project!

For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi

bobbi@bobbibaughstudio.com

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