SAQA Benefit Auction: Have you Donated a Quilt?

Connecticut artists are answering the call for donations in SAQA’s 2012 Benefit Auction.  Deadline is June 1, 2012.

Jennifer O’Brien celebrates her first time participating in the auction with Show Off, Not Interested, as does Margaret Phillips with her first donation Purple Kimono.  Diane Wright leads the veterans with her 6th annual contribution, Another Collector.

Take a look at some of the beautiful quilts donated by our fellow Connecticut artists!  If you have sent in a donation but it is not yet shown on the SAQA website, please leave a comment or contact Kate Themel to add an image of your quilt to our blog.

(from left: Georgia Heller, Mayann Weinberg, Betty Warner, Jennifer O’Brien, Norma Schlager, Gail Kotowski, Catherine Smith, Diane Wright, Debbie Bein, Kate Themel, Carol Eaton and Margaret Phillips)

You can see many of the donated quilts now on SAQA’s website: http://www.saqa.com/gallery-mini-detail.php?ID=2053
More are being added each day.  Keep an eye out for your favorites. Bidding starts in September!

Shoreline Spring Festival Tomorrow! (Madison, CT)

SAQA-CT artists Gail Kotowski and Debra Bento will be showing quilts and fiber art at the Shoreline Spring Festival this Saturday May 19th at Madison Green in Madison, CT.

The festival includes art, handmade crafts, jewelry, music, fresh local food from the farmers’ market and more.

Don’t' miss this ONE DAY arts & crafts event!

Saturday from 10am – 4pm

More information:
http://www.shorelineunitarian.org/suus/npo.jsp?pg=detail44

Solo Exhibition of Fiber Art by Diane Cadrain at UCONN Health Center (Farmington, CT)

(image: Many Colored Polypores by D.Cadrain)

SAQA artist Diane Cadrain has 15 pieces of fiber art at the University of Connecticut Health Center, for her solo show Twigs and Tides. The exhibition will be on display in the Main and Mezzanine lobbies from now until August 1, 2012.

RECEPTION
Thurs, July 12, 2012
4:30--6 PM

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER
263 Farmington Ave
Farmington, CT

One half of all the proceeds of sales from this show will be donated to Partners in Health, providing medical care for the poorest of the poor in earthquake- and cholera-ravaged Haiti.  Visit http://www.pih.org/ for more information.

For a peak behind the scenes, visit Diane’s blog: http://stitching-it-all-together.blogspot.com/2012/05/hanging-my-show-twigs-and-tides.html

 

Diane Cadrain’s Work Inspires Japanese Congregation

When Diane Cadrain was commissioned by United Methodist Church of Hartford to make 3 art quilts, she did not expect her work to be seen by people of faith 6000 miles away.

“An image of my quilt, Bearing the Fruit of Peace and Justice, prepared on a commission from the United Methodist Church of Hartford, will be used to publicize a special event on May 20, 2012, at the Senzoku Church, Tokyo Japan.

This happened when an elder of the church, Kenji Ishii, found my image on the web and asked permission to use it in posters at the local public transit station and as handouts. The speaker at this event, Rev Tobo, is an ex-chaplain of Aoyama Gakuin University, a prestigious private university in Tokyo. His message title is "Life of hope," taking its inspiration from Psalm 1: " He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."

This is what the posters will look like. The English half was put together for my information...the actual posters will be all in Japanese.”
Excerpted from Cadrain’s blog:
http://stitching-it-all-together.blogspot.com/

(translated into English)

Congratulations, Diane!

“Gone to the Dogs (and Cats and Birds)” at Guilford Art Center

(Image: Percy by K.Loprete)

SAQA-CT member and animal lover Karen Loprete is one of the artists participating in the Guilford Art Center’s Gone to the Dogs (& Cats & Birds…) exhibition.  She will have 5 pieces on display and for sale to benefit the Connecticut Humane Society.

The show runs May 4 – June 24, 2012
Opening Reception on Friday May 4, 5-7 PM

Guilford Art Center
411 Church Street
Guilford, CT

More about the Event:

Exhibit/sale featuring crafts and art works in all media intended for, or inspired by, man’s best friend and all beloved pets. A portion of proceeds from sales of works will benefit the Connecticut Humane Society.

• Fine art & objects inspired by pets: paintings, sculptures, mixed-media
• Pet-shaped/inspired items: cutting boards, mugs, plates, jewelry
• Handmade accessories: collars, leashes, coats
• Functional items: wooden dog houses, pottery food bowls, bird cages, pillows, beds, pet portraits & more.

A portion of proceeds from sales of works will benefit the Connecticut Humane Society.  Please feel free to bring an item of pet food to donate!

Admission to the Mill gallery is always free.
Gallery Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10am-4pm, Sunday, 12-4pm.