Quilt National '21 is Coming to Connecticut

Congratulations to Catherine Whall Smith, whose quilt "Transfusion in Two Parts" will be on tour with Quilt National '21. 

The QN'21 tour is traveling in 3 collections. Cathy Smith's piece is part of Collection B which will be in Mystic, CT this March. The Mystic Museum of Art will host the exhibition from March 18 - April 17, 2022.  

Mystic Museum of Art
9 Water Street
Mystic, CT 06355

Artists from around the USA and around the world compete for a place in this prestigious exhibition of fiber art. Smith is the only artist from Connecticut in this year's QN show. Thank you for representing us so well, Cathy!

Next SAQA-CT Regional Meeting will be on ZOOM: Saturday, Feb 5, 2022

Please join us for our next SAQA-CT Regional Meeting!

After a great deal of soul-searching and discussion, Laura and Kathy have made the tough decision to hold the February 5th regional meeting virtually only. "We had the great hope of holding the meeting in person at the Guilford Art Center but it seems Omicron hasn't subsided to the point where many members feel safe." 

The meeting will still be held on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 10:00AM.
Check out the latest SAQA-CT Newsletter for Zoom ID and password.

Participate in a discussion on finishing your art quilts. Christina Blais, author of "The Finish Line" will be present to share information and samples from her popular newsletter series.
Bring your questions, thoughts and suggestions! 

image: "Connecticut: A Bit of Everything" by Ruth Anne Olson

Who Made a New Year's Resolution to Organize Their Studio?

Have you made a resolution to organize your studio or sewing space and you haven't gotten around to it yet? To paraphrase a familiar proverb, the best time to begin your New Year resolution was January 1st. The second-best time is right now.

Join the DECLUTTER CHALLENGE!

Karen Brown of "Just Get it Done Quilts" https://justgetitdonequilts.com says "Decluttering is all about getting stuff out of your space. That includes: 

• garbage
• broken and damaged items
• things that belong in other spaces in your home
• stuff that needs to be returned to a Sew Mate
• objects you no longer need, use or like
• things that no longer serve you
• and stuff that no longer makes sense in your space.

Already overwhelmed? Just take a deep breath and tell yourself 'You got this!' To set yourself up for success, try out my tips and tricks." 

Watch this before you begin the Declutter Challenge: 🧹BEFORE WE BEGIN - DECLUTTER CHALLENGE 2022 - YouTube

Then move on to the next organizational videos:

😱 ORGANIZE YOUR SEWING SPACE - PART 2 DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE - YouTube

✅ YOUR SEWING SPACE PART 3 - ORGANIZATIONAL ZONES - YouTube

Every day from January 1-21, Karen offers another helpful video and blog post, focusing on specific items. You can binge watch them or take a day at a time. The important thing is to make a commitment and set aside some time each day to declutter.

As Brown says in her first post, "These are meant to be short 15-30 minute bursts of decluttering. It's not a marathon. Decluttering is a cycle. We live in a time where material things (no pun intended) flow in and out of our lives. So if at the end of 21 days, you still have work to do, simply start again."

Remember to take BEFORE and AFTER photos of your studio or sewing space and send them to Kathy Nutley by the end of this month to be included in the February Newsletter!

Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome -- Juror Results and Other Updates

 

The Local Color Exhibition Committee would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter SAQA-CT's fifth regional fiber art show, Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome. We had the pleasure of seeing all the images come in during November. Everyone was impressed by the creativity and talent shown by our members. 

We received 60 entries. Our Juror, Anna Patalano, gave each one her thoughtful consideration and chose 35 pieces for the show. 

Congratulations to the artists whose work was chosen for this year's exhibition: Christina Blais, Lois Caron, Barbara Danzi, Tamar Drucker, Lin Elmo, Wendy Frieden, Rita Hannafin, Karen Kebinger, Evelyn Oliver Knight, Gail Kotowski, Clara Nartey, Kathy Nutley, Ruth Anne Olson, Margaret Phillips, Judy Ross, Catherine Whall Smith, Linda Stern, Kate Stiassni, Kate Themel, Carol Vinick, Mayann Weinberg and Diane Wright.

The show will premiere at the Guilford Art Center, located at 411 Church Street, Guilford CT, on February 4, 2022. It will be on display there until March 5, 2022.

Our CT Reps, Kathy Nutley and Laura Lugo are planning the next CT Regional meeting at Guilford Art Center on February 5, 2022. More details about the meeting will be included in the CT Newsletter and on this blog. Stay tuned! 

The exhibition will travel to Greenwich Art Society in May 2022 and the Windham Textile & History in August 2022. We hope you will visit the show while it is on tour. 

Thank you again for your support and for sharing your inspiring artwork. 

Sincerely,

The members of Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome exhibition committee,

Kate Themel, Manager

Margaret Phillips

Lynne Allen

Gina Frank

Christina Blais

 

 

Entries are OPEN NOW for Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome

Attention all SAQA-CT artists (and those who have CT as your 2nd region). I hope you had a great weekend and Happy Halloween! 

I know some of you early birds have already assembled 3 finished pieces for our CT Regional show, "Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome", and are ready to enter your beautiful work. 

You can enter your work NOW, through SAQA's online entry system.

https://www.saqa.com/events/local-color-connecticut-welcome-saqa-regional

And to all my fellow procrastinators, the online entry system will be open UNTIL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30th. 

Please don't wait until the last day, though! Get those entries in as soon as you can. If you have any questions or concerns about using the online entry form, you can contact the exhibition team at localcolor2022@gmail.com

For those of you who will be attending the SAQACT Retreat, there will be an opportunity to have your finished quilt digitally photographed. Retreat organizer Christina Blais will also be available to answer questions or help you enter your work online.

The theme of the show is "A Connecticut Welcome". Take that anyway you like. It may mean something different for everyone. You do not need to make a brand new piece for this show, although that is always fun to see. There is no age limit on submitted work, as long as it has never been shown in a SAQA-CT Regional show before.

Please review the prospectus if you need a reminder about the entry guidelines.

The Local Color show will premiere at the Guilford Art Center on February 4, 2022 and will travel to the Greenwich Art Society and the Windham Textile & History Museum throughout the year. More details about the show and related events will be posted on the SAQACT blog, Facebook page and the monthly newsletter.

I can't wait to see the exhibition in person.

Good luck everyone!

~Kate Themel

Exhibition Coordinator for Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome

Planning Committee Members:

Margaret Phillips

Lynne Allen

Gina Frank 

Congratulations to Rita Hannafin!

Fiber art by SAQA-CT artist Rita Hannafin is being featured in a four person show at City Gallery in New Haven, CT. 

In a bold new show of contemporary art, artists Judy Atlas, Joy Bush, Rita Hannafin, and Tom Peterson consider the SHAPE OF COLOR, a group show on view at City Gallery this summer. 

The show will run from Friday, July 9 through Sunday, August 8, with a Closing Reception on Sunday, August 8 from 1pm - 4pm. Visitors may meet individual artists on July 10 (Bush), July 11 (Atlas), July 16 (Peterson), July 17 (Hannafin), July 18 (Hannafin), and July 24 (Atlas).The exhibit is free and open to the public. 

City Gallery is located at 994 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Modified gallery hours are Friday - Sunday, 1pm - 4 pm, or by appointment. 

The number of visitors is limited to 4 at a time. All visitors are required to wear a mask and observe social distancing protocols. 

For further information please contact City Gallery, info@city-gallery.org, www.city-gallery.org.

SAQA CT Regional Meeting this Saturday!

DON'T FORGET:

• Our next Connecticut Regional Zoom Call on Saturday, May 1st
• The meeting will include a panel discussion about Critique Groups, led by CT artists Kate Themel, Sue Millen and Lina Lawall
• Check out the APRIL 2021 Newsletter for Zoom log in details

• Drop off your fiber art at Gallery 53 for the "Inches of Stitches" Textile show
• All entries must be “Ready to Hang”
• There are no size or date restrictions
• Mounted or sculpture in fiber is accepted
• Artwork does not have to be for sale. A 30% commission will be taken on sold items. Price on Request (POR) and Not For Sale (NFS) are acceptable entries. For further information about the show, call the Gallery at (203) 235-5347
• Entry fee: $15 for 2 entries
• Delivery dates & times: Friday, April 30th, 2021 12 – 4 pm and Saturday, May 1st, 2021 10 – 2 pm
• Reception: Saturday, May 8th, 2021 
• Pick-up: Friday, May 28th, 2021; Saturday, May 29th 2021
• Contact Information: Sandy Goodyear at GALLERY 53 / gallery53ct@gmail.com / 203.235.5347 53 Colony Street / Meriden, CT 06451 
• OPEN: Friday: 12- 4; Saturday: 10 - 2 Directions & hours: https://www.gallery53.org/direction-and-hours.html 

The SAQA CT Newsletter is full of great information about current and future events.  Here are a few highlights from the APRIL 2021 edition:

• Artist Spotlight: CATHERINE WHALL SMITH
• Information about the next CT Regional Retreat at the Incarnation Center, planned for November
• Critique Group resources at saqa.com
• SAQA CT Member News
• "The Finish Line" helpful tips to finishing quilts, by Christina Blais