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

March Newsletter is Here

What's New this Month?

SAQA-CT REGIONAL MEETING this Saturday! 

Guest speaker Kathy Bagioni will talk about her quilt series "Celebrating Women in the Arts" 

Check your email for Zoom ID and details

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Lynne Allen

Lynne shares examples of her work, a glimpse into her journey as an artist and her approach to art.

See the NEWSLETTER for more details

WELCOME NOTES: 👀 Look for the Local Color: A Connecticut Welcome logo for updates about the show.  

Find the prospectus on our blog -->

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 2021

April 15 - 25, 2021

For more details, visit: 

SAQA Conference - Oceans Apart, Connected by Art | SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates

SAQA SEMINAR 2021 explores the theory of color. Interviews, articles, lessons and creative challenges. Available only to SAQA members. 

Google ARTS & CULTURE Experiment

"The Sound of Color" explores artist Vassily Kandinski's synesthesia and play his pioneering masterpiece "Yellow-Red-Blue" with the help of machine learning. 

Visit: 

https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/sgF5ivv105ukhAhat

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION at the ZAHN GALLERY

Exhibition by Connecticut Women Artists

Feb 22 - May 14, 2021

Visit the gallery from the comfort of your own home! 

Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery // Middlesex Health

INCHES OF STITCHES exhibition at GALLERY 53

Planned for May 2021

Opening Reception on May 8, 2021 (Depending on COVID safety protocols)  

You may drop off artwork at the gallery on April 30 or during the SAQA-CT regional meeting on May 1 if you wish

More details to follow, visit Gallery 53

80 @ 80 Exhibition by Phyllis Small

In celebration of turning 80 years old this year, Phyllis will be exhibiting 80 artworks

Windsor Art Center

March 20 - May 1, 2021

Windsor Art Center – A Place for the Visual and Performing Arts

What's In the February Newsletter? Check it out!

As always, our CT Reps Kathy Nutley and Laura Lugo have produced a monthly newsletter full of information, updates and of course, color!

These are just summaries of what's included in the newsletter. For more details, go to our NEWSLETTER page and click on FEBRUARY 2021

WELCOME NEWS:  Local Color 5!

The SAQA-CT Exhibition Team is excited to announce plans for the fifth CT Regional Show, "LOCAL COLOR: A Connecticut Welcome"

Here are the details that have been confirmed:

• The show will be juried. Entries will be open to SAQA members who reside in CT or list CT as their secondary region.
• Artwork that has been accepted into a previous SAQA-CT exhibition will NOT be eligible.
• 3D work and framed work WILL be eligible, however the artist may be required to provide storage and/or transportation for pieces that cannot be rolled or transported easily.
• Members of the Exhibition Team include: Kate Themel, Margaret Phillips, Lynne Allen and Gina Frank. Christina Blais is on board to lead workshops on finishing quilts and hanging systems for interested artists. As we identify needs and define the workload, our team is sure to expand.
• We have one venue confirmed. The Guilford Art Center will host the exhibition in February-March of 2022. We expect more venues will be added.

Stay tuned for more information about our juror, entry requirements and general timeline of events. Look for updates here in the monthly newsletter and on our SAQA-CT Facebook page. Please spread the word!

If you have questions, suggestions or would like to offer your help with the show, feel free to contact the exhibition team via email: localcolor2022@gmail.com

Don't forget to send YOUR news and updates to Kathy Nutley and Laura Lugo, so they can spread the word in the next SAQA-CT Newsletter! 

 

Break Time is Over. Welcome Back!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Hope you had a wonderful, creative holiday season. Best wishes for health and happiness in the new year.

SAQA Connecticut is starting things off right, with an invitation to re-connect with friends. Creative challenges, virtual classes and Zoom meetings are some of the ways you can participate and keep in touch with other artists. Here are some examples:
(You can find more details on the SAQA-CT Newsletter )

• Please join us for our next regional meeting, this Saturday January 9, 2021. The meeting will feature guest speaker Diane Cadrain, who will share her expertise in creative felting.
   
• Can't make the regional meeting? SAQA-CT members meet via Zoom every Wednesday and Friday to talk and catch up. Join "This and That Chit Chat" on Wednesdays at 10AM or the "SAQACT Happy Hour" on Fridays at 5PM
  
  
• Connecticut Piecemakers Quilt Guild is offering virtual classes and workshops to members and non-members. Contact Laura Lugo for more info or to register for a class motuk123@gmail.com
  
  
• Lynne Allen is collecting 8x8 squares for the "Violet Protest" quilt challenge. Check out www.violetprotest.com for more details
  
  
• Several Calls for Entry are listed on the www.saqa.com website. Find out if one of them speaks to you as an artist, and enter your work
  
  
• The next SAQA Trunk Show will be accepting new pieces in March 2021. 

Regional Meeting this Saturday

Find out what’s happening in CT and meet Laurie Russman who will be sharing how you can use ProCreate and the Cricut machine to enhance your art quilts. View her work at https://neonkittyquilts.com/2020/08/13/cricut-maker-procreate-%e2%9c%a8/

SAQA CT Regional Reps, Laura Lugo and Kathy Nutley, are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting: Topic: CT Regional Meeting November 2020 Time: Nov 7, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Check your SAQA-CT email for the Zoom link and password   A frequent teacher at IQF’s Open Studios and the beloved City Quilter in NYC, Laurie appeared in Series 2000 and 2100 of Quilting Arts TV on PBS. Laurie is a regular contributor to Quilting Artsand Art Quilting Studio magazines and is a featured artist in Quilted, Volume Q of the Uppercase Encyclopedia of Inspiration. Her art quilts have been juried into International Quilt Festival in Houston, AQS QuiltWeek Paducah and the National Juried Show at Quilt Canada. Laurie is a two-time Aurifil Artisan, devoted MistyFuse fan and frequent collaborator with Windham Fabrics. She blogs frequently about projects featuring these amazing threads, fabrics and effects made possible by the best fusible web! She is a former board member of the Quilt Alliance and is an enthusiastic member of SAQA. Laurie lives Connecticut with her husband, angelic German Shepherd Dog, and three mischievous felines. See you there!

Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. · PO Box 141 ·

Don't Miss This Month's Spotlight Artist Diane Cadrain

 

Read about our Spotlight Artist and other news and events on the SAQA-CT November Newsletter!

Artist Spotlight: Christina Blais

She's a former SAQA-CT Rep, a prolific artist and the founder of SAQA-CT's yearly retreat. Learn more about Christina Blais in the OCTOBER 2020 Newsletter.

Living in a Virtual World

We are living in strange, isolating times but SAQA-CT is still here for you. Many of our events and exhibitions are digital and virtual, but there is still a lot happening in Connecticut.  You can keep in touch with our members and upcoming fiber art news via email, Facebook, and the SAQA-CT Newsletter.

If you haven't caught up in a while, our previous newsletters are stored on this blog. Have any news to share? Contact your regional reps, Kathy Nutley and Laura Lugo.  Please use those colorful fiber art masks and stay safe everyone

This month's ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Kate Themel

Don't Miss the SAQA-CT Newsletter

Check the link on this blog for the latest SAQA-CT Newsletter

AUGUST 2020 is full of great information about exhibitions, meetings, publications and more. 

Don't miss the ARTIST SPOTLIGHT featuring Sally Rogers. Her life experiences and artist perspective will inspire you!

Excerpt from the newsletter, TIME SENSITIVE:

Drop off for artwork at Gallery 53 is today and tomorrow!

New Book by SAQA-CT Artist Dawn Allen

Attention cat lovers, practitioners of meditation and fans of fiber art! SAQA-CT artist Dawn Allen has published a new book

The Art of Meditating with Cats features 27 colorful, whimsical fiber art quilt cat portraits and over 20 heartfelt meditations for all humans to enjoy. 

Written and illustrated by well-known animal communicator, author, and artist, Dawn Allen.

This book offers the calming benefits of meditation and enhances the already close bond people have with their cats. 

Each meditation includes a fun, colorful illustration of a cat and clear instructions for different meditation themes and techniques. It is an uplifting book.

The Art of Meditating with Cats is available on Amazon and on Dawn's website dawnallen.net

VIsit the LOCAL COLOR Exhibition as a Gallery Guest

Here's your chance to explore Local Color 4: Rails, Roads & Rivers at the Windsor Art Center. This exhibit has been extended until June 27, 2020. The Windsor Art Center is currently accepting guests into the Gallery by appointment only What does this mean?  If you’d like to see this extraordinary exhibit, simply call Willa Nemetz at (860) 841-0368 or send an email to willanemetz@comcast.net  Let them know which day/time you would like to visit (please choose from the days/hours below).  Gallery visits will be scheduled in 1/2 hour increments and are limited to groups/totals of five or fewer people. · Thursdays from 6 PM to 8 PM · Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM · Sundays from 11 AM to 4 PM They will get back to you and confirm the time and date of your visit. For more information, please visit the Windsor Art Center at http://www.windsorartcenter.org/

Artist Spotlight: Meet Phyllis Small

"The Artist Spotlight" is a new feature on the SAQA-CT blog. 

During this pandemic, we are all trying to stay safe and keep others safe. Social distancing and avoiding large groups make it impossible to hold regional meetings for now. As artists, we often find ourselves isolated in the studio. So maybe we are better prepared to shelter in place. But that doesn't mean we don't miss our regional get togethers! It's important to keep in touch and stay connected as a group. But for now we'll need to find creative ways to do that without seeing each other in person.

Check in with us at least once a month, to get to know your fellow CT artists. We will highlight one artist at a time, sharing their thoughts and photos of their work. All interviews will be saved on the "Artist Spotlight" page of this blog, so you can easily find them. 

Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

From your SAQA-CT Reps

Kathy Nutley

Kate Themel

To kick off this new tradition, please welcome Phyllis Small, from West Hartford, CT

(This interview is featured in the June 2020 Newsletter)

Check Phyllis' Facebook page to view her "Quarantine Quilts":

https:www.facebook.com/phyllis.small.9

Connecticut Hang-A-Quilt Day - June 20, 2020

Bring Some Art and Color to your Neighborhood on Connecticut Hang-a-Quilt Day

This community building event is sponsored by the Farmington Valley Quilt Guild. 

You can participate simply by hanging a quilt outdoors on that day. It can be in your front yard, in a park, at a local business, with a sign or not. You can hang it from a tree, a fence, a gate, a rail, a chair, a clothes line, or any other creative way you can think of.

Take a photo of your quilt outdoors and send it to SAQA-CT Rep Kathy Nutley at: knutley1223@gmail.com and they will be posted on this blog.

Be inspired by the 100+ photos of the 2019 Hang-a-Quilt Day posted on Instagram and Facebook #CTHangAQuiltDay  Let’s share our wonderful art form!

Rain date June 21, 2020

Windsor Art Center Reception CANCELLED

The WAC opening reception for Local Color 4: Rails, Roads, and Rivers, originally scheduled for March 21, 2020, has been cancelled due to concerns about Coronavirus.      

At this time we are being told that the exhibit will go on and the WAC will remain open during its normal operating times.   The public is invited to visit during those times.