Good morning, New York!

Hello! I hope everyone is having a lovely summer! It's been a while since the last blog post, but that is because there is a LOT going on in the ArtHouse! This year I decided to join in on the 7th annual Cherrywood Challenge, an international art quilt contest hosted by Cherrywood Fabrics. Cherrywood makes beautiful hand dyed cottons with a sueded finish. Quilters buy curated Cherrywood fabric bundles and design 20" x 20" quilts based on the theme prompt, provided by Cherrywood. This year's theme was graffiti.

The piece above was inspired by the striking view of the New York City skyline from Liberty Island. It is based on the below photo I took in 2019. The graffiti style is a perfect match to illustrate the vibrancy and vitality that flows through every part of the City, and the opportunity and hope each new day brings to the lives of the millions of people who live, work, and visit. The skyline has changed dramatically over the course of history, and even throughout my lifetime. It was a pleasure to produce this piece and I'm thankful to Cherrywood Fabrics for providing us with the theme that led to its creation!

Another favorite NYC destination is New York Botanical Garden. The Garden always hosts stunning events, highlighted by the flora that grows throughout its 250 acres. A few years ago I visited in the springtime and took several photos of seasonal blooms. Below is my denim rendition of a peony I photographed during that trip.

My use of denim was the result of a challenge by my guild to create a piece inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso. I chose his Blue Period. It seemed like a great way to do the peony project I wanted to do while matching it with the prompt. Also, the pieces of this quilt were designed to fit together like a puzzle, so the thickness of the denim helped achieve that technique.

So what happens with these pieces once they are created? The "Good Morning, New York," piece made it as a finalist in the Cherrywood challenge. She was shipped off to Minnesota at the beginning of June and I won't see her again until 2024! She and ~187 of her friends will make their way into various Cherrywood exhibits. Stay tuned for more info. on my events page.

"Denim Peony," is showing at the Guilford Free Library in Guilford, CT, along with many other Picasso inspired quilts made by Shoreline CTMQG Quilt Guild. The quilts will be on display in the library until July 30th, 2022.

I hope you have some time to visit someplace inspirational this summer. Until next time, happy stitching!

- Liz