BitterSweet Challenge

Our latest challenge was revealed at our July meeting. The theme was "Bittersweet." The following picture was chosen by Emmie Seaman who said we could be inspired by the picture/design, the colors, or the word bittersweet.

Here is a mosaic of all of the 12 x 12s. Then they follow individually.

 

Mother's Day Gift - Maureen Ashlock

These Lilies were given to me  by my Grandsons on Mother's Day and they bloom around that day each year. I  collaged three photoshop pictures  together to make the 3 D design.

Bittersweet - Lettie Blackburn

Since I love both painting and art quilting, I decided to combine them...

and 12x12 is a good way to experiment!

Jake - Carol Bormann

The image, based on a photo by Susan Brown, shows her son immersed in a ball pit. The colors of the balls were altered to mimic the cluster of bittersweet. The technique is photo transfer and appliqué with quilted accents. 

I really enjoyed this challenge. Actually, I have had a lot of fun with exploring new avenues with all of our challenge pieces. The process is a great idea.

Butterflies and Bittersweet - Dianna Callahan

Emma - Cathy Jeffery

It is so bittersweet to have a kitty for 18 years and have to say goodbye.

Bittersweet At Night - Kathy Kansier

My 12 x 12 Bittersweet quilt portrays a basket of Bittersweet branches.  I think of the plant as one often used in folk art and it seemed right to show it in this way. I arrived at my title because I stayed up all night making this the night before it was due.

Bittersweet - Lily Kerns
My "Bittersweet" piece will serve as a class sample for five different classes:  "Stained Glass Techniques";  "Abstracting from Nature";  "Designing for Foundation Paper Piecing"; and "Almost Mondrian".  I will also adapt it for an Ozark Garden block.

Bittersweet - Donna Olson

Waiting - Roberta Raney
"My bittersweet quilt is a photo of my mother in 1952 superimposed on a picture of bittersweet.  My mother is wearing my father's Army jacket as she awaits his return from Korea.  He died in Korea shortly after this picture was taken."  I must say this little quilt is much more bitter than sweet but 'tis what it is.

Pixeled - Sheryl Schleicher
I laid a grid on the photo and then did an abstract pixel of each square using the grunge fabrics.  It was a lot of fun to do and definitely a technique I will use again just for the sheer fun of it.  Fun to quilt, too!

Bittersweet Abstract - Emmie Seaman
The background is a mosaic of torn and cut squares and rectangles of fabric, then quilted to hold them down. The two blue lines and the circles are fused on top with some decorative stitching and beads added.

Bittersweet Memories - Lucy Silliman
I returned to a style of design that I used for many of my pieces that went to judged shows.  Since I’ve given up showing, it’s a little bitter, but sweet in that I’ve moved on to other things.

Blue Grid  - Diane Steffen

Night Shade - Merrilee Tieche
I believe the 12 x 12 format is perfect for trying out new techniques as well as inspirations.  Nightshade incorporates several layers of paint, writing and fabric, giving the 2 dimensional surface more depth.

Entering Juried Exhibits

ENTERING JURIED EXHIBITS




The basics:

1. Have a body of work ready to exhibit (4-12 pieces)

2. Determine a yearly budget for entry fees, insurance, shipping, and travel.

3. Decide which types of shows you will enter.

4. Locate calls for entry.

5. Prepare a calendar for the exhibit year.



1. You will need a cohesive body of work that shows your current style and technique. Choose a theme or technique that may make your work unique from that of others. Highlight what you love to do best and you are expert at doing. Don’t be discouraged if a juror doesn’t pick your art piece for the exhibit. The next juror may give you an award in an upcoming show.

2. Be prepared to pay to enter and don’t expect to win awards. To pay an entry fee, then to pay insurance, and shipping and handling both ways if your work is accepted, will easily cost $50. If you travel very far to drop off the entry, then attend the reception later, your cost will be considerably more. Your non-refundable entry fee alone will run $15 - $40 for anywhere from one to three works. If you are paying $30 - $40 you will want to enter the maximum number of pieces, although it is rare for an artist to get all three accepted since there will be so much artwork for the juror to choose from. Ship your work where it is convenient for you unless the call for entry tells you specifically to send UPS. The post office may be a more convenient option than UPS or Fed x.

3. There are always several local galleries holding periodic juried exhibits. You can drop off, pick up, attend receptions and view the exhibits easily. If you decide to exhibit farther away, you may choose gallery shows that will run for a month. You can choose to exhibit in Expos and fairs that run only a few days, or shows that travel up to a year. Other opportunities are group exhibits and solo exhibits.

4. To learn about where to exhibit, contact a local group or get info from your art friends, search the internet to get on some mailing lists, or search the exhibit entry section of topic related magazines. When you find an entry that you like, read the form thoroughly to determine if your work can qualify and if you can meet all of the deadlines and comply with criteria. Most current methods of entry for non-local exhibits are sent on CD or e-mail. Locally, you will just drop off the form with the artwork. Be sure to always keep copies of all paperwork.

5.Keeping track of even a few shows may require you to have a running calendar. For example, during August, you may have an entry deadline for one show, a ship date to another, a reception, or a work return date, etc. Most shows cover a three to four month span from the date of entry deadline to the date the shown work is returned to you. If a work isn’t accepted in a juried exhibit, you can then enter it in the next upcoming exhibit. Remember, some shows may have so many entries that the juror will only pick 20% of them for exhibit. It is very important that you don’t commit a piece to a new show while it is still in a current one. Also, if the piece sells, you won’t want it entered into a new show.


If the artwork doesn’t sell, plan on showing it as many times as you want over a two or three year period before “retiring” it, gifting or donating it. Remember, it is unlikely that the same people in Lowell will see the piece again in Wichita or Springfield.

Dianna Callahan