together we go

The SAQA Auction has started. 

A collection of 12' x 12' quilts all made and donated by members from across the globe are available for purchase. My piece "Together We Go" has drawn inspiration from my interest in exploring our local area and sketching. Pop across to the SAQA website and enjoy the full collection of art quilts.

inspirations behind my SAQA Auction donation

The journey for my SAQA auction piece "Enlighten" started with the above picture of a lantern. I had printed it onto black fabric. The black fabric had been firstly prepared with InkAid and printed using our inkjet printer. 

For sometime I've been gathering together a collection of images all loosely based around the idea of light / heat and the auction piece was the perfect opportunity to bring a few of these together.

 The above are just a few of the images I've taken and collected

Inspiration also came from the pages of an electrical textbook that my Dad used to complete his apprenticeship. I wouldn't like to wire a building with my creative interpretation of these important symbols but the shape & simplicity of the symbols was too inspiring not to incorporate.

Again using our inkjet printer I've printed several of the images onto cotton fabric and silk organza. Prior to printing, the fabrics had been prepared with either Bubblejet Set or Inkaid. The next step of the process is one of my favourite - laying out, sometimes dissecting and re-arranging - collaging the pieces together to form a new image / story.

Once I decide on a layout I fuse the pieces into place (using either Misty Fuse or Steam a Seam Lite 2) With everything in place it's time for quilting and on this occasion I've free machine stitched a few more of those electrical symbols. 

 SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) has an Auction of art quilts every year and this year Oceania Members contributed 32 pieces to the auction collection. In the lead up to auction commencement a few of us are sharing our behind the scenes inspirations / process towards creating our piece and these are being presented in the Oceania Blog Hop Several members have already shared their inspirations and coming up next week is 28th July Brenda Gael Smith 30th July Ruth de Vos 1st August Ali George the full list of members sharing their inspirations is here

Enjoy:)

The Oceania Collection Blog Hop

The SAQA Oceania Blog Hop starts this coming Tuesday 16th July, with artist Sue Dennis. Throughout the months of July, August & September twenty-five SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) members from the Oceania Region will sharing the creativity and inspirations behind our benefit auction quilts. I'll be sharing my story on the 26th July 2013 and here's 

the full list and links to fellow blog hop participants:

16 July Sue Dennis
18 July Caroline Sharkey
20 July Lisa Walton
22 July Lisa Repsevicius
24 July Averil Stuart-Head
26 July Me (Mel Forrest)
28 July Brenda Gael Smith
30 July Ruth de Vos
1 August Ali George
3 August Rasa Mauragis
5 August Alison Schwabe
7 August Maggie Gilbert
9 August Susie Cujes
13 August Linda Robertus
15 August Linda Stokes
17 August Robin McGrath
19 August Kate Oszko
21 August Felicity Clarke
27 August Jenny Bowker
29 August Sally Westcott
31 August Stephanie Newman
2 September Hilary Metcalf
4 September Buffy Beggs
6 September Helen Beaven

 

auction donation

Here's a picture of the quilt I've donated to the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Benefit Auction. I've been enjoying seeing the growing collection of donated quilts on the SAQA Website. I've called my piece "Enlighten" and it's on page 3a. Closer to the auction time members of SAQA who live in the Oceania Region will be doing a blog hop and we'll be featuring more information about our pieces. Once the hop starts I'll pop all the links to each artists blog in a post - I'm looking foward to seeing each artists story/inspirations.

A little closer to home is the international travelling SAQA Trunk Show - "This is a Quilt" which will be exhibiting later this month at Aliquilts Open Studio as part of the 2013 Scenic Rim Open Studio Program.

SAQA Oceania Studio Blog Hop

Throughout the month of May we've enjoyed virtual visits to the studios of fifteen SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) members who live in the Oceania Region. Each member shared photos/video of our creative spaces on our respective blogs - a studio blog hop.

Mel  Forrest (1st  May)

Sue  Dennis (3rd  May)

Lisa  Walton (5th  May)

Linda  Robertus (7th  May)

Dale  Rollerson (9th  May)

Averil  Stuart-Head (11th  May) 

Beth Miller (13th  May) 

Sally  Westcott (15th  May)

Ali  George (17th  May)

Pam  Holland (19th  May)

Felicity  Clake (21st  May)

Brenda Gael Smith (23rd  May)
Alison  Lawrence (25th  May) 
Jenny  Bowker (27th  May)
Sue  Domeney (29th  May)
Pop across and enjoy a visit to our studios

SAQA Studio Blog Hop

Today we can enjoy a visit into the creative studio space of artist Ali George. 

Ali along with Lisa Walton are the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Oceania Reps

on the 19th May enjoy a visit to the studio of Pam Holland 

studio blog hop

Throughout the month of May 15 SAQA (studio Art Quilt Associates) members who live in the Oceania Region will be sharing photos of the spaces that we use to create. These photos will be shared on our respective blogs - a studio blog hop. So far we have enjoyed a peak into the studios of the following members: 1st May - myself, 3rd May - Sue Dennis, 5th May - Lisa Walton and 7th May - Linda Robertus.

And coming up this week we can enjoy a peak into the following artist studios: 9th May - Dale Rollerson, 

11th May - Averil Stuart-Head, 13th May - Beth Miller, 15th May - Sally Westcott

Pop across and visit the studios

studio tour

Welcome to my studio

this wall is a combination of past works, current works and future ideas. 

As I collect images for a project I often stick them onto the wall, move them around, 

stick up notes, sketches etc so basically it's my live mood board. 

some of my supplies and where I hang works in progress

shift a couple of things around and add a few plastic drop sheets and
you have the wet area for painting/dyeing

 and when I'm wanting to temporarily spread out, I move the machine and iron into a room that 

we've converted to be a library & sitting area. I enjoy the view from this room as well

I really enjoy these two rooms

Throughout the month of May starting today 1st May and then every second day from there - 15 SAQA members who live in the Oceania Region will be sharing photos of the spaces that we use to create. These photos will be shared on our respective blogs - a studio blog hop. This week the artist studios being featured are 1st May - myself, 3rd May - Sue Dennis, 5th May - Lisa Walton, 7th May - Linda Robertus Each week I'll pop a list on my blog of who's going to be sharing their studio spaces.

SAQA - Brisbane gathering

Had a very enjoyable evening last Friday night, with a few SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) members. 

L-R Lisa Walton, Ali George, Brenda Gael Smith, Sue Dennis, me & Felicity Clarke
Lots of creative talk, including the Studio Blog Hop that will start on the 1st of May - love seeing peoples studio spaces and where all their wonderful pieces are created. I'll be popping the links on my blog.
Lisa and Ali are the current Oceania reps for SAQA.