Rituals - Kissing the Cat Goodnight

I'm thrilled and excited to have had my work accepted in Dinner at Eight Artists' juried invitational exhibit curated by Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal.  Here are the guidelines that were set out for the "Rituals" challenge:

"Rituals" An exchange between friends. A handshake. A kiss before bedtime. The artist at work. A sun salutation. The wave before boarding the school bus. A song, a word, a meditation. A habit, a custom. The traditional toast at a gathering. A rite of passage. The sacred moments of the ordinary.   Rituals:  What are yours?

The only other parameters were that the art quilts be in a 24" x 60" vertical format ... an unusual but exciting size with which to challenge myself.

My piece is called "Kissing the Cat Goodnight", and since the premiere of the exhibit will be in July at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA (and later at the IQF in Houston), here is a sneak-preview (detail) photo:

Kissing the Cat Goodnight - Detail

This is mostly a wholecloth piece, with a bit of applique and surface design.  I wanted a ghostly look for part of the quilt, so I used several very light washes of gesso over certain areas before quilting.  Both the girl's and the cat's faces were painted before being stitched.

Moore's Sewing Centers is our sponsor for Festival in Long Beach, and Havel's Sewing is sponsoring the exhibit for Festival in Houston.  Please show your appreciation by visiting their websites, when you get a chance.  I know we really appreciate them, for without sponsors, we wouldn't be able to exhibit in these internationally-recognized shows.