more pics from the Opening

We had such fun at the Opening Reception of the Copper Shade Tree Gallery's month-long show for our Beyond the Borders fiber-art group that I have neglected to post pictures ... here they are, most of them courtesy of Cathy Winter and her trusty camera:


Barbara Jensen


Barbara Jensen, Liz Broussard, Nancy VerWest


Taking a group shot is like herding cats!


Me with two of my pieces ... "She Waits", the beaded icon behind my shoulder, and "Eve II", over my head.


Nancy Dickey


Connie Fahrion and her Guitar Festival fiber-art poster


Another effort at a group shot ...


Liz Broussard and her guacamole coffee filter piece, "Emergence of Spring"


Mary Ann Littlejohn and her Crazy About Round Top piece

Copper Shade Tree Gallery goes live on the Web!

Connie Fahrion, Debbie Tobola, Barbara Jensen, Susan King, Liz Broussard, and Nancy Dickey on the back row, and Gerald Tobola, Linda Minton, and Cathy Winter in the front.

Mary Ann Littlejohn must have been taking the picture!

Ready just in time for Opening Reception of the Beyond the Borders month-long show and sale at our beloved Copper Shade Tree Gallery, our friend Dave Hardin finished the new-and-improved website for the Copper Shade Tree, and went "live" with it on the web, including a very easy navigation system and a shopping cart! You can search by Artist, Category, Collection, etc. It's still a work-in-progress, but it is really beautifully done and easy to roam around. ("Try it, you'll like it!")

I'm very remiss in reporting this wonderful development, but have been recuperating from the rush of getting ready for the show, including a lovely beach-retreat with my traditional quilting friends. Now I'm back "in the groove" and hope to post a bit more regularly.

Thank you Dave and Denna Hardin, for the website and all the help at the Opening Reception, and thank you Gerald and Debbie Tobola, owners of The Copper Shade Tree Gallery, for the wonderful venue for our artwork.

Copper Shade Tree Gallery Opening

Our Beyond the Borders art-quilt group had the opening of our month-long show at the Copper Shade Tree Gallery (http://www.coppershadetree.com/) in Round Top, Texas this weekend, and it was an unqualified success. Here are a few of the pictures from the Opening Reception, more to follow when I get jpgs from friends' cameras.

Of course this is my favorite picture ... Karey Bresenhan attended the opening and I got this picture of the two of us together. Karey was beautiful and charming as always, and I was glad to meet her assistant Pam at last (although I don't seem to have a picture of her!)


Nancy Dickey


Sara Sissenwein and some of her fellow Retreat-ers came to the opening


Rex Watson and Nancy Dickey


Susan King


Admirers of Jo Sweet's delicate thread-paintings.


Rex Watson


Ann Schaefer and Connie Fahrion


Ann talking with Mike & Connie Fahrion


Kay Tobola, a fun and funny lady (Gerald's sister-in-law) who helped out during the opening weekend.

Some of my Collected Art

There has been a discussion for the last few days on the QuiltArt List about what kind of art we collect in our own homes, and some of us are taking pictures to share on our blogs. Here are some of the things I have collected over the past 4 or 5 years.


I guess I should start with my very first fiber-art purchase,
"Celestial Sussurations", by Alan R. Kelchner, above.


Tribal Mask by Scott Murkin.
I won this at the Silent Auction at the Houston International Quilt Festival, 2006.


St. Quilta Blesses My Studio, by Susan Shie. I bought this
when I took a class with her at QSDS, 2004.


House Doll by Suzanna Scott


Untitled, by Sylvia Weir. Beatiful thread-painting.


Collage July 31, by Virginia Spiegel


Mini-Facade 2, by Rosemary Claus-Gray (w/ reflection in mirror).
I just had to have it!


Winter Woodgrain, by Leslie Tucker Jenison
I bought this before Leslie and I even knew each other!


Moth #3 by Susan Fletcher King, and
Sunflower #6 by Virginia Spiegel.
Aren't they beautiful together?


Old Book Installation, LTM.
OK, technically this shouldn't be posted here, since I did it myself, but it shows the type of unusual stuff I like to put on my walls.


Oracle II by Joanie San Chirico, and
Untitled by Clara Aurora


Dream Dancer, by Jan Johnson
Love these exciting colors and wonderful thread-painting.



El Morro Ruins (a collage and encaustic piece) by Joanie San Chirico, and
Untitled Outsider Art - Copper Assemblage.



Earth Wind and Sky, by Judith Shamp.
I won this at an AIDS Foundation Art Auction.



Untitled by Karen Stiehl Osborn, and
Birthday Wishes by Clara Aurora


Running Free, by Larkin Van Horn
Larkin is my beading hero and mentor!


2 Untitled pieces by Debra Greenleaf Campbell, and Art Cloth by Jane Dunnewold.
I just had to have the Art Cloth when I was taking a 5-day workshop with Jane a couple of years ago. Cut into it? No way!


Study for Unbridled Passion, Denise Havlan.
This was the small study that Denise made for her larger "Unbridled Passion" that was an award-winning quilt at the 2006 Houston International Quilt Festival . I won it at the Silent Auction.

Small Jewels, by Fulvia Luciano



Birthday Greetings (paper collage) by Clara Aurora



Blomster, by Inge Reinholdt
Inge is my long-distance friend in Denmark. I love her threadwork!


Captured, by Clara Aurora and LTM
My friend Gloria (artist's name "Clara Aurora") created the center portion from captured real flowers, and gave it to me. I painted the canvas to complement and mount it on.



Shadows II, Connie Fahrion
I won this in one of Ami Simms' Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative auctions. Connie is also one of my very talented friends, so she was surprised when I showed up with her quilt!

Grey Tabby Cat - Varnished Watercolor on Yupo, Andy Mathis

Andy is an artist out of Georgia (www.andymathis.com), and I bought this original from his etsy shop (http://tinyurl.com/6f2fhp). The painting has a wonderful glow about it, and although small (6" x 6") never fails to be noticed by visitors to my home. I need to find a better frame for it.


Copper Mask, unsigned, and
The Silver Box, by Virginia Spiegel



Copper Assemblage Outsider Art, unsigned


Altered postcard by Debra Greenleaf Campbell



Dillon as Fallen Angel, by Alan R. Kelchner
I was amazed when Alan put this one up for sale, and I jumped on it!


Forestations 12 - Leaf Litter, by Alan R. Kelchner
I do seem to have a small collection of Alan's work!



Big Frog, by Anne Copeland
This friendly little guy greets me every morning, above my computer. I love him very much!