Pokey Bolton - Thoughts on Crafting A Life
Home
About
  • Home
  • About
Pokey Bolton - Thoughts on Crafting A Life
Uncategorized

Call for Entries! Celebrating Yvonne Porcella

A year ago, Yvonne came to my groundbreaking party in Napa. She had just gotten her nails done, and  she said to me, “This is a Groundbreaking Party, right? I just got a manicure, but I thought it was important to get my hands in the dirt…you know…to break the ground. I am willing to sacrifice my manicure, and get some dirt under my nails!” And then she walked up the hill to the dig site (escort in tow), came back, and put her dirt-ridden, yet freshly manicured hand in mine…

Hands

 

I introduce to you an exhibit to be held this fall:

Live Your BRIGHTEST Life: A Tribute to Yvonne Porcella

Whether you knew her or knew of her, Yvonne Porcella was one of the brightest lights in the quilt world.

Yvonne unabashedly loved color, whimsy, and was a person of incredible strength and fortitude. Having founded Studio Art Quilts Associates, exhibited in countless exhibits worldwide (including the Smithsonian), authored books, served on a number of boards, taught hundreds (possibly thousands) of students, she embraced every challenge with strength, wit, and humor. Not even a diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer, which she fought for six years, could slow her down.

Yvonne was a class act, and she knew what it meant to really live.

“Live Your BRIGHTEST Life: A Tribute to Yvonne Porcella” will be a featured art quilt exhibit hosted by Pokey Bolton at “Quilting in the Garden” at Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore, CA, September 24-25, 2016. With fabric and thread, this is your opportunity to celebrate an amazing icon in the quilt world, and convey what living a bright life means to you.

As part of this exhibit, we are asking quilt makers to include a written tribute to Yvonne and share how she has influenced your art our touched your life–whether you met her in person or not. This entry will be placed in a book and given to Yvonne’s family.

Quilt Entry Specifics:

  • Quilt Size: 18”(W) x 26″ (H) (You may submit up to two entries.)
  • Must include a sleeve for hanging and your information on the back.
  • 2 narratives: 1) Narrative explaining your quilt. 2) A tribute to Yvonne to be placed in a book for her family.
  • Digital Images (72 DPI) and accompanying narratives due: August 6, 2016, emailed to info@craftingalifellc.com. Subject to read: YVONNE PORCELLA ENTRY
  • You will be notified by August 12, 2016 regarding inclusion and given shipping instructions.
  • The quilt must be received by September 9, 2016 in order to be included in this exhibit.

 

You are invited to have your quilt for sale, all proceeds to go to her founding organization, Studio Art Quilt Associates.

Cheers to Yvonne, our collective, incredible mentor and friend…

Cheers Yvonne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2016by Pokey Bolton
FacebookTwitterPinterestGoogle +Stumbleupon
Uncategorized

Tribute to the Greatest: Yvonne Porcella

A year ago today, Yvonne Porcella paid me a great honor by coming to my art barn groundbreaking party on Valentine’s Day.

12741891_10206919636482005_347209915017283436_n

She had every excuse in the book to not make the two-hour drive from Modesto to Napa and back, and frankly, I was not expecting her. After all, she was deep in her fight against stage 4 cancer, but add to that, she had just fractured a couple of ribs by coughing a bit too hard during a recent chemo treatment. She was in a lot of discomfort, but she hid it very well behind her signature bright smile and her whacky sense of humor. Case in point: she gave me a housewarming gift that sits on my kitchen table today. Meet the “Thing:”

Thing

Yvonne has been one of my greatest mentors, and I had fun with her every time I was with her. She brought color, style, humor, and love wherever she went. When I didn’t know many people early on, she was the first to introduce me to important folks. She had numerous articles in Quilting Arts dating back to 2001. When I didn’t know a particular quilting technique, she would gently show me. My favorite tip to this day is that if the thread color on a satin-stitched binding isn’t perfect… heck, just take a Sharpie to it and color it in! She was practical without sacrificing her art. She committed herself to everything she did, wholeheartedly, and  I think we can all agree, she lived a very bright life.

 

IMG_1582

I spoke to Yvonne a couple of weeks ago and proposed an idea to her. Months ago Alex Anderson had invited me to be a participant in Quilting in the Garden at Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore this next September. It is a beautiful setting. Here’s a picture of Freddy Moran’s quilts hanging in the oak trees from last fall’s edition:

Freddie Moran's Quilts

There is a greenhouse towards the back of the nursery, protected from the outside elements that I told Cindy, the owner would be perfect for a small art quilt exhibit. Last month I spoke to Yvonne and offered up an idea to her: What about I host an exhibit at Quilting in the Garden and call it “Live Your BRIGHTEST Life: Yvonne Porcella style.” She agreed.

So on this Valentine’s Day, I invite you to think about a small quilt (more details later) to pay tribute to someone who has been so influential to so many. I love that this tribute to her will be housed in a greenhouse: a place where beautiful things first blossom and take shape.

As it’s Valentine’s Day, I am going to drive to the ocean, bring my “Thing” with me, and think about our special friend and mentor.

With love and gratitude for having known such a special person,

Pokey

 

 

pokey-bolton-yvonne-porcella

February 14, 2016by Pokey Bolton
FacebookTwitterPinterestGoogle +Stumbleupon

About Me

pokey-art-barn

Welcome. I’m Pokey Bolton, founder of Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines, and Founding Host of Quilting Arts TV on PBS. With my experience in publishing, media, events, and craft adventures (by land and sea), I fairly recently founded Crafting a Life, LLC...

...read more

Save

Save

Save

Save

Subscribe to this Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe and get email notifications when we post something new!

Recent Posts

  • Teaching Again & Microretreats in Napa
  • What it’s like to plan Craft Napa and why I’ve been MIA
  • February Swag Bag Giveaway!
  • Craft Napa 2019 Recap
  • My Top 3 for 2018 and Happy New Year!

Recent Comments

  • Cindylee on Teaching Again & Microretreats in Napa
  • Pokey Bolton on Teaching Again & Microretreats in Napa
  • Karen on Teaching Again & Microretreats in Napa
  • Norma P. Townes on What it’s like to plan Craft Napa and why I’ve been MIA
  • Pokey Bolton on What it’s like to plan Craft Napa and why I’ve been MIA

Archives

  • November 2019
  • June 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • July 2018
  • February 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012

Categories

  • Art Barn
  • Charity and Fundraising
  • Craft Napa
  • Crafting A Life
  • Indigo Dyeing
  • Pet Projects
  • Playful Fabric Printing
  • Pokey Bolton
  • Publishing
  • Q & A
  • Quilt Retreat
  • Quilt Studio Pets
  • Quilt Tutorial
  • Uncategorized

“I am Pokey Bolton, founder of Crafting a Life, LLC, Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines, and Founding Host of Quilting Arts TV on PBS. Welcome to my thoughts on Crafting a Life.”

© 2017 copyright Pokey Bolton All Rights Reserved