I began teaching for the first time in more than five years this past month.  It felt SO fantastic to teach again after so long! This was the first time I taught in my own barn, and after doing it once (thankfully with success) I plan to teach several micro retreats next year here.

Last month I taught a two-day class on layered surface design techniques including indigo and shibori, deconstructed screen printing, Gelli-plate mono printing, and Thermofax screen printing. Below are my class samples I had posted to promote the workshop:

Some student work below. (They got inventive about where the fabrics could dry.)

More work:

Gina Lee Kim had worked back into her fabric with screen printing with fig tree leaves she found at my place:

Fabrics drying on my porch, getting ready for the second round of surface work:

I limited this first class to five students, and it was a great crowd!

I made a small scrap quilt using some of my samples:

All in all, a fun time, and I am planning my next surface design retreat retreat (limited to seven students) for March 21-22, 2020. Meanwhile, there are a lot of classes being offered at Craft Napa 2020 that still have some spots! All of the Craft Napa workshops can be found here.

Hope everyone is enjoying a fantastic November!

~Pokey

Oh what a year… I have a lot of numbers and thoughts about 2018, but I am winnowing down to three numbers, three big accomplishments and events:

6

The number of quilts and pieces of art I made in 2018–all made and given away to children, baby quilts, to charity, and loved ones. I planned on twice this number but hey…I got to six! Here’s one, and the recipient, my best childhood friend’s youngest child’s “baby quilt.” (It was a little overdue, but we all had a good laugh about it.)

$4000

The amount raised for the first CRAFT NAPA Stay Pawsitive fundraiser for Friends for Life animal shelter in Houston for Hurricane Harvey victims. We are on fundraiser #2 for the Paradise Fires victims…so if you want to make something, click here! We have more than a week to create and accepting donations!

And my most important number.

My Number 1:

Dorothy Bolton.

I lost my mother-in-law in August. She has been a mother in every way to me since I was 19, and I was fortunate to be able to have a bed-side conversation and say goodbye before she passed away this past August. We had a pretty heartfelt but funny conversation that day. And I will always be grateful for this final time together. I can’t say I have been totally right since, and I may never be. But I am so grateful for all she taught me and for having her in my life.

After she passed away, a few health issues happened in my own biological and extended family, and it has been a challenging second half of the year.

And so here is my wish for 2019: for all those who have had a hard year, for those who have lost loved ones, and those trepid to go into the new year, let’s step into it together, and  support each other. And let’s be grateful for those who have loved us and taught us to be gentle and loving human beings.

In memory of Dot.

Happy New Year,

Pokey

I hope everyone had a wonderful family-filled and friend-filled Thanksgiving! Mine was very low-key, which was exactly what I wanted.

The fires in Northern CA have left us all speechless. Quilters have been wanting to figure out how to help…can they make quilts for people? Well, some 14,000 residences are lost, so multiply that by the people who are still displaced and have no home to go to and currently living in shelters or temporary housing. Money is what is needed and will be for the foreseeable future. So what can quilters and artists do right now? One option: maybe spend a little time making something that we can raise $ for at Craft Napa, about 100 miles away from Paradise, CA. We have been really successful raising money in the past, and if we can raise a few thousand bucks at our retreat…it is something.

Many families have surrendered their pets to Wags and Whiskers in Chico, CA, which is overwhelmed at the moment trying to take in pets that were lost/found after the fires, and those newly homeless who surrendered their pets because they can’t care for them anymore.

So here is what I am proposing:

The Stay Pawsitive! Pt 2 Art Fundraiser 

How to participate:

1. Make 1 or 2 (or 3, 4 or more) 4″ x 6″ fabric or mixed-media postcards where all proceeds will go to Wags and Whiskers and also to other organizations helping displaced families, their livestock, and pets. These pieces of art can be made of fabric or paper, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, quilts and stitch, metal, recycled bits, or even a combination of all the above.
2. Think theme! We are open to any theme for the artwork: they could be animals or fantasy creatures (unicorns anyone?), abstract works, depictions of dreamy landscapes and escapes, floral-themed pieces, mini modern quilts, graffiti-inspired work, or whatever your imagination dreams up! (Please, however, be mindful of copyright laws and create original art.)
3. These works do not need to be bound or mounted. Ideally we want to fit these works of art into 4″ x 6″ slim plastic casings for display, but if your work is thicker and won’t fit, we still welcome it!
4. On the back side of your artwork, please sign your name, title, and leave your social media info (i.e. website, blog, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest handle). Contact information is optional.
5. We will sell the 4″ x 6″ pieces for $20 each at Craft Napa 2019, all of the proceeds will go to charities, including Wags and Whiskers to benefit fire victims.
6. The art should be received no later than Friday, January 4^th, 2019. Please note: this is a receive-by date! We will of course accept artwork during Craft Napa but want to have a large starting bank of artwork so would love it if you mailed them far in advance!
7. You can mail as many pieces of art as you would like, but please place them in a padded envelope. This way they will stay in pristine condition to be displayed at Craft Napa.

Please mail them to:

Crafting a Life

Attn: Stay Pawsitive!

PO BOX 10368

Napa, CA

94581

8. Come to Craft Napa to buy as many pieces as you are able! Just think: if you bought four (or more) and had them framed, it would make for a very nice collection!

As soon as we start receiving artwork, we will post examples online and in social media channels.

There will also be a silent auction, and we will try and make this part of the fundraiser open online, too, during live updates on Facebook.

We hope you will get creating!

~ Pokey

I have been blessedly out of touch for the most part the past couple of weeks as I recently attended the Knitting & Stitching show in London. I had the best time! I attended the show for three days, saw incredible exhibits, talked to artists, watched them in action, and met up with old friends.

Cas Holmes proudly displaying her new book in front of her mixed-media stitched piece “Medway Gap.”

As a show attendee with little responsibility, it was fantastic to enjoy the show for the sheer love of going and marveling at everything. I did write a full show report for The Craft Industry Alliance, and you can find my report of the show here with pictures of what I saw.

Just before I left, I got the news about Cloth Paper Scissors, Modern Patchwork, Quilty, and KnitWear, all being shut down immediately by F&W.

To say this was a total punch to the gut is an understatement and I am sick and heartbroken about it. I am saddened for consumers who are passionate about these publications and just feel awful for the staff who lost their jobs.

The Cloth Paper Scissors Facebook page, however has recently posted that there is a potential buyer, and I guess we will see how that plays out.

I have thought so much about the publishing industry of late, watching magazines shutter, including legacy pubs we’ve counted on for years (think Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine). It is never fun to watch something we cherish that has been a part of our lives go out of print. We all know the digital age—as great as it’s been in its ease to access free content—is the dagger that’s killing print.

But to me there is nothing like laying down on my sofa, dogs at my feet, and tuning out social media to tune into what reading about I love: stitching, quilting, and making. Especially in this political climate, it’s how I keep my sanity and find goodness in the world.

So I am curious and have a question…what do you pay money for these days for print publications?

I’ll start. I subscribe to Curated Quilts, UPPERCASE, and Quilt Folk. I also grab Simply Moderne as well as Flow when I can. I am a frequent newsstand goer and also nab others that appeal like Modern Dog (too cute!) and sometimes soup magazines (what can I say…soup is my thing).

So what do you buy copies of or have subscriptions to?

Craft Napa 2018 came and went, and frankly, it was such an amazing time–so much so–I needed a little rest afterwards, and hence the late recap. For this past third edition, we had 17 teachers, 41 workshops held over four days, with 230 students–more than double the amount the first year.

Whether it was politics or natural disasters, most everyone came off a hard 2017. To be able to kickstart 2018 in such a positive, color- and stitch-filled, creative way, definitely felt incredibly gratifying.

We built a wall—a community Graffiti wall–where over the course of the four days people freely added their creative hopes, dreams, drawings, and doodles. (Special thanks to Dharma Trading for providing materials and paint supplies.)

Before:

During:

After:

We also hosted the Stay Pawsitive art benefit for Friends for Life, Houston’s premiere no-kill animal rescue that provided safe haven, triage and vet care during Hurricane Harvey at one of the largest emergency shelters (and home to Quilt Festival)—the George R Brown Convention Center. Through artwork created and purchased, we raised $4000 for them!

When I say Craft Napans took over the Embassy Suites, I mean, we took over the entire hotel, including outdoor spaces as well. Some shibori with the swans in the courtyard:

We offered 3-hour, 6-hour, 9-hour, and two-day workshops, both at the Embassy Suites and in my art barn. A copious amount of art was produced—from art quilts, mixed media, modern and improv quilts—to books, assemblages, dyed and painted fabrics, monoprints, and encaustic work.

On Friday night of the event we hosted an artist market with our teachers, non-profit organizations, local shops, and an extra bonus: a quilt guild raffle quilt. Our Artists’ View Luncheon went well, too, where teachers candidly shared ideas and inspired all to set the tone for a year filled with creating.

I see a lot of opportunity for growth for Craft Napa, and making this event even more meaningful, and so that is what I am working on right now for both next year and beyond for (gulp!) the 5^th anniversary edition.

I want to sincerely thank the sponsors, swag and door prize donators, because these companies proved themselves in gold for their generosity. I hope everyone who reads this blog will support them, check out their websites to see what they have to offer, buy from them, stop at their booths at quilt, trade, and craft shows, and follow them on social media:

Meissner’s Sewing (Northern CA’s premiere sewing and vacuum company that facilitated and provided the BERNINA sewing machines for classroom use)

BERNINA of America (My hands-down favorite machine!)

Dharma Trading

Pro-Chemical & Dye

QuiltFolk Magazine

Mistyfuse

Havel’s Sewing

Quilter’s Select

Craft Industry Alliance

Windham Fabrics

RJR Fabrics

Aurifil Threads

SOAK

Tacony Corporation

Lastly, thanks to all who made the trek to join us! It’s you who make this community come alive and make this event so special!

Next year’s dates for Craft Napa are January 9-13, 2019, and if you want to join us for our five-year anniversary, the dates for 2020 will be January 8-12, 2020.

For those who may not be aware, one of SAQA’s (Studio Art Quilts Associates) traveling exhibits is entitled “People and Portraits.” Here is SAQA’s narrative and overview of the exhibit:

This exhibition celebrates the expressiveness of the human face. The diverse designs focus on a variety of both emotional states and the ways in which people interact: contemplation, joy, community, work and play.  Based on the companion book, Art Quilt Portfolio: People and Portraits, the exhibition shows two works by each of the book’s 20 Featured Artists.

Two of Kathy Nida’s quilts were juried into this exhibit, which has traveled a number of places, including previous Quilt Week ® (AQS) venues.

Kathy’s inspiration and narrative for her quilt that caused quite the commotion in Grand Rapids last week reads as such:

“This quilt is I Was Not Wearing a Life Jacket, completed in September 2010, touring with the People and Portraits exhibit since October 2013. The title comes from a radio ad I was listening to while pondering the meaning of this quilt, which came almost entirely out of a running nightmare I had for over a week, where I was losing things in the water and people were standing around not helping, and I was diving down and trying to find the things I lost, which ranged from my phone to babies, actual babies, and I’d wake up panicked and breathing fast. Here’s the official statement (which I found very difficult to write…almost as difficult to explain the piece)…”

Two sisters in a strange land. A lost life jacket.
 A nasty oil spill.
 No explanation needed.

My dream inhabited by strangers.

Circling back to the purpose and narrative of the exhibit as a whole, I can certainly appreciate why this quilt was included. It’s about human emotion–panic. It’s not comfortable to look at. It is a nightmare; it’s about fear, about sisterhood and motherhood, about our future, the future of our children. It’s not meant to be a pleasant quilt. Let’s remember the context of where this quilt was placed: in an art quilt exhibit, with the specific title “People and Portraits.”

This quilt–after being shown at other Quilt Week® venues–was pulled after the Grand Rapids show opened, allegedly because one or more attendees complained about it (and allegedly because one or more persons saw a penis in it).

From what I have read, the response from the show producers was to take it down. Kathy Nida, understandably, has been very upset. When I asked Kathy, she told me AQS did not reach out to her directly. In all my experience in this industry over the last nearly 20 years, this takes the cake.

And I know this whole issue brings up the debate of censorship. I think we have to be careful about that term: it’s a show produced by a private, for-profit company, not the government censoring per se. But in my opinion, pulling the quilt after the show opened (knowing this quilt was a part of the exhibit and had been shown in previous venues) it was an ill-thought, knee-jerk response to an attendee or group of attendees. Given my experience both as a founder and editorial director of an international publishing company and also former executive of an international events company in the quilt industry, if you, as a quilt venue hung the quilt already (or published a quilt), and the show is open (or the magazine or publication is printed), stand by it. You knew it was going to be included.

What is most problematic in my mind, is AQS has not addressed this issue yet (anywhere I can see). Many people have posted online, including me, writing them directly on Twitter, asking for clarification. No response, just more requests to sign up for their e-newsletter, etc. on Facebook and Twitter.

I am not a contentious person, I don’t normally post such grievances (this is the first), but for this…I just don’t get it, and as an advocate for quilt artists, I can’t be quiet on the sidelines.

AQS, if you are reading this, please address this issue. And if I am wrong on anything on the above, just please correct me.

UPDATE: AQS issued a statement. (And I wonder how this statement resolves anything.):

American Quilter’s Society released a statement. “After receiving numerous complaints from attendees about a quilt in the SAQA exhibit, AQS removed the quilt from the People & Portraits exhibit at the Grand Rapids QuiltWeek event.

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There is still plenty of time to enter your quilt (18″ x 26″) for the Live Your Brightest Life: A Tribute to Yvonne Porcella (all of the information can be found here), but I thought it would be fun to share a sampling of some of the completed entries so far:

“Pulse” By Laurie Ceesay

“A Toast to Yvonne (And Strong Women Everywhere)” by Cindy Cooksey

“Planting a Seed” by Judy Coates Perez

“Daily Joy” by Victoria Findlay Wolfe

“YP & Me” by Jamie Fingal

“A Tree for Yvonne” by Sue Bleiweiss

“Adios Amigo” by Therese May

“Uplifting” by Deborah Boschert

There is still just about three weeks left to enter a quilt and celebrate the life of this beloved and prolific artist. This tribute exhibit will debut in Northern California at “Quilting in The Garden” taking place September 24-25th in Livermore, CA at Alden Lane Nursery where C&T Publishing, Alex Anderson, and myself will be on hand. Please help spread the word and, I hope you will join us!

Many found out last week that Quilters Newsletter is shuttering (if you hadn’t heard, read Abby Glassenberg’s post). Current subscribers will now be getting Quilting Arts for the remainder of their subscriptions.

As the founder of Quilting Arts, I scratched my head on this decision, but out of the choices the parent company, F&W, had to offer, those at the helm thought this was the best fit.

Many of us—myself included—are incredibly disappointed and saddened that QNM is shuttering. It was an industry icon and leader—more so (in my opinion) than any other magazine in quilting.

No publisher wants to shutter a magazine; they want them to thrive. If an outside company acquires a magazine, the goal is to get a return on their investment and grow that investment, much of which includes leveraging the brand to create other offerings: special interest publications, TV shows, patterns, online communities, books, events and retreats, etc.

A serial print magazine has a lot of current pressures, competition and platforms that even 10 years ago did not exist. Anybody producing or publishing a specific piece of content—whether it be a news story, a technique, a pattern, an op-ed piece, in today’s world has to seriously consider how efficiently, cost effectively, and quickly they can deliver the content and be a cut above the competition. They have to take on rising print costs, competing online tutorials and classes (some deeply discounted or even free), free YouTube videos, blogs, podcasts featuring art & craft celebrities and industry leaders, free downloadable articles and patterns, and content that can be sliced and diced into bite-sized pieces where folks can pick and choose–and purchase for a smaller price than an entire subscription.

And herein lies the paradox: a lot of content is driven these days by SEO and Google Analytics. Editors and content managers take analytics very seriously, and also factor in the number of social media followers someone has in order to make a decision about whether or not to make a sizable investment such as producing an online class or a book (as examples).

But as consumers, sometimes we don’t know what we want…and we rely on the vision, knowledge, and passion of an authority to help guide and expose us to content that will be interesting to us.

Bonnie Leman had both the knack to drive an industry and the editorial foresight to expose us to stories, quilts, and happenings we may not necessarily know we wanted…but were sure glad we were given. I have the deepest respect for her and the support of her family for creating an incredible empire and a legacy.

I really do feel there are a lot of exciting possibilities in publishing today, serial print publishing included (have you checked out Flow or Uppercase?). Having said that, unfortunately a lot of things do have a life span. And, yes, I had wondered—and no, I do not know—if QNM was at all ever an option to be sold to another entity so it could keep going.

I am with everyone that I am deeply saddened about this magazine shuttering. I hate to see it.

I have a lot more to say on this subject but I’ll close by suggesting that if you like a magazine, go support it, then grab a cup of tea, coffee or glass of wine and enjoy the quiet, reflective time. Just think…there wont be any pop-ups or text alerts.

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…

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…

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

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:”

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.

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:

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