Category: artists

Artists of many genres are of great interest to their public. Read and gain information about the artist and their path to creating.

About the Quilt Artist

My art quilts are all about the quilt artist  creating abstract, whimsical or impressionistic pieces.  Inspiration comes from the natural world as well as from Mexican and Native American influences. My materials of choice are often redirected fabrics from the San Francisco Design Center and found objects.  Art quilts free me to play with color and texture. My technique, Scribble Quilting allows me to create movement on many of my pieces.

"Fashion

TWO INSPIRATIONAL ARTISTS

I owe some of my inspiration to two artists from Santa Cruz County, California. Meri Vahl, an award winning art quilter has been recognized nationally for her work. Teacher of the fabric layering technique, she was patient. Understanding that each student brought individual strengths, weaknesses and abilities.  Ellen edith;friend, art quilter, fabric designer and artist extraordinaire made whimsical, personal quilts. Her influence lives on well beyond her life.   I have great appreciation for these two local leaders of the art quilt world.

SAQA (STUDIO ART QUILT ASSOCIATES)

I am proud to be part of an evergrowing group of art quilters.  SAQA started by Yvonne Porcella in Northern California in 1989. It has grown to an international organization.  Art quilters have transformed the quilt into a 21st Century art form. I continue to explore new forms and ways of working with unusual materials on this  journey.

ABOUT THE ARTIST,BIO

I was born and raised in Palo Alto, California. In high school I studied sewing and clothing construction for two years. I continued to sew much of my wardrobe. In 1974,I took my first quilting class at a neighborhood fabric store. Over the years, I continued to sew clothes and make quilts for my family. I stopped counting bed quilts at 300. After teaching 30 years in Watsonville as a bilingual teacher, I retired to spend more time on creating art quilts.

MY FIRST ART QUILT
Homage to a Dancer,45″ x 56″

In 2008, I made my first art quilt, Homage to a Dancer. It reflects  my participation in Los Méxicas,the University of California,Santa Cruz ballet folklórico group.

A STUDIO IN THE ART CENTER

In May of 2016, I opened a studio in the Santa Cruz Art Center, 1001 Center St. Downtown Santa Cruz. I have space to work and display my work. For First Fridays and Open Studios, I fill the lobby with art. In June, 2019  New York Art Center accepted my work into their gallery. 7 Franklin Place, TRIBECA, New York City.

AWARD WINNING ARTIST
Great Blue Heron at Dusk,31″ x 25″

Great Blue Heron at Dusk entered into an art show in 2010. The following year it won a merit award at the Olive Hyde Art Gallery in Fremont,California.
In 2013, Visions of New Mexico won third place in the Neo Membreno Vessels 2013 Show at the Western New Mexico University Museum in Silver City, New Mexico.

New Info about Sandy Takashima Shaw

Sandy Takashima Shaw, Santa Cruz Artist

Sandy Shaw in front of her art
Sandy Takashima Shaw in front of her art

DECEMBER 13, 2017 from DISCOVERHER blog

Meet Sandy Takashima Shaw

Above all, Sandy Takashima Shaw sees art as a place to begin  conversations. Furthermore, she is a lifelong painter. In college, she majored in business and studied fine art. She’s half Japanese. Sandy grew up in Ohio.  After graduation, she moved to Japan. That is to say she wanted to learn more about her heritage. She then traveled around Asia. Finally, she moved to San Francisco to begin  work as a marketing manager in the technology industry. After years of painting in the evenings, Sandy was able to quit her day job. At last,she began to travel the world and paint.

Now she lives in Aptos with her family. Furthermore,she paints while the kids are at school. Her work  appears in galleries around the U.S. Moreover,she teachs art. Google San Francisco recently commissioned a work for their office. She still travels annually with her family to surfing destinations. AND, fun fact, she’s also a certified life coach!

Sandy Takashima Shaw in front of her art
Sandy Takashima Shaw in front of her art

An authentic Artist

Foremost,Sandy’s main goal is to be completely authentic in her personal life.  That is to say,Hher vibrant, mixed media acrylics feature hundreds of  layers of paint, Japanese rice paper and ink. Similarly,my goal as an artist is to create art to spark positive social impact, thoughtful conversation, and meaningful connections.

the AND series

In her newest series is the AND series. For example, each painting represents an issue in our current political, social and cultural landscape. In addition,the word ‘and’  is prominently featured in each and  brightly illuminated.

Art Inspired Salon

Out of this series, the idea was born to create an Art Inspired Salon. In addition,the salons bring people together to create positive actions. For example, we can take create the world we want. Furthermore,she holds the event at her studio. Attendees come together to enjoy food, beverages and conversation. They study the series on display and discuss.

Looking ahead,I believe that if we stay optimistic that positive change is possible. We will be more motivated to take personal action, both small and large. We can make the world a more compassionate and kinder place. It is time for  feminine leadership to rise and heal our country and world.

Thanks, Sandy! We look forward to joining in the discussion.

Current and Upcoming Events

October 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018

Resilient and Revived
Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History
The Chamber of Heart and Mystery Exhibit
January 5 – February 4, 2018

Spoken/Unspoken Juried Exhibit
Santa Cruz Art League
Reception: February 2, First Friday, 6:00-8:00pm
February 8 – March 17, 2018

I had the pleasure of meeting Sandy Takashima Shaw, a kind and generous artist.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/a-world-of-fiber-art/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

Six Proven Habits of Effective Artists

Westlake Coot
Sunset Glowing,Six Habits of Effective Artists
Sunset Glowing

The 6 Proven Habits of Highly Effective Artists


Do you want to be a great and highly effective artist? I do. I might be getting a bit obsessed with it, actually. Ideas pop into my head unexpectedly. I keep a long running list of ideas for improving my work.I also study how the most successful artists got where they are, and I pore over every word that they write. If you want to be a great artist, you should, too.

I wanted to find out what all these top artists had in common. Their mindset, their mental habits. I spent a lot of time observing, which led to this list of the six success traits shared by all top artists I’ve found. I’m happy to share it with you.The good news is that even if you don’t have all these personality traits already, most of them can be developed over time. Best of all, if you can cultivate these traits, you’ll become more effective in the rest of your life as well.

Westside Egret,Six Habits of Effective Artists
Westside Egret

Here We Go! Six Proven Habits of Effective Artists

1. Highly Effective artists are prolific.

The first key to being a successful, highly effective artist is to create. A lot.

The more you create, the better you get.

There’s no way around it; it takes work to be prolific. And effective artists work hard. Putting a successful art career together requires a lot of time in your studio, and not surfing LOLCats or Twittering about what you had for lunch.

2. Highly Effective artists are lifelong learners

If you’re a new artist, you’re probably on a steep learning curve at the moment.

Maybe you tell yourself that things will get better when you’ve been doing it longer. There won’t be so much to learn. You’ll have systems in place soon and everything will run smoothly.

Sadly, I think this is a myth. I’ve been painting and working my career as an artist for more than 15 years, and it keeps changing. Just when you’ve got one element sorted out, something new happens. Or becomes obsolete. Or mutates in 20 different directions.

If you want to stay ahead in art, you have to keep learning.

Fortunately, being curious and wanting to learn keeps you young and your brain active. A love of learning doesn’t just set you up for a successful art career, but for a successful and happy life.

3. Highly Effective artists are focused and consistent

Highly effective artists move consistently toward their vision.  Their work has a consistent voice and approach. Even when they move toward something that may be off topic, they relate it back to their greater vision.

4. Highly Effective artists plan ahead

Highly effective artists know where they’re going. They have a master plan and they stick to it. Yes, they adapt based on feedback, but always in service of a vision.

They don’t let themselves get derailed. They follow the plan.

5. Highly Effective artists are persistent

Highly effective artists understand that success doesn’t happen overnight. Real success rarely happens quickly.

Time is on your side. To get to the top takes consistency, hard work, serious study, and lots of persistence. Successful artists don’t give up.

Westlake Coot,Six Habits of Effective Artists
Westlake Coot

6. Highly Effective artists are self-starters

I’ve been self-employed as an artist for years.

I’ve noticed a lot of people like the idea of working from home, working for themselves, being their own boss. But if you want these things, you need to be able to manage yourself.

No one is going to sack you if you’re late. No one reminds you of important deadlines or nags you to get your sales numbers up.

If you want to be a successful artist, you need to be a self-starter. It’s not enough to have good ideas. You have to act on them.

More suggested reading.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/04/forging-your-own-art-path/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

Unique Collector -Eli Leon, collector of quilts and other items

Eli Leon and quilts
Eli Leon and quilts
Eli Leon and quilts

Eli Leon and Lemmy. Photo: Courtesy of Eli Leo Living Trust

Eli Leon Collects Unique Textiles

For 55 years, Oakland  psychotherapist Eli Leon collected unusual textiles. Above all,his collection included kitchiana,  aprons, vintage clothing, traditional standard quilts, and, most famously, Afro-tradition quilts. On the one hand,he bought most items in California.  But he would go on repeated research and collecting trips to East Texas, northern Louisiana, and southern Arkansas.

The Sale of the Unique Collection

This June 23- 25, Geneva and Julie Addison will be selling his collections from his home at 5663 Dover St. in Oakland. Above all,the collections are breathtaking. For instance,they are manifestations of a  collector with a sharp eye for acquiring and displaying  in his home. Moreover,proceeds from the sale will go towards Leon’s care. See their blog about the sale, with more than 500 photographs. However, his Afro-tradition quilts are not included in this sale.

At my Quirky Berkeley blog, I explored Leon’s life, home and collections. Here is a small bit of the wonderful  items that will be for sale this weekend. For example,the first weekend of the sale will deal with the non-textile collections. Then,the traditional quilts and other textiles will be sold later this summer. Further,the sale is first come, first served. Subsequently,it represents a perfect chance to pick up some pre-collected quirky material culture and to honor a great scholar and collector.

Most importantly,Leon’s most famous collection is of African American quilts.  However,his trust plans that the collection will be preserved intact by a museum. Furthermore,the collection includes  100 of the traditional American quilts,. Here are a couple photos.

Yellow double weding ring quilt
Yellow double wedding ring quilt
Red Sampler Quilt
Red Sampler Quilt

Above all,Leon was a passionate and driven and skilled collector. In addition,I have never seen a better opportunity for buying quirky little things.  In other words,visiting Leon’s house will give a glimpse into the world of that driven and talented collector.

Quilt collection
Quilt collection
Quilt collection
Quilt collection

Tom Dalzell, a labor lawyer, created a website, Quirky Berkeley, to share all the whimsical objects. The site now has more than 8,000 photographs of quirky objects around town.It also includes  posts where the 30-year resident muses on what it all means.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2021/05/african-fabrics-in-art-quilts/

Do you know Cindy Grisdela,art quilter?

CindyGrisdela, art quilter

Read this interview about Cindy Grisdela,art quilter by Studio Art Quilt Associates(SAQA) too good not to share.

CindyGrisdela, art quilter
Art Quilter Cindy Grisdela

 

CindyGrisdela
JourneysEndDetail-CindyGrisdela

SAQA: When did you begin making art with fabric? Do you work in other media as well?

GRISDELA: I started sewing when I was 10. My mother decided I was old enough to be trusted with her beloved Singer. I studied art in high school and college experimenting with painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture and weaving.I made my first quilt in 1983. After seeing an article in a magazine of a queen size Trip Around the World, I wanted to make one. After that I was hooked.  I spent a number of years making traditional quilts as a creative outlet while I raised my family. About 15 years ago, I got bored with following patterns. So I started seriously trying to make my own art in fabric.

Color and Texture

SAQA: What inspires you?

GRISDELA: I’m inspired by abstraction, color and texture. I enjoy playing with color and seeing how various colors and shapes interact.  One of the reasons I create with fabric instead of with paint is the ability to add another dimension to my compositions.  I can add  texture with dense free motion quilting. The stitching is an integral part of the composition. It is not just a means to hold the three layers together.

SAQA: Have any artists or art movements influenced your work?

GRISDELA: I have a degree in Art History.  There are always lots of influences rattling around in my head. I love Abstract Expressionism, especially the Color Field School of artists. Matisse’s cut outs are important to me, as are Klee, Kandinsky and Klimt. I’m also drawn to the work of Robert and Sonia Delaunay. Among quilt artists, I am indebted to the work of Gwen Marston who was an early influence.

SAQA: What techniques and materials do you use?

GRISDELA: I use hand dyed fabrics to create almost all of my current work mostly by Cherrywood Fabrics. I experimented with dyeing my own fabrics a number of years ago, but realized that’s not my skill. So I’m happy supporting others who do it well.All of my work now is created using improvisational piecing techniques and free motion quilting. I enjoy the dialogue that happens when I’m just cutting out colors and shapes intuitively. One decision leads to the next. It’s a little like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Only I get to decide what the picture is going to look like. I do all my quilting without marking ahead of time or using a computer program.

A Lakeside Studio

SAQA: Where do you create?

GRISDELA: I have a studio in the basement of our townhouse. I look out on the lake while I’m sewing.  It’s a very peaceful retreat. The commute downstairs is great too! I also have a shared space with nine other artists a short distance from my home. I’m the only fiber artist in the group. But it’s good to be around other creative people and share inspiration. I try to spend one day a week there.

Artmaking and Business

SAQA: How do you reconcile the artmaking and business sides of your creative life?

GRISDELA: That’s the tough part. For the last ten years I’ve been traveling extensively showing an selling my work at fine art and fine craft shows all over the country. I do about 12-14 shows a year. I also have an active blog and presence on Instagram and Facebook.  I’m a regular contributor to the SAQA (Studio Art Quilter Associates)Journal.

I spend about half my time on the business side. This entails writing, applying to shows, keeping my website up to date, marketing, and other business. I like to spend time in the studio in the morning and early afternoon. That’s when I’m most creat I work on other business later in the day. I  keep lists and work backward to make sure enough time is allotted to keep my inventory up for the shows. Sometimes I’m writing blog posts or marketing pieces on the road.

Publications

SAQA: Have you published books or been a guest on an art-related media program?

GRISDELA: My new book, Artful Improv: Explore Color Recipes, Building Blocks & Free Motion Quilting, was just released by C&T Publishing in October 2016. It’s a friendly guide to creating your own original art quilts without a pattern, using simple design principles and improv techniques.

What’s next?

SAQA: What are you working on now? What’s next?

GRISDELA: I will continue doing shows.  Probably not as many as I did in 2017.  I’m doing a lot more teaching now to promote  the book. It’s such fun to see a diverse group of artists come together for a day or more to explore their individual creativity. Each person’s work is different from the others and different from mine.  We all bring our own personalities and backgrounds to the table.

I also have plans to work on a new series of larger improv quilts. The great thing about improv is there’s always something new to explore!

View more of Cindy Grisdela’s work on her website and SAQA Juried Artist Member profile

https://www.cindygrisdela.com/

Connect with Cindy Grisdela on Facebook and Instagram

Follow Cindy Grisdela on Twitter and Pinterest

http://annbmayartquilts.etsy.com/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/a-world-of-fiber-art/

See the New Fiber Show at R.Blitzer Gallery 2017

Check out the  group fiber show at  the R. Blitzer Gallery 2017.

Fiber  Reflections:Shared Dimensions will be at the R. Blitzer Gallery. Santa Cruz, CA April 5-28, 2017 Here are some of  the participating  artists.

Marilou Moschetti,Fiber  at R.Blitzer Gallery 2017 
Beautiful jacket by Marilou Moschetti
Fiber  Reflections:Shared Dimensions,Fiber Show at R.Blitzer Gallery
Marilou Moschetti fiber piece

I began creating Nuno felt  15 years ago. It is a technique used to  fuse silk and fine Merino wool together. In 2002 I fell in love with the art of felt making during a trip to New Zealand.  I teach felt workshops throughout Northern California.  I received my Bachelor’s Degree from San Jose State University.

https://www.mariloumoschetti.com/about

Carole Rossi, artist at Fiber  at R.Blitzer

Primarily,Carole Rossi is a quilt & fiber artist. She  lives in Sacramento, California with her husband. Creating her art is how she thrives.  The fabric, the colors, the textures are her passion.

Long ago,Carole learned to sew from her  Italian grandfather. He was an accomplished tailor. Carole is a lawyer specializing in higher education & employment law. Currently, Carole uses piecing techniques to create representational images. her art quilts are based on her photographs of her travels.

Ocean Fiber  at Fiber Show at R.Blitzer Gallery
Ocean by Carole Rossi
Fiber  Reflections:Shared Dimensions.Fiber Show at R.Blitzer Gallery
by Carole Rossi

Alexandra Sanders,artist at Fiber  at R.Blitzer

I am an artist in Santa Cruz, California. I have my Bachelor’s degree in Art from San Jose State University. My  emphasis is in Textiles-batik, and silk painting. I choose to paint birds with watercolors.

Fiber at R. Blitzer Gallery 2017
Egrets by Alexandra Sanders
Fiber at R. Blitzer Gallery 2017
Tree Batik by Alexndra Sanders
https://www.ladywholovesbirds.com/

Ann Baldwin May, artist at Fiber  at R.Blitzer

My art quilts may be abstract, whimsical or impressionistic.  Inspiration comes from the natural world. Similarly, I am influenced by Mexican and Native American cultures. My materials of choice are redirected fabrics.  Art quilts free me to play with color and texture.

Gees Bend inspired abstract,blue,grey,grayFiber at R. Blitzer Gallery 2017
Shore to Sky F by Ann Baldwin May
fabric collage inspired by the Indians of New Mexico
Pack Animal by Ann Baldwin May

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2021/06/abstract-art-in-fabric/

http://annbmayartquilts.etsy.com/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2021/02/visual-arts-network-santa-cruz-county/

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