If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online

QUICK LINKS

New this Month 
Calls for Entry
Exhibitions
Member News
Other Opportunities

 

 

SAQA Publications

Books for Sale

 

 

SAQA Blog


Pinterest

Facebook - SAQA

Facebook - SAQA

 

 

SAQA Monthly Update - April 2016

Dear Jennifer,

After years of running SAQA conferences I know that sometimes things don’t go according to plan – like the no-show of our buses out to the Wayne Art Center on Saturday. I was so impressed how resourceful our members were in finding alternative means of transportation: cars, trains, taxis, and Uber vehicles were all pressed into service. Everyone arrived safely and enjoyed viewing the spectacular "Art Quilt Elements" exhibition.

The rest of the conference ran extremely well and was very successful.  A big THANK YOU to our Special Events Committee for planning another fantastic event.  We enjoyed great speakers and panels, played at MakerSpace, and were inspired by the PechaKucha speakers!  The Spotlight Auction raised $11,395, with the top price of $800 being paid for an exciting piece by the Pixeladies.

We said farewell to Kris Sazaki as President and Judith Trager as a 6-year Board veteran and welcomed Lisa Ellis as our next President, along with new Board members: Deborah Boschert, Jayne Gaskins, Jeanne Marklin, and Chris Nielsen. 

It was a wonderful conference, and we hope that you’ll be able to join us next year in Lincoln, Nebraska!

Don’t miss out on the chance to see your design made into fabric — the Golden Hour Call for Entry opens next month!

 


execdirector@saqa.com

 

Upcoming Deadlines

Portfolio 23 (JAM members) - April 8 * ending soon

Juried Artist Membership Applications - May 1

The SAQA Golden Hour Fabric Line - May 31

SAQA Benefit Auction - June 1

SAQA Journal Gallery (Raining Cats & Dogs) - July 1

A full list of SAQA Calls for Entry can be found on our website

 


New this Month

Each month, SAQA is pleased to highlight some of our members as Featured Artists and Regional Representatives.

Featured Artist
Carol Larson of Sonoma County, California, designs textiles for the wall integrating commercial & vintage fabrics with cloth of her own design. Inspired by her observations in everyday life, Carol uses dye, paint and stitch as her tools.
Meet Your Representative Meet Your Representative
Kelly Caldwell is a Regional Rep for the Connecticut region. She  explores the goals of narrative and autobiography through storyline representations of the human figure and text-based confessions.
Meet your Rep Meet Your Representative
Christina Blais is also a Regional Rep for Connecticut. She creates representational art quilts using collage, free motion cutting and quilting and raw edge applique.
 

2016 Benefit Auction

Loreen Leedy Karen Schulz Caroline Higgs

Still accepting 12"x12" Quilts for the 2016 Benefit Auction! 

A new batch of beautiful auction quilts has been posted online - go check them out here. These quilts (and hopefully many more - have you started yours?) will be available for bidding starting September 16. Our final receive by deadline is June 1st!

How the Benefit Auction Works »

How to Donate a Quilt to the Auction »

Auction Quilt Submission Form

Remember, quilts are only posted online once we receive it AND we have an acceptable image. We will be taking professional pictures of those without images later this month.

Questions? Please email us at auction@saqa.com.

 


2016 SAQA Conference News

 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the recent Inspire - Connect - Engage conference in Philadelphia. It was filled with inspiring presentations and great opportunities to connect with other SAQA members.

Look for more information soon about an upcoming webinar featuring some of the fantastic PechaKucha presentations. Here are some other highlights:

Please plan to join us at a joint conference with the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, Nebraska  - April 27-30, 2017. Registration will open in late September.  

 


Volunteer of the Year Awards

At SAQA Conference, the two inaugural winners of the new Yvonne Porcella Volunteer of the Year Awards were announced!

Sue Bleiweiss (above left) was selected as the Volunteer of the Year in the Regional Rep category. Deb Cashatt (above right) was selected as the Volunteer of the Year in the non-Rep category. Their dedication and efforts have made a significant impact in making SAQA such a unique and vibrant organization.

The awards include a recognition certificate and a $100 gift certificate for the SAQA Store. This can be used for membership fees, entry fees, conference fees, auction quilts, or any item for sale. Congratulations to Sue and Deb!

For more details about these volunteers and all the other great nominees, check out the latest issue of the SAQA Journal. In August, we will start accepting nominations for the next Volunteer of the Year awards.  

Interested in volunteering for SAQA? We have a lot of great opportunities listed here or email Michelle Trachtman at volunteer@saqa.com.

 


The SAQA Golden Hour Fabric Collection

After the success of SAQA's first fabric collection, Urban Textures, we are pleased to announce a brand new design opportunity for our members!   

Andover Fabrics will print and market a second collection of cotton fabrics branded with the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) name and logo – The SAQA Golden Hour fabric collection. Submitted designs will be curated by Luana Rubin, President of eQuilter.com and a fabric designer herself.

The period shortly after sunrise or before sunset is known as The Golden Hour. Artists have long been captivated by the warm light and cool shadows of these hours. The ever-changing complementary color displays provide inspiration for this new Andover fabric collection. Immerse yourself in the magical hues of the golden hour and submit your own design for this collection.

Prospectus

Please contact Martha Sielman at ExecDirector@SAQA.com with any questions regarding this prospectus.

Note: There is no fee to enter this call for entry. The artists whose work is selected for the final collection will each receive a $100 honorarium and yardage of the collection fabrics.

 


Membership Drive

Refer a Friend -  and you get benefits too!
YOU are a valued member of SAQA. We love hearing your feedback, seeing your art and following your creative process. We're here to help you along. Bet you have friends who would love SAQA as much as you do.

Let them see how our community of artists, our Journal, website, webinars and other resources can help get them to the next level. And when they join SAQA, both of you will get a 10% discount off a SAQA membership!

Thank you to the following members who recently referred someone to SAQA!

Deborah Bright, Deborah Fell, Valerine Goodwin, Denise Oyama Miller, Kathleen Turner, Lisa Walton, Ruth White, and Allison Wilbur.

 


New Online Gallery - Photosynthesis, Breathe Easy


Tracey Lawko - Walking Through the Hardwoods

Victoria Rondeau is our guest curator for this month's online gallery - Photosynthesis, Breathe Easy. She comments:

Trees are necessary for the sustainment of life on earth. Through the process of photosynthesis they store carbon dioxide, filter out dust, carbon monoxide, sulpher dioxide and nitrogen. This improves our air quality, conserves water, preserves soil and supports wildlife. But... they also produce Oxygen. One acre of adult trees can produce enough oxygen to meet the needs of 18 people. Trees are beautiful to look at. We enjoy them in our landscapes, in parks and forests. 

The Art Quilts I have chosen all have a common theme of trees. Some have beautiful leaves, green or turning to fall colors. Some are barren or in their last stages of evolution. They all contribute to our life on earth. 

Take a deep breath. Thank a tree.

Selected Artists: 
Virginia Abrams, Mary Beth Bellah, Kathie Briggs Sharon Collins, Jennifer Conrad, Margie Davidson, Pamela Druhen, Doria A. Goocher, Barbara Oliver Hartman, Tracey Lawko, Hsin-Chen Lin Hilde Morin, Denise Oyama Miller, Martha E. Ressler, Sarah Ann Smith, Patricia Anderson Turner, Grietje Van der Veen, Valerie C. White, and Marianne R. Williamson

View More Online Galleries »

Interested in being a guest curator for our online galleries?
Contact galleries@saqa.com for more information.


SAQA Calls for Entry

The following Calls for Entry are open to all SAQA Members. View all Calls for Entry »

Layered Voices More Info
Artwork may be two-dimensional or three, viewed from one side, two sides, or any angle. The layering of the media may be literal, inferred, or even digital. Realistic, representational, and abstract work will be considered. 

H2Oh!More Info
Water - it’s everywhere!  This exhibition encourages the artist to interpret one of the most vital, desired, powerful, sacred, and enjoyed resources on earth in their own unique, individual style, whether abstract, graphic, or representational

 
Date
 

2017 SAQA Trunk ShowMore Info
SAQA is inviting its members to showcase their artistic expression by creating a 10" x 7" art quilt or, on a limited basis, 3-D Artwork for our upcoming traveling Trunk Show. Join us for SAQA Artists On Tour: An up close and personal view on art quilts. 

Date
Textile Posters: Communication & CommentaryMore Info
Some posters grab the viewer’s attention in an attempt to be heard above the incessant demands of other media. Other posters are more subtle in their approach, forcing the viewer to study the components in detail, intending to open a reflective dialogue. The artistic possibilities are infinite, allowing for both representational and abstract submissions.
 

Exhibition News

Don't Miss This!
The International Quilt Festival (Chicago) is taking place April 7- April 9 and SAQA will be there! Both Balancing Act and Wild Fabrications will be on display PLUS the Deeply Rooted regional exhibition (Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin).

Be sure to stop by the SAQA booth - we will have lots of great books to purchase AND all the details on tours of the exhibitions:

Thursday - 3 pm: Deeply Rooted (Cynthia Wenslow, Co-curator)  
Thursday -  3:30 - 4pm: Wild Fabrications (Amy Cavaness)
Friday - 10:30 am: Deeply Rooted (Pat Kroth, Co-curator)    
Friday -  1:30 - 2pm: Balancing Act (Laura Wasilowski) 
Friday -  4 - 4:30pm: Wild Fabrications (Jill Kerttula)
Saturday - 10:30 am: Deeply Rooted (Pat Kroth, Co-curator)   
Saturday -  1 - 1:30pm: Balancing Act (Denise Havlan)

 

Coming to a Venue Near You

Here are just some of the upcoming SAQA exhibitions on display around the world. To view a complete list, visit our Event listing, which can be filtered by region.

 

Balancing Act
International Quilt Festival, Chicago, Illinois  •  April 7 - 9, 2016

Celebrating Silver
Original Sewing and Quilt Expo Circuit:
Cleveland, Ohio  •  March 31 - April 2, 2016
Worcester, Massachusetts  •  April 7 - 9, 2016
America Quilts Expo, Des Moines, Iowa  •  May 26 - 28, 2016
Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, United Kingdom  •  August 11 - 14, 2016

Concrete & Grassland
Grant's Pass Museum of Art, Grant's Pass, Oregon  •  May 31-July 29, 2016

Earth Stories
Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, West Virginia  •  June 25 - October 2, 2016

Food for Thought
Australasian Quilt Convention, Melbourne, Australia  •  April 14 - 17, 2016
Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan  •  July 1 - August 31, 2016

My Corner of the World
Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford, Ontario, Canada  •  May 21 - September 5, 2016

People and Portraits
AQS Quilt Week circuit:
Paducah, Kentucky  •  April 20 - 23, 2016
Grand Rapids, Michigan  •  August 10 - 13, 2016
Chattanooga, Tennessee  •  September 14 - 17, 2016
Des Moines, Iowa  •  October 5 - 8, 2016

Radical Elements 
Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts, Melbourne, Florida •  May 28, 2016 -  August 27, 2016
The International Museum of Art and Science, McAllen, Texas •  September 24, 2016 - January 8, 2017

Redirecting the Ordinary
German Quilters Guild AGM, Celle, Germany  •  June 11 - 12, 2016
Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, Fredericksburg. Virginia  •  September 29 - October 1, 2016
Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, Schaumburg, Illinois  •  October 13 - 15, 2016
Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, Minneapolis, Minnesota  •  November 10 - 12, 2016

Seasonal Palette 
Taiwan Internation Quilt Exhibition, Tainan City, Taiwan  •  April 30 - May 29, 2016
Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan  •  July 1 - August 31, 2016

Stories of Migration
The Textile Museum, Washington D.C.  •  April 16 - September 4, 2016

Two by Twenty
Quilt Expo Beaujolais at, ParcExpo, Villefranche sur Saone, France  •  April 13 - 16, 2016

Wild Fabrications
International Quilt Festival, Chicago, Illinois  •  April 7 - 9, 2016
George A. Spiva Center for the Arts, Joplin, Missouri  •  July 16 - September 4, 2016
The Museum of York County, Rock Hill, SC  •  October 8, 2016 - February 25, 2017
Grace Hudson Museum, Ukiah, CA • March 25, 2017 - June 25, 2017

Do you know a venue that might be interested in hosting a SAQA Exhibition near you? Contact Bill Reker at shipping@saqa.com

 

Current Exhibitions

Balancing Act Balancing Act Throughout history, women have had to balance responsibilities to community, home and family while pursuing other interests, jobs or careers. This show celebrates women both throughout history and today.
 

Concrete and Grassland explores the juxtaposition of the natural landscape and the human constructed cityscape. This call for entry asked artists to submit works that explore either the soft lines of nature or the hard lines of urban structures—or a combination of both. A joint collaboration with the Grants Pass Museum of Art.

Food For Thought Food For Thought examines the many aspects that food plays in our daily lives — from a single piece of fruit to a still life, from the family table to the significance of food in culture and the celebration of family milestones. Joint
 

My Corner of the World invited the artist to examine a world, real or imagined, that represented what is important in life. It might be a favorite place from any point in life or a special internal place. My Corner of the World looks at the big picture including, but not limited to a homeland, ancestry or culture.

Stories of Migration reflects upon the theme of “Diaspora.” Diaspora is the dispersion of a people from an established ancestral homeland. This timely exhibition showcases the wide range of talent of our SAQA members - selected pieces include art quilts, 3-D works, large installations and video. 

Text Messages Two by Twenty Two works each by twenty artists equals forty art quilts to explore and a multitude of potential pairings to consider. From bold and graphic to subtle explorations of texture and nuance, there is plenty to explore in this collection. 

Wild Fabrications

Wild Fabrications celebrates a world of animals both real and fantastical.  Let your imagination run wild as you create interesting and unusual interpretations of animals using unexpected or unconventional materials and adornment, and/or unusual techniques

Other Current Exhibitions

Celebrating Silver
Earth Stories
People & Portraits
Radical Elements
Redirecting the Ordinary
25th Anniversary Trunk Show
Seasonal Palette

 


Support SAQA when you shop on Amazon!

When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate to a portion of the sale to SAQA. How does it work? On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select Studio Art Quilt Assoc as the designated charitable organization. Then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Note: Purchases MUST be made via the smile link in order for SAQA to receive credit. Purchases that are not made using an internet browser (for instance, using the Amazon Shopping App, Kindle Store, FireTV, Amazon Dash, or Amazon Echo) are not currently eligible for donations.

 

Member News 

New Members

Regional Rep News:  
Please welcome new Rep Laura Bisagna for Southern California/Southern Nevada.

Thank you to retiring Reps Kathryn Robinson (Florida), Michelle Goldsmith (Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine), Melody McGinnis (Washington) and Sue Bleiweiss (Massachusetts & Rhode Island). We appreciate all you did for SAQA!     

Welcome to our new members who joined in March:
Carole Angel, Melissa Averinos, Betsy Barker, Dorene Beck, Natalie Bielawski, Saraj Cory, Rachel Covo, Lorna Cronk, Sherrell Cuneo, Irene Dailey, Cindy DeWall, Joan DeYoung, Patricia Doucet, Lori East, Robyn Eves, Carla Fisher, Linda Fitch, Stephanie Garrison, Sally Jane Gradle, Chris Guarnieri, Maureen Jakubson, Pam Jenner, Sandra Johnson, Lori Landenberger, Karla Lazier, Paula Louceiro, Debra Rose Marks, Peggy Martin, Tracie Maryne, Sharon Mayeux, Robina McCarthy, Margaret Mientka, Jan Millner, Susan Mirau, Joanne Misener Ellen Moyer, Marie Nelson, Debbie Nussbaum, Sarah Olsen, Carrie Olsen, Emily Parson, Elaine Poplin, Pamela Puckette, Angelica Reyes, Linda Sabin, Donna Stevens, Karen Swiech, Rebecca Tarlow, Anna Viadero, Elizabeth Wallace, Marsha Walper, and Pamela Weeks.

Thank you to everyone who made donations to SAQA in March: 
Bonnie Dubbin Askowitz, Albert Cote, Julie Donovan, Eileen Doughty*, Andra Fischgrund, Ellen Fisher, Linda Gass*, M. Denise Johnson, Michele Lasker, Yemima Lavan, Jenny K. Lyon*, Salli McQuaid*, Barbara Olson*, Patricia Porter*, Marilyn M. Prucka, Kris Sazaki, Teresa Shippy*, Emilija Vilcinskaite, Maggie Weiss, and Ruth A White*

* Yvonne Porcella Memorial Fund Donors
 


Make Connections!

The Visioning Project revolves around visualizing goals and dreams - and making them happen. The Visioning Project members are wonderful in helping each other with support, networking, and resource information. If you are interested in joining, please contact Suzan Engler.

FacebookStudio Art Quilt Associates
Twitter - @SAQAart
Pinterest - SAQAart
Instagram - SAQAart
Flickr - saqa

 


Other Opportunities

World of Threads: Call for Submissions
Artists from around the world are invited to submit bodies of work, installations or individual pieces to the festival. The three curators will draw from the pool of submissions to create different thematic group exhibitions.  Call for Entry Deadline: 04/30/2016
"Everything In Between: Art Quilts, Fabric Collage, and Embroidery"
A biennial, national, juried exhibition at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), June 30 through August 26, 2017. Theme: "Pathfinders: New Territories". Call for Entry Deadline: 02/01/2017

 

  CONTACT US   |   JOIN SAQA   |   MAKE A GIFT   |   VIEW CALENDAR

Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. · PO Box 572 · Storrs, CT, USA 06268-0572 · 860-487-4199 ·     

MANAGE YOUR SAQA EMAIL PREFERENCES    |    UNSUBSCRIBE FROM ALL SAQA EMAILS