The Quilt Skipper

quilting makes me skip for joy

Jenny K Lyon

Quilting makes me skip for joy

Aloft, a SAQA Exhibit

Once upon a time, a long time ago, before Covid 19 really hit the US, the SAQA show Aloft premiered at AQS Daytona Beach (late Feb). I was able to see its debut. I didn’t have a lot of time to ponder the quilts as I was sneaking in time at lunch and after teaching. I particularly enjoyed Aloft because it was positive and, well, uplifting. I have grown weary of “statement” shows and craved a positive exhibit.

I got a chance to hang out the with my Florida SAQA peeps and it was wonderful to get to know them better.

From left, Candace Phelan SAQA Board Member, I believe a new member and Karol Kusmaul SAQA Regional Rep

The SAQA table was hopping each time I visited and the audience loved the exhibit.

Here we go:


Sliders, Karol Kusmaul, based on a photo of Karol with her son as a young child.

Ohio Fields, Carolina Seas, Patricia Kennedy-Zafred, based on Library of Congress photos of the Wright brothers in flight.

Ekko, Sara Bradshaw. Ekko is catching a treat!

Night Owl, Judithe Roderick, based on a late night encounter.

Dezi’s Joy, Julie A. Bohnsack, based on a photo of Julie’s grandson as he learned to pump himself on a swing.

Give Rise, Deborah Boschert. The ladder represents hope. I love the shadow quilting on this!

Detail, Give Rise, Deborah Boschert. I adore this detail.

Sky Lanterns, Margaret L. Abramshe. Sky lanterns are like mini hot air balloons. Margaret was inspired by a Taiwanese festival; people send their lanterns aloft, symbolically rising above earthly troubles.

Tambuzi Takeoff, Sue Sherman, based on a photo of a Tambuzi greenhouse in Kenya with over a hundred weaver bird nests like these.

Transient in the Sky, Jerri Penney.

Flight From Portland, Lisa M. Thorpe, based on a photo taken from a flight home as they left the Portland airport.

Squirrel Aloft, Carla A. White. Scotland’s flying Red Squirrels are threatened by a virus and this quilt commemorates its fight for survival.

Boundless, Jill Kerttula based on a photo Jill took from a parking garage.

Tornado, Marianne R. Williamson based on a photo by Gregory Case.

Mandapas, Naomi S. Velasquez, inspired by cave art architecture in India.


A Perch Above, Sue Colozzi.

Sky Gardens, Dan Olfe, inspired by 2 photos Dan took in Singapore, both inside and outside a greenhouse.

On the Wind, Betty Busby, based on her childhood memory of cicadas.

A View From a Different Kind of Room, Trish Morris-Plise. Trish is a “woman of the water” and Trish imagines herself perched atop a mast.

Mapforms #7, Michele Hardy. Michele wants to highlight the beauty of rivers running through various landscapes.

Hong Kong Taxi, Jean Renli Jurgenson. Jean imagines a toddler at the window looking down.

Milkweed and Hummingbirds, Sara Sharp.

Take Off, Jan Soules, a view from the plane.

Nocturnal Nectar, Christine Holden. Long-nosed bats seek out night-blooming flowers in the American Southwest.

Tree Singing, Wen Redmond. Can you hear the trees singing if you listen carefully?

I thought this was one of the best SAQA exhibits I’ve seen. I hope you enjoyed it too!

In this week’s newsletter I’ll write a bit about what’s happening in my studio and life during this time of crisis. If you’d like to receive my weekly newsletter there is a sign-up form at the bottom of the front page of my website. I hope all is well with you and you are weathering the storm. Blessings.

Linked to Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday.

Comments

    • You’re welcome Linda! We are currently in cease-fire mode, gearing up for the next onslaught of restoration: floors, paint and baseboards. Ugh. Thank you for caring and for your comment!

  2. Thanks for the pictures of the beautiful quilts. But I’m wondering what are “statement shows”? Thanks Denise

    • Hi Denise; I made that term up, shows whose focus is on a particular societal issue.

    • Oh, you’ll be at Long Beach? I’d love to meet up with you – I’ll be teaching. Maybe we could meet for a brief lunch or chat.

  4. These are magnificent, Jenny! Thanks for sharing them with us — so very uplifting, individually and as a group. Just what we need in these troubled times.

  5. I feel like I write the same thing every week, thanks for sharing the show you visited that I wasn’t able to, I appreciate your effort. We are self isolating and I feel like I’m on vacation, time has no meaning in my day, like it should have when I retired. I may have to re-up my blog to show what’s been done in this isolation period. Saturday is International Quilt Day, hang a quilt outside, securely, to celebrate. Thank the goddess that we are creatives and know how to use this quarantined time.

    • Well I never get tired of hearing that! Yes, us creatives are blessed with something meaningful to do. This self-isolation is difficult for me. Thank you for your comment and kind words.

  7. This virtual quilt show brightened my day; thank you so much. I’m hoping to do something creative with the social distancing time.

  8. local nursing homes and recovery hospitals can’t get the masks needed for staff. A local administrator called me this morn pleading that I help him get some made. Local sewing stores, quilt stores, and sewing machine stores are stepping up to encourage quilters to get this going during our stay-at-home time and to collect them when finished for rapid and local distribution. Some of these patterns allow for laundry and reuse.

    • Yes Carol, the sewing community has mobilized! I’m sewing for a specific need right now and will search for other needs once these are done.

    • Yes, sigh, so many cancelled events Jeanne. We can still enjoy pretty quilts though!