Today, I treated myself to a visit to the Muskegon Art Museum to see the Extreme Fiber Exhibit.  I truly appreciate this museum and their support of fiber art.  There was a wide variety of pieces in the show... again something I found appealing.  While I am still caught looking for "beauty" or good use of design principles, however there were a few conceptual pieces that I though were meaningful.  My favorite pieces was a hand-dyed piece of silk...the amount of detail and constancy of shape and line throughout the design was amazing (as was the use of color).  Here are some pictures:

Did you read Mark Lipinski's "A New Vision in Quilt Making, slow down and reconnect with your creativity"?  I almost turned the page, after all I have been rushing around all summer and it didn't sound like I was going to learn a new technique.  However, the article really struck a chord with me.  It might have been because I having been rushing to finish a piece for an exhibit, plus balancing other work projects and family life.  Maybe it was because, the movement strives for people/quilters to believe in their own creativity (a personal mission).  Maybe it's because I have recently tried some yoga classes.  I don't know, but I liked the article.  Here are a couple of quotes:  

• "The slow stitching movement is spearheading the idea that slow, deliberate, present and even mediative stitching and creating is to be embraced."  
• "Stitching with intent will help you trust your creative instincts and, learning through practice, how to be in touch with all your senses, emotions and the creative process."
• "I know that by slowing down and respecting the process, my creative vision, and the desire for excellence-and not just the completion- I am forging an intimate bond with both the finished work and my quilting legacy."
  

He does have a bit of a yogi swami vibe going in the article, which I'm completely sure about... I could never do the deep breathing in yoga class either.  He also talks about "the advent of precuts", "stopped picking out our own fabrics", and "kit with pre-fused, die-cut fabric".  As a quilt judge,  the fairness of having a quilt made from a "kit with pre-fused, die-cut fabric" in the same category as one which was designed, fabric selected and completely put together by the maker is becoming a concern. Judges aren't given this information (whether the quilt was made from a kit), and judging is based on both workmanship and design. 

Would love to hear your thoughts... 

Here is another quilt that I made using my cut 'n switch method of improvisational piecing.  It is not as intricate as "Modern Art in Quilt Form".  In this quilt I used only 6 colors: white, gray, light blue, medium blue, medium purple and dark purple.  There were 16 in Modern Art.  While some of the smaller blocks have quite a few "cuts" in them, there are still large shapes or solid colored areas in this quilt.  This quilt is also finished more traditionally, with borders and bindings.  In Modern Art, the design goes to the edge of the quilt and it is faced.  I do like the variation in the size of blocks that I used in the quilt, as well as the asymmetrical inner borders.