toward a better image of the dahlias

OK--you all probably know that great saying. How do you get  to Carnegie Hall? Of course the answer is "Practice". Well after my last post on dahlias, I decided  I should try taking some better images of the dahlias on the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA.

Now it did not  help the last time that I was carrying a cup of coffee and a treat from McCuskers as I hurried across the Bridge to open my studio. In fairness I had not expected the dahlias to be so magnificent but I am not sure that is an excuse.

In any case, I took a bit more time yesterday. So without further ado:

So what do you think? Still room for improvement. Especially my views of the dahlias and the Bridge. Nice but could be even better.

Fun though. Do you ever do this--take a lot of images to try to get the right one? Any hints? And by the by, these were taken with my iPhone.

the riot of dahlias

OK I confess that my daylilies have been magnificent this year. But alas. The season is almost over. Sure there are a few still blooming bravely in the garden. Their foliage that wonderful green mixed with yellows and browns. What a welcome sight they are.

But still I felt the need for an intense deep burst of color and fullness that I was missing. So it was time to get my coffee and walk across the Bridge of Flowers. You see I am one spoiled color junkie. The Bridge of Flowers in beautiful Shelburne Falls is right in back of my studio. I can walk across it any day I want.

This time it was the dahlias that caught my eye. So many great colors and designs all standing so proudly in the sun. Yes, I could go on and on about the joys of each one. I could stop and take careful pictures to capture their glory and maybe I will. Tomorrow.

For now though I just need to revel in their splendor.

And you--do you grow dahlias? Do you look forward to them every year? What are you favorite ones? And have you made it to the Bridge of Flowers yet this year?

the last row

I don't know if this ever happens to you but sometimes it just seems too good to be true. The quilt almost pieced itself.  I was on such a roll I did not even stop to move the purses hanging on my design board. This was fun--the way it is supposed to be. Not bad huh?

But then I realized that the key to the whole quilt was the last row. At the top. This is what would make the quilt sing if it is done right. Or it would relegate the quilt to just another color study. Oh--what to do?

I take some time away from the quilt. Get out my fabrics. And start to play. I want a hint of light to counteract the dark purples. Enough purple. Isn't the quilt intense enough as it is. I pull out a few fabrics--not the ones I thought I would use but maybe they would work. Let me try.

Hard to tell from just one block isn't? Yeap--time to drink some coffee. Finish a few other projects in the studio. Should I clean for a while? Then I make another block. Still can't tell, can you?

I mean it is definitely not bad. But is it the answer? Well, sometimes the only way out is through. So I summon the courage and start piecing. Trying to remember to add light and blue to the quilt. Enough purples to make it fit in. Just a bit of the unexpected. And yes I still don't move the purses. In fact I am sufficiently focused I don't notice them until I snap the image. Not bad, huh.

And now to sew it together. Yes, it will look different. More polished. More controlled. But I want it in my booth for the Paradise City Arts Festival this October12-14. And I do want to study it some more--see what it is I can learn from this quilt? Where it will lead me next?

Does this ever happen to you? What do you think?

mixing it up

I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but recently when I walked into one of my favorite quilt stores--A Notion to Quilt in Shelburne, MA--I was thinking of certain colors that I knew I needed. Then a fabric popped up and seemed to say, "Take me. Please."

I look at it. It really doesn't look like fabrics I usually buy but there was just something about it. So many possibilities. I have been into greys recently. OK--I had to try it.

And why not this one too. It was too fun.

Oh I do like to shop.

And some fabrics to co-ordinate. Enough though that the staff--who does know my quilts--mentioned that the stack did not look like me. How true. How exciting.

Luckily though this is the time I need potholders. I do have the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton in October. The holidays are coming and kitchens do deserve art. After all not everyone can afford a large quilt--and certainly not all the time. Plus making a potholder will let me experiment with the fabric. What can it do? What can I do with it? A win win. Not bad huh?

potholder--quilt--Ann Brauer

And a co-ordinate.

potholder--quilt--Ann Brauer

They do go together. And what about an eyeglass case or two. Another good way for me to experiment.

eyeglass case--quilt--Ann Brauer

Can you find one of the fabrics? And another colorway as my confidence rises.Yes, it took forever to choose the colors for this one and I did worry if the chartreuse would be too much but as I told myself, these are eyeglass cases and I needed to try it. It works though, doesn't it?

eyeglass case--quilt--Ann Brauer

Oh this is too much fun. I could spend hours playing with these fabrics. Though after a while I confess that making smaller items gets to be a bit much and it just may be time to start a larger quilt. Hmm--could this be the inspiration? How many of the new fabrics can I use?

And you--do you ever buy fabrics just to play with them? Which ones are your favorites? How do you learn what the fabrics can do?

the quilts of Ann Brauer--September song

Yes, amazing it is September already. August just flew by as I did not one but two wonderful craft shows. So many people I met. So nice to see such a positive reaction to my new work. And now I have month to fill orders and get ready for the busy season ahead. And of course I have to find room in my garden for just a few more daylilies that I just had to order--I did try to contain myself though--really.

Anyhow enough chit chat for now. The BIG news is that progress is being made on my new studio almost every single day. As I noted in an article in The Recorder, I can stand at my counter at 6 Bridge Street and watch them pour concrete for 2 Conway Street and I confess I do that probably a little too much during the course of the day. The new building has a wonderful very solid foundation which will be raised far above ground level. In addition the two entrances into the new building will have a flood barrier that I can insert if a weather event warrants. There will also be a coating on the first couple feet of the new building which is water proof. (My architect does know his stuff.) For those who want to follow the progress more, I  post often on Facebook--www.facebook.com/annbrauerquiltstudio and will try to write more often on my blog about it.

Meanwhile I will be in the studio most days in September making work for my next show which is the Paradise City Arts Festival at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton October 12-14. This is a glorious show with good food and great live music as well as some of the best fine craft and art around. Columbus Day is late this year so the colors should be fabulous as well. Shelburne Falls will be holding another ArtWalk on September 14 from 4-8 pm and of course I will be open all day. Just another excuse to visit the Falls in the 'tween season and see how lovely the Bridge of Flowers is. Later in the year I will be doing the Washington Craft Show and CraftBoston.

And now for the Quilt of the Month. This time I decided to sell my quilt--spring garden.

spring garden--90x90"--quilt--Ann Brauer

This was a groundbreaking quilt for me when I made it back in 2000. Its sister is in the collection of the American Museum of Art + Design down in the Big Apple. This quilt was recently returned to me from a gallery where it was displayed for a number of years. I had initially considered keeping it as  part of my personal collection but, as I reminded myself when I listed it on Etsy, I am building a new studio. Anyhow, if you are interested you can find it on my Etsy shop at
www.etsy.com/shop/annbrauer  Do note that the quilt does have a bit of a ripple when it hangs although I will gladly sew another strip of Velcro onto the bottom should you wish.  While on my Etsy show you can also see that I am trying to add more eyeglass cases to the shop to replenish those that sell. And I am wondering if I should post a few placemats and potholders on the site--what do you think?

OK--this is a long newsletter. I hope to see some of you in my studio this month or on the web so to speak. As always enjoy the season.

Thanks so much for reading.

Isn't it time to "Journey to Merryville"?

Have you ever been to a gallery show which was so enchanting and rich that you just wanted to linger there forever? One of those shows that stays with you long after you have left and makes you want to return time and again just to see one more detail--one more angle. To make sure you can thoroughly absorb the layers and layers it has.

Well, let me suggest a show you will want to take your friends, your children, your grandchildren,  your friends grandchildren or basically anyone else to over and over again. It is "Journey to Merryville" by the artist Lilin Tseng now showing up at the Salmon Falls Artisans Showroom in Shelburne Falls through September 2.   Now in all fairness to my readers I must admit that I know Lilin--although only slightly. After all, she has long been known for her wonderful perfectly executed dolls.

But this is far more than a doll show. This is a place inhabited by 20 characters who each--regardless of who they are--enjoy every moment to the fullest while being totally themselves. And just to give you perspective--these characters are about 20 inches tall.

Anyhow there is Muffet. Haven't we all met her? Do note the detail on the finger nails. Don't you just love her ruffled collar?

She is indeed sitting on a Tuffet talking with--of course--her friend Puffet. Yes, I know her too. And you must see the complete assemblage to thoroughly understand how wonderful it is.

Behind them is Madam Moth--based in part of the opera Madam Butterfly. (Yes, you will want to read the entire story about this character. I won't spoil it for you.)

Again note the fingernails. And of course the oh so perfect moth.

There is Cat Woman.  Yes, she has a mechanical crank to turn her tail though of course one would never ever turn it in the gallery. How long did it take Lilin to perfect that!

This is the "fur". What attention to detail and complexity. This is painted wood. But try to imagine that process--so painstaking and exact.

And of course Bow Wow Wow. So himself. So full of attitude. His necklace is a beaded dog. His pants hang down--as in way down.  Probably banned in several communities. But he is so full of himself and his world. I believe she even made the sunglasses. Wow!

So have you noticed anything similar about these characters? Not just their attitude but all the faces are made from the same mold that of course Lilin sculpted and then molded in resin. Amazing isn't it?

One more I loved was Poppo. Yes, this is Pippi Longstockings grown up. Don't you just love her smile? I didn't snap a picture of her longstockings but of course they were hand knit just for her legs. Can you imagine attaching those buttons?

OK--I can't include them all. She even made a character which is a self portrait of herself. How lovely and revealing it is. And of course on the walls are paintings of the characters of Merryville to make the show even richer.  So do--if you are even thinking of making it to Shelburne Falls this summer visit this show. Indeed I suggest visiting it once--then taking the time to read the wonderful hand out that describes each of the characters--and then looking again. After all, don't you wanted to see the needle felted dog or the hat made from a tea strainer? Yes this show deserves a larger venue with a greater audience (hint to anyone out there looking for a great show). But this will be the best time to see this work in such an intimate setting. For more information on Lilin and much better images her web site is: http://merryvilleart.com/index.html


And of course if you are in Shelburne Falls, you can walk down the hill and over the Iron Bridge to visit me in my studio so long as I am not at a craft show. Gee, I bet you were wondering when I would get that in.

And you--have you seen the show? Were you as awed as I was? Any other hidden must see shows that you can recommend?

it takes a stash to make a quilt

Now one of those questions I get asked all the time is "How many fabrics are there in this quilt?" A great question but just counting the fabrics in the quilt would not give you the real answer. After all, for every fabric I choose to put into the quilt, there are also many more that I have just like Goldilocks rejected.

Let me explain. This time the order was for a quilt based on the design and colors of "autumn dawn". You may remember this quilt--wonderful rich colors of browns with a vibrant yellow dawn and the hints of purple floating above the field of green. And I did want to get this order done--the client wanted to attend the Berkshire Craft Show August 9-11 in Great Barrington, MA so I had to concentrate on it.

autumn dawn--45x64"--quilt--Ann Brauer

However, the quilt had to be smaller and it had to coordinate with the colors of the room. In particular purples were wrong and instead a hint of blue was called for. Just look at the colors of the pillow sham from the space. Lovely but a bit of a challenge, isn't it?

So I start piecing. When in doubt, my motto after all is make what I know.

Not bad. But what comes next? I pull out lots and lots of fabrics and sort through. Hunting for fabrics that have just the right amount of warmth but also reflect the colors of the sham.

Yes, this one was too purple. Too bright.

This one had great colors but it was just so busy I feared it would detract from the quilt.

This one is actually possible. Note that hint of red in the piece and just the right amount of blue. I'll set it aside and cut a couple of wedges.

Perfect, isn't this one? Not too bright but so many colors. Just the right amount of warmth.

And this blue--will it prove to be too purple. Only the actual quilt will tell. But I set it aside. Cut a bit of it--easier and faster than going back and finding the fabric at just the right moment.

And so it continues. Going through my stash of blues and reds, the stash of browns and yellows. Even the greys. Trying to find as many colors that just might work. Rejecting ten or twenty pieces before I find even one that just might work. Then finally I start piecing. Will the colors work? How will it look?

Not bad. Don't you love how once you get the pieces together they start to sing? So complex but also harmonious at the same time.

Then I sew it together. And give it the final once over. Sure the snapshot is not as well lit as it could be--it took forever to finish and the light was fading. But still I hope the customer will be pleased. And as for me--now I am thinking of more uses for these colors--what will the next quilt in this series look like?

Berkshire dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer

And you--do you find it takes a stash to make a quilt? How do you sort your fabric?  Can you ever have too much stash? What tricks can you offer? And if you are in the Berkshires maybe you will be able to make it to the show--for more info: www.berkshirecraftsfair.org