CollaboratioNZ 2011 Art Auction

To start off I better explain what CollaboratioNZ is. Every 2 years a large group of National & International Artists gather together at McGregors Bay for a week to share, learn and make art together. At the end of the week all the art made during the week is auctioned, and the money from the auction funds the next CollaboratioNZ in 2 years time. Here's a video make during the 2009 CollaboratioNZ which shows various Artists working together.

So now you know what CollaboratioNZ is all about, here's some photos I took at the Art Auction on Saturday.

I liked this large piece and thought it would look good in the garden! I wanted to get a photo of my son and his girlfriend looking through it but, he didn't like that idea (see him dragging her away)

I really liked this little house on a cliff and the stairs to a diving board. On the back there was a ladder to climb back up!

I thought this would have looked good at home too, but I was out bid.

This large outdoor wind sculpture was interesting. This is the first time I have seen a propeller attached to the singer sewing machine! The whole top spins when the wind catches the large 'sail' and the propeller is attached to the wheel so when propeller spins the machine 'sews'.

Here's what some different Artists made with the sewing machine cover. I love the carrot on a stick.

It's title is 'Horseless Tart' which made sense when you looked inside the cart! This piece made a lot of people laugh.

The Auction went well with all 150plus pieces selling. Prices ranged from $50 to $10,000. Nothing came home with me, I was out bid on everything I liked. But I still had a great time seeing all the Art and the intense bidding for some items.

After the Auction I went and had a look at the Billboard Competition entries (for promoting Whangarei) at the Town Basin.

There are 12 Billboards to see on the grass behind Reyburn Art Gallery, so make the time and go and have a look. These were my 3 favourites.

Pataua Bridge by Diane Stoppard

Town Basin by Val Rufus-Ellis

Surf Life Saving Champs, Ruakaka by Nickie Muir

Western Quilters Show

Last Sunday a group of us went down to Auckland to see Western Quilters Show. I took a few photos to share with you all. I haven't been able to put them on the blog till now as I was having a few problems with blogger uploading them! (other bloggers out there will understand that I'm sure!) Anyway hope you enjoy looking at them now.

'Snakeskin Bargello 1'

By Chris Thoreau

This large quilt was just inside the quilt show doors and is a real stunner. The colours really glowed, I'm not really a pink girl but really liked this. The border is an impressive & complicated Celtic design.

‘Oriental Retro’

By Rewa Douglas

Quilted by Jill Hawkins

I had to take a close up so you could see the mirco quilting! (Thats why my stubby fingers are in shot!) And no I'm not touching it, my fingers are in front if it!

‘Mariner’s Galaxy’

By Jules Devine

The large photo above doesn't do it justice as there was sun streaming in across the top of the quilt and then the bottom was in shade! Oh well the detail shot come out OK.

I love points and this quilt is full of them.The quilting was lovely and the beading added sparkle to this 'Galaxy'.

‘My Sunny Spot in the Bush’ By Juliet Fitness.

The full photo I took of this didn't come out very good as there was a window with sun streaming in above it. But this was my favourite of the wall hangings. I loved the old towel on the washing line, and the cat in the basket. Also if you have a close look, native tree names are quilted into the background, very clever.

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Also at the show was the NZ suitcase exhibition of the 'Hoffman Challenge'. Here's a few that I liked.

'Tree Top Snack'

By Debbie Benton, Turakina

'Country Classics'

By Robyn Parkinson, Palmerston North

'Gossip'

By Margaret O’Cain, Dunedin

'High Five'

By Joanne Mitchell, Geraldine

This is a 3D piece when you look at it from the right, you see Sir Ed Hillary…

..And when you look at it from the left you see Mount Everest.

Joanne said she found this technique 'Challenging but Fascinating'

The Hoffman Challenge usually comes to 'Reyburn House Art Gallery' here in Whangarei too, so watch out for that later in the year. I rang them for dates but it's not booked in yet (but will be).

The Quilt Show- Free Shows

Hi this weekend 'The Quilt Show' has some of it's shows available for free viewing. I have been a star member (pay subscription) for a couple of years now and really enjoy the shows. There are a few shows for non-members to see, meaning you don't have to sign up with email and a password, and then there are some more that require you to sign up first before you can see them. (but they are still free to view!)

I really recommend these shows as they take the time to really show the techniques so you can do them yourself. Some of the free shows to watch this weekend, are their 'Legend' shows. These shows are when they go to the home of a quilting 'legend' and interview them. So far the legend list has included; Virginia Avery, Jinny Beyer, Libby Lehman & Yvonne Porcella.

Now of course you will need Broadband to watch them, so don't email if you can't get them using Dial-Up!

So heres the link, check them out. Watch shows for free

Show n Tell March 2011

Hope you all enjoyed the club meeting yesterday, here's the Show n Tell.

To the side here is a close up of Lynne's quilt. I like how the raw edge of the denim has 'ruffled' up.

Lynne Wilson made this 'picnic blanket' (pattern from a recent NZ Quilter Mag). She said you were supposed to used recycled jeans, but she bought some denim in Fabric Barn's sale, and used her 5 inch batik fabric squares from Tulis.

Check out the full quilt below.

I really like this and my have to make one too. I especially like how Lynne colour washed the placement of the batiks.

Shelia Udjur made this quilt using the Jelly Roll she won at the Christmas meeting. She has made it for the Downs Syndrome Support Group to raffle.

Helen Barron has made this quilt for Hospice to sell. She started it by making 'fabric' with scraps from a days sewing (the crumb blocks), and then appliqued the cars to alternate blocks. It has turned out really lovely.

'Poppies in the Wind' by Robyn Halverson. Robyn hand dyed the fabric herself and the design is inspired by Lenore Crawford's work.

Table cloth made by Sue Farrier, using the Gem 5 & 10 templates. It also features Sue's first machine stippling.

Maria New stitched this mystery BOM from the Country Yard. It is designed by Lynette Andersen. There is a lot of hand embroidery, and lovely wooden buttons on this quilt.

Maria has been busy and also finished this quilt. The stars are paper pieced & she used lovely batiks, sorry the photo is a bit over exposed.

Sue Farrier made the 'grab' balls. The larger ball is made to the pattern size, and then she reduced the pattern down to make the smaller ball for a baby.

This cushion is one of a pair made by Briar McDonald. The design comes from a 15th century medieval building, Briar made them for her newly decorated lounge.

Terri Mills made this bag and machine embroidered the rose, and Shelia Udjur made this NZ themed counting book.

This is 'Aotearoa' made by Frances Dixon for her new daughter inlaw. It features NZ fabrics in the centre of the blocks and was quilted by Leonie Wihongi. I really liked the quilting on the black borders (left). It echos the design of red black fabric.

This quilt top has been put together by the Ngunguru group out of their orphan blocks, and will be sent to the Christchurch earthquake appeal.

And lastly these are a couple of blocks Lynda has made as examples of house blocks for her Garden theme BOM. If you what to join in this BOM make up you our house block (6 1/2 inch) any design, and the theme for the next block will be in the next newsletter. This is not for swapping as in previous years, everyone works on their own blocks each time. Your houses don't need to look like Lynda's but they can if you want them too! So get your imaginations going and bring your blocks to the next meeting to share.

Interesting Emails!

Today I had a lovely email from John Nielsen (fabulous longarm quilter) he has just finished quilting several 'Pike River Heart Quilts' and he sent me a photo of a quilt with one of my hearts in it. There were over 8000 blocks from all around the world, and a lot of completed quilts donated to Pike River, after these are distributed, any excess quilts are going to Christchurch.

You can see more quilts for Pike River in Shirley Goodwin's Blog under the Archives, for Nov, Dec & Jan or click on these links below.

November 2010, December 2010, January 2011

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Then I had a few emails from people saying they really liked one of my quilts in the Gallery of The Quilt Show. I thought that's a bit of a coincidence, so I visited The Quilt Shows blog and they are featuring one of my quilts!

Check it out using this link. http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php (scroll down to 6 march)

The Gallery on The Quilt Show site is worth a look it has 16,863 quilts on it. Just make a cup of Tea first! http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/quilt_gallery.php