SAQA Meeting and Stella

     Last Saturday, I went to Dallas with my friend Heather.  Our SAQA meeting is held at a fabric shop on Commerce in Deep Ellum....a very interesting place!  The place, Petit Atelier, is very unique; has wonderfully fancy fabrics; and the owner, Michael is such a nice host. We have over 20 members of SAQA (Studio Art Quilters Association) but only nine were able to attend this week.
     The last time we met, we had decided to begin a challenge for all to take part.  The month before we had gone to the Modern in Fort Worth to see the Stella exhibit...a great day...we had a docent which was good because a lot to Stella's art is very abstract and having a docent to explain made the show so much better.  Anyway, as a result, we decided to use a Stella as our inspiration for our first challenge.

This is the Stella the was selected as our inspiration 

     When we have challenges, as in my studioQ group, we can create a work of art anyway we wish...using the design or color or whatever strikes one....that is what inspiration is!  "Inspired by" !

And my process begins with the selecting/auditioning of my fabric.

      I decided to take the colors that Stella used but instead of circles overlaid with squares, I decided to reverse that, using a square and overlap with a simulated circle.

My Stella...not quite finished... I need to do the binding and remove some loose threads.

     I was kind of handicapped this week because I have been receiving a treatment in my right eye so it was too blurry to see well.  Trying to thread a needle with one eye is really hard!!!  Ok, enough whining, I'm good now so will get it finished this week.

      Here are what some of the other members did.

Donna

Kay

Andrea

Heather

      One of the main things I like about our challenges is to see how differently everyone will interpret the same picture.  We meet every other month and try to visit galleries and museums on the alternate months.  There is another artist, Kaws, at the Modern now and we are going to try to visit his works with a docent too.  And we decided to choose his work for our next challenge.  I don't know which work it will be yet but will keep you posted, my readers!!

My living room/fireplace do over!

     I had a gas fireplace when I first moved into my condo...and a white tile surround,  painted mantle, and a white entry way which is actually part of the living room. My first year here, I re did my kitchen; the second year, my bathrooms; and now for my third year, a redo of the living room!

My Original gas fireplace, white tile, and painted mantle                                                                                 

After tearing out the white tile and gas fireplace and rebuilding area for an electric fire place.

The new hearth which has been enlarged, placement of the electric fire place and
starting of the brick front.

Hearth and brick front are finished but I didn't like the look from the side.

And I decided I really wanted a new mantle out of real wood
 so here it is in the rough...oak!

Sides and mantle attached                                                        

The final product with my accessories back in place!                                                                

And the entry way process

This is the sub coat put on after the tile was removed...goes into a closet too.

And the finished project..it is river rock cut into slices...goes along with my "rustic" look!

So what to do for my next redo?  Well, I'm going to have to build up a little reserve first, then I am thinking of replacing the tile in my kitchen....it is also white and the grout has gotten a little too grungy!