12X12 quilts from TCQC 07-30-23

There are many 12X12 quilts in the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection and most came from the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) online auctions over as many years as they have been holding these  events.  The  quilts are donated by members and the offerings increase every year.  This year I believe there are over 400 of these charming little quilts listed. You can see them all at https://www.saqa.com/auctionview  More info at  saqa.com/auction

The auction opens on September 14th and until then every Sunday I will post 12X12s from  the Collection.  There are many birds, but I will start with a few quilts that show people.

"Lady with a Mug"  Bodil Gardner - Denmark  12"x12"  2007

Mostly cotton fabric.  Machine appliqued and quilted

She did not title the quilt, so I added my choice.

"Jane Goodall -  Portrait Study" 12" x 12" Mary Pal - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 2011

Cheesecloth, PVA adhesive, buckram.  FMQ using monofilament thread.

This portrait study of Jane Goodall by Mary Pal was part of SAQA's 2011 online auction.  Mary Pal has invented her unique technique using gauze and a stiffener to define the features in her portraits. Being an admirer of Jane I was immediately drawn to this quilt.   

 

"Don't Piss Off the Fairies" Ruth Powers 2008 12" square

Cotton Fabric, thread, batting.  Machine pieced and quilted.

This was one of the SAQA 12" X 12" auction quilts in 2009. I am so happy that I was able to add it to the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection. Besides the priceless look on this fairy's face, Ruth Powers technical skills are outstanding.

"Pink Purses in Rome"  Joan Sowada - Gillette, WY  2007  12" x 12"

This is one of the first quilts I purchased at a SAQA auction. I had been interested in Joan Sowada's work since her quilt, the amazing "Cosmic Bicycle" was in Visions 2006 where it won the Cathy Rasmussen Emerging Artist Memorial Award. I don't know how 'emerging' she was at the time, but I had not heard of her then.

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SAQA online auction coming soon 09-02-18

Although the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection started twenty years before SAQA's first online auction, I have purchased quite a few of the auction quilts.  It is a great place to find stunning small (12" x 12") quilts to increase a collection or to decorate your home.  Tonight I show three quilts that I particularly enjoy from the early years of the auction.  

This year the auction starts on September 14th, just a few weeks away.  You can go to the website to see all the quilts that will be on offer and an explanation of how the auction works.  Choose your favorites and take a chance.  

http://www.saqa.com/auction-quilts.php

"Amidst the Fire"  K. Grace Howes 2009  12" x 12"

See what I said in a previous post:  

http://delquilts.blogspot.com/2011/02/amidst-fire-k-grace-howes-02-27-11.html

"House"  Sally Sellers - Vancouver, WA  2007  12" x 12"

See what I said in a previous post:

http://delquilts.blogspot.com/2010/06/sally-sellers-quilt-with-bling-06-20-10.html

"Pink Purses in Rome"  Joan Sowada - Gillette, WY  2007  12" x 12"

See what I said in a previous post:

http://delquilts.blogspot.com/2009/09/joan-sowada-quilt-from-tcqc-09-13-09.html

You can also find the artist's name on the right sidebar and click for all references.

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Looking back, again. 10-09-14

FYI - Yesterday's bird is a black-crowned night heron photographed at Dana Point, CA. 

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Sorry, I have my dates messed up.  This quilt is from the 2010 SAQA Auction.  NOT 2007. 

I looked back today to see when I started putting images of quilts in the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection on my blog.  It was September 26, 2007 and below is the post from that day.  Although this is not the quilt that started TCQC, I'll have to show that one of these days.   I still think Joan's quilts are amazing and I am happy that this quilt is part of the Collection.  Check out her website at http://www.joansowada.com/ , a change from 2007!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~09-26-07~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I had a note today from Joan Sowada a Wyoming quiltmaker whose small

(1 foot square) quilt, "Pink Purses in Rome", I purchased from an online auction. I admire her quilts - they are amazing. You can see more of her work at http://www.avacenter.org/usergallery.php?ID=10

http://www.joansowada.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Joan Sowada quilt from TCQC 09-13-09

"Pink Purses in Rome" Joan Sowada 12" x 12"

This quilt was a purchase at the 2007 SAQA online auction. Since the 2009 auction is now in progress it seemed an appropriate quilt to show here. When I started collecting I wasn't interested in a lot of small quilts, even though my first purchase (also at an auction) was a small quilt, I wanted quilts with a presence. But in the last decade the quilts on the market seem to be getting smaller and smaller. I even have a collection of fiber art postcards that I continue to add to. I have found that these twelve-inch square quilts display very well if a number of them are space across a wall - either horizontally or vertically. I have a lot of respect for SAQA and their growth during the past ten years - I want to support them all that I can. Even though my acquisitions budget has taken a hit in the last year, I have set aside something so I can bid at the SAQA auction. Since so many people are in the same fix, this might be the year that you could start a small collection of small quilts - there will be bargains, I'm sure.

I have been interested in Joan Sowada's work since her quilt, the amazing "Cosmic Bicycle" was in Visions 2006 where it won the Cathy Rasmussen Emerging Artist Memorial Award. I don't know how 'emerging' she was at the time, but I had not heard of her. She doesn't have a website of her own, but you can see her work at http://www.avacenter.org/usergallery.php?ID=10

AVA Center is a group gallery in Gillette, Wyoming, where Joan lives. On the site she states, "The process of building image from fabrics, paint, oil pastel, embroidery floss and thread, creates multiple layers of visual interest and meaning."

I hope I will see more of her pieces in the future.