Allen Neighborhood Center’s Senior Discovery Group is back in action this month! The seniors have begun meeting again on Wednesdays after a long pandemic hiatus (https://allenneighborhoodcenter.org/senior-discovery-group/). I visited this lively group yesterday morning to create 9/11 20th anniversary flags. We used felt, ribbon, fabric, and lots of glue to make flags–they did a great job. THANKS to ANC and the Seniors for being delightful hosts!

I was lucky to travel to Paducah, Kentucky, last month to visit the National Quilt Museum–WOW!! https://youtu.be/jbnzn3pkdP8 The Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs provided a professional development grant so I could visit the Museum and attend a journal workshop to enhance my creative practice. I highly recommend seeing the Museum if you can https://quiltmuseum.org/ The exhibition space is terrific and the displays are extremely well done, offering a wide variety of styles and techniques. Everyone that I came across was helpful and friendly–thanks for the great experience Museum Staff!

Yesterday I enjoyed showing the 6-8 year olds how to weave on cardboard–they all did a great job. The students were absorbed and adventurous in exploring weaving with yarn, ribbon, and fabric strips. Thanks to the Flint Institute of Arts Art School https://flintarts.org/learn/news for providing a wonderful, supportive work space!

Yesterday morning I taught “Make a Button Mosaic” at the Flint Institute of Arts Art School. Youthful artists and I had a great time with lots and lots and lots of white glue! The buttons were flying through the air…….

Last week was a “Let’s Make Small Art” at the Flint Institute of Arts Art School. Young artists focuses on teeny, tiny creations and truly shined–good job! Thanks for being wonderful students.

My quilt guild hosted Debbie Maddy this month as an online presenter–she was most interesting and a wonderful speaker! She detailed her studies in shibori and indigo dyeing in Japan–it is fascinating! I highly recommend her if you are studying these topics. https://www.debbiemaddy.com/blogs/musings-of-a-fiber-fanatic

I am excited to be part of an online exhibition, 2021 Patterns, hosted by the Grey Cube Gallery. https://greycubegallery.com/current-show/index.html My design is listed with the “Finalists” but there are many, many interesting and intriguing patterns on view. https://greycubegallery.com/current-show/index.html#lg=1&slide=21 The show is online for this month.

Yesterday I taught a couple of classes where the students focused on creating faces. First, young artists made faces with realistic pictures of human faces. But then they altered the faces by cutting up and reassembling parts. Secondly, each person made a face flag, on a felt flag with a knitting needle hanger. We used a variety of materials and lots of imagination. Thanks to the Flint Institute of Arts Art School for being a great host! https://flintarts.org/learn/news

Faith Ringgold quilt from 1996—love it!

10 young artists explored making books yesterday in my class at the Flint Institute of Arts Art School https://flintarts.org/uploads/images/Fall21.pdf They worked with folding paper, writing stories, creating scrolls, and more. What a creative and enthusiastic group of artists!