Fun Small Shoe Quilts

I took time just before, as well as during, ArtPrize to play ... creating smaller shoe quilts with purses.

"Bleu Belle" Shoe - 18"x 18"

"Harlequin" Shoe - 18"x 18"

"Spice Girl" Shoe - 18"x 18"

"Black Lace Girl" Shoe (18"x 18")

Those four plus one more, the "Red Shoe" (forgot to photograph that one) can be seen ... and purchased for $400 each ... at Good Goods Gallery in Saugatuck, Michigan.

This last one was made as a gift for my interior decorator friend who has been supplying me with expired fabric books and yardage leftovers for years. The tapestry background and framing fabric for the above shoe quilts came from her as well as the backing fabric for each of them.

"Congo Pump for Ebbie" (24"x 18")

This shoe is African themed because Ebbie and her husband had lived there and the room where it is displayed has the flavor of that continent.

I'm in the process of working on yet another smaller shoe quilt. It's a commission that resulted from the person seeing "Imelda's Dream II" at ArtPrize and the one I created for Ebbie. You'll have to wait to see and read more about that one after it's been gifted at Christmas.

ArtPrize 2011 Report

ArtPrize is over ... sigh! "Imelda's Dream II" got a lot of attention and votes from among the 500,000 people who visited Grand Rapids, Michigan during those 19 days. I feel honored to have been one of 1,582 artist participants in this grand scale art event that covered over 3 square miles of the downtown, plus the botanical garden of that city, Miejer's Gardens.

Janice of Good Goods Gallery in Saugatuck hung my entry. I'm grateful that gallery is so generous to me. I was there to hand up tools and help to determine it's levelness by eye. It's surprising how much actual levelness according to a leveling tool can differ from the visual one. It's all relative to the art pieces relationship to the architecture of the building.

Between her expertise and the lighting guy who works for the DeVos Place Convention Center, it was beautifully lit.

 

That walkway was filled with people on the days that I spent with my piece to talk with those who were interested.

Interaction between the artists and viewers is a major goal of this event. Go here to see a video that explains ArtPrize wonderfully well.

ArtPrize 2011 Entry

Once again, I'm pleased to announce that I'm an ArtPrize artist and this is my entry ...

"Imelda's Dream II" - 70"x 70"

Some of you may recognize it. The purses give it a new life for its debut in the ArtPrize exhibition. It had been rolled up in storage waiting for a home in a health care setting as a distraction for women waiting for "procedures." That had not happened, so it will once again see the light of day come September 21st. I hope the audience of ArtPrize goers will find it as appealing as do my cyber friends who have left comments on the posts leading up to this reveal.

ArtPrize is a world-wide art exhibition that takes place September 21 thru October 9th. This year's show features 1,582 artists from 36 countries and 43 states who will show their work in 164 venues within three-square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. The venue where my entry can be seen is the DeVos Place Convention Center ... the same venue that featured "The Lake" in last years show.

Fifth Purse

This fifth purse is the last one made for this project. It's my favorite ...

This beaded beauty gets paired with the "Beach Ball" shoe in the quilt ...

It also goes well with the "Patchwork" shoe ...

"Kiss My Foot" ...

"Rock'n Roll"...

"Winged Foot"...

"Ebony & Ivory" ...

"Dicey"...

"Fruit LOOP"...

and "Deco Dancing"...

Fourth Purse Added

This fourth purse features graceful lines and stacked antique glass buttons.

It is paired with this shoe in "Imelda's Dream II" quilt ...

But it would also go with the "Bearfoot" shoe ...

the "Winged Foot" shoe ...

as well as the "Turning Leaf" one ...

There's one more purse to go before my reveal of the purpose of this project.

Third Purse Added

This elegant purse features the tiniest antique silk covered buttons that came with the stash I was gifted at the end of last year.

It is displayed with the "Vegging Out" shoe display on the big quilt.

This purse also coordinates with the "Turning Leaf" shoe ...

the "Winged Foot" shoe ...

and the "Bear Foot" shoe ...

Again, the red-lettered shoe titles are live links. Click on them to read the posts written about them.

Stay tuned for two more purses added to my shoe quilt.

Second Purse Added

Back when I was thinking pink, this purse was created.

It is "displayed" in the big quilt with the "FrOOtlOOp" shoe.

The making of this shoe can be read here.

That purse would also go with the "Pretty in Pink" shoe ...

the "Vegging Out" shoe ...


as well as the "Vamp" shoe.


The red lettered words are links that will take you to the posts written about the making of each of those shoe blocks.

First Added Purse

The purse quilts that I made previously were the result of "playing" with my friend, Alicia. Initially I had planned to make envelope style evening bags to add to this shoe quilt while she played.

Imelda's Dream - 70"x 70"

I was envious until I gave myself permission to play, too. That letting loose to make those 6 previous purses with no limitations got me in the groove to more easily create ones to co-ordinate with the shoes in my quilt.

 I suspect these may have ended up matched to a particular pair of shoes without my experience in making the others.  I like that each purse will go with other shoes in the quilt besides the one with which it's displayed.

To read about this shoe block go here.

The other purses for this quilt will be revealed throughout this next week.

The Shoes Are Back

Remember my shoe quilt? You'll be seeing more of it.  Here's a study I made recently to test out the addition of purses ...

Run for the Roses - 17" x 17"

Stay tuned for more ...