A big quilt and a rainbow

I have not posted anything in this blog for two and a half months.  That is a long time!  It is in fact the time that it has taken me to finish my quilt for SAQA's Earth Stories project.  It is 72" square and I cannot post a photo of it - it is embargoed until the opening of the exhibition, which will be in early May 2014 at the University of Michigan Museum.

Earth Stories is a fascinating project.  First, because of the theme - positive stories about the Earth.  Second, because of the way it was organised - entry requirements were a portfolio of work, and a project proposal.  From those, 25 SAQA members were selected to carry out their projects.  There are many North American artists in the list, but also several from Europe, the Far East and the Middle East.  I am very proud of being one of the group.

The project has been fascinating to carry out, because of my own research into the subject, and because of observing the projects by the other group members - a wide variety of very interesting things.  There will be a catalog, so a much wider number of people will be able to see what it was done.

My project was about the protection of endangered species in the nature reserves of the Somerset Levels, in the UK.  The reserves convert old peat bogs and unused land into a variety of habitats suitable for species ranging from beetles to bats, from dragonflies to otters, and more.  They are managed by specialists but staffed mostly by committed volunteers.

As I cannot post photos of my quilt, I will entertain my visitors with other photos - today with images of a beautiful rainbow caught on the road on the way home a couple of weeks ago.

Till soon!

Alicia