PTA JULY MEETING

 It's been ages since members of our Professional Textile Artist group have met at my house.  The drive is about 2 hrs. round trip for most members.  Each year we take a turn hosting one meeting.  Because I organize our annual retreat, that's considered my hosting duty, thus I make the drive to their houses each month.  Bcause we are gearing back up from Covid, we don't have a schedule in place yet so I offered to host this month anyway!  Members had a beautiful day for a drive out to our mountain valley of Upper Crabtree, NC.  Some members took longer than others as they got a tad lost or turned around along the way! Winding, narrow mountains roads can be confusing!  LOL

Our show and tell was fantastic and inspiring as always, unfortunately many pieces were still under wraps since they will soon be in shows...thus not allowed to be publicized yet.

Barbara surprised me with an older piece I gave to her several years ago.  It was a sample for my beading workshop that I was tired of.  She took it and hand quilted the background and returned it to me.  Now I'll actually have to finish it....or perhaps how about a give away!!?!?

Speaking of Barbara.....she is showing a small section of a super complicated black and white quilt that will be on display a Southern Highland exhibit held this fall at the Folk Center, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Several members of our group are participating in this black and white challenge.  I'll try to get photos when the show is up because each piece I've seen blows me away.

Dort's husband has hiked nearly all of the famous Appalachian Trail, but unfortunately had to stop just short of his finish due to health problems.  This is a commission wall piece for the local organization that oversees the trail.

Detail

Linda Cantrell who is widely known for her fantastic applique designs has been in a self admitted non-quilting slump now for about 5 years since retiring from travel teaching.  YEAH!!!!!  We were all thrilled to see her back at it again with this contemporary wall art design.  We can't wait to see more.

This is just a tiny peak at the talent of the 14 members of our group....I'm so thrilled to have been invited to join them after moving here in 2006! Love every minute with these super fiber artists and genuine good pals.