In 2005 I took a workshop and was so excited at the prospect of making art from fiber that I wanted to join a group of like minded souls. There were a few art quilt groups around Atlanta, several too far to drive, and one that wasn't taking new members. I thought about starting my own and began to research. I found the incredible Mary McBride, who turned me on to Jan Girod and Sharon Serrano Ahmed. Both Jan and Sharon were excited at the prospect. Both gave me input and advice and agreed to help.
I read A View from the Studio Door by Ted Orlands. In his book, Ted talks about Stravinsky violins and how the community supported the artists who made these. Without the support of the community, these beautiful instruments would not exist. My utopia was that our group wold support each other so we could make art without FEAR. No DIVAS, no meanness, encourage and promote each other, HELP, constructive criticism, respect the worth and dignity of all members.
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| The Second Meeting of The Contemporary Quilt and Fiber Art Alliance (Later renamed Fiber Art Fusion.) |
I never really looked at comprehensive list of all our meetings, presenters, topics on one page. And when I pulled it all together it makes one beautiful example of what happens when you gather creative people together in a mutually supportive environment and say "OKAY GO."
8 years, 106 meetings and STILL ROCKING. Fiber Art Fusion has had some really amazing artists at our meetings -- guest artists Laura Cater-Woods, Pamela Allen, Betty Pillsbury, Nicholas Kniel, Pati Bradi, Linc Bennet, Molly Elkind, Leisa Rich, Terri Dilling, Pat Drew and member artists: Sharon Serrano Ahmed, Margaret Betz, Debbie Smith, Janet O'Brien, Paula Coplon, Heidi Miracle, Debbie Taratoot, Mary Akers, Hellenne Vermillion, Denny Webster, Ben Hollingsworth, Diane Schultheiss, Martha Meyers, Lynn Rinehart, Devon Pfeif, Elizabeth Talledo, Pam Rishfeld and Melinda Fulkerson. Oh my if I forgot someone, send me an email, but I am pretty sure I've got them all.
WOW! And below is the list, month by month of each meeting, presenter, topic and a link to the website of the presenter -- so you can check out how awesome these people are!!
And to anyone in Atlanta and surrounding areas, join Fiber Art Fusion.
Each month, FAF meets on the Second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
MAY
2006
Contemporary
Quilt and Fiber Art Alliance Forms
First
Meeting – Informational
Public
Library
JUNE
2006
Sharon
Serrano Ahmed
Quilts,
Art Quilts, Fiber Artist, Felting, Surface Design
Exploration
in Surface Design
Public
Library
JULY
2, 2006
Tea
with Betty Pillsbury
Award
Winning Textile Artist specializing in Crazy Quilts
Fiber
On A Whim
JULY
11, 2006
Margaret
Betz
Extraordinary Textile ArtistBead Embroidery
Public Library
AUGUST
2006
Rebecca
Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
and
Sharon Serrano Ahmed
Mixed Media/Fiber Artist
Fiber
Artist's Pantry
SEPTEMBER
2006
Postcard
Sew-in at Fiber on a Whim
to
support Virginia Spiegel's
Fiber
Art for a Cause
OCTOBER
2006
Little
Treasures
Debbie
Smith
From
a publicly-shared technique by Carol Fletcher
featured on Quilting
Arts Magazine Website
NOVEMBER
2006
Janet
O'Brien
Award
Winning Quilter and Instructor
Thread
work and Threads
Fiber
On A Whim
NOVEMBER
16, 2006
Laura
Cater Woods
Mixed
Media/Fiber Artist
Fiber
On A Whim
DECEMBER
2006
Holiday
Dinner
Fiber
Art Exchange
JANUARY
2007
Planning
Meeting
FEBRUARY
2007
Name Change Meeting
Hope Show Discussion
Name Change Meeting
Hope Show Discussion
MARCH
2007
Paula
Coplon
Ceramic
and Fiber Artist
Heidi
Miracle
Mixed
Media/Fiber Artist
Embellisher
Machine Techniques
APRIL
2007
Nicholas
Kniel
Artist,
author
Silk
Ribbon Roses
MAY
2007
Margaret
Betz
Extraordinary
Fiber Artist
Beaded
Vessels
JUNE
2007
Heidi
Miracle McMahill
Mixed
Media/Fiber Artist
Watercolor
Crayons
JULY
2007
Janet
O'Brien
Award
Winning Quilter and Instructor
Finishing
Quilts
AUGUST
14, 2007
Show
and Tell AND
Turn
in Art for HOPE Exhibit
AUGUST
17, 2007
Happy
hour with Pamela Allen
Fiber
On a Whim
SEPTEMBER
2007
HOPE
Exhibit
OCTOBER
2007
Debbie
Taratoot
Artist
and owner of Rubber Stamp Fantasy
Rubber
Stamp Fantasy
NOVEMBER
2007
Janet
O'Brien
Award
Winning Quilter and Instructor
Garments,
Samples and Quilts
DECEMBER
2007
Holiday
Party/Art Exchange
JANUARY
2008
Rebecca
Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
The
Fiber Artist's Pantry
Part
One
FEBRUARY
2008
Rebecca
Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
The
Fiber Artist's Pantry
Part
Deux
MARCH
2008
Paula
Coplon
Ceramic
and Fiber Artist
Clay
Embellishment
Paula's
Studio
APRIL
2008
Margaret
Betz
Extraordinary
Fiber Artist
Silk
Embroidery
MAY
2008
Unknown
topic at
Fiber
On A Whim
JUNE
2008
Transformation
Show and Tell and
Art
turn in for Exhibit
Fiber
On A Whim
JULY
2008
Mixed
Media Artist/Fiber Artist/Water colorist
NOW
Executive Director of the Cherokee County Arts Center
Transformation
Show
AUGUST
2008
Heidi
Miracle
Mixed
Media/Fiber Artist
Fabric
Beads
SEPTEMBER
2008
Hellenne
Vermillion
Silk
Scraps Creativity Workshop
OCTOBER
2008
Margaret
Betz
Extraordinary
Fiber Artist
and
Rebecca Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
Guided
Creativity Workshop
Fiber
on a Whim
NOVEMBER
2008
Margaret
Betz
Extraordinary
Fiber Artist
AIDS
Quilt Project
DECEMBER
2008
Holiday
Party Art Exchange
JANUARY
2009
Mary
Akers
Mixed
Media Artist/Fiber Artist/Water colorist
NOW
Executive Director of the Cherokee County Arts Center
Drawing
Workshop
Tiny
Stitches
FEBRUARY
2009
Martha
Myers
Textile
Artist/Fiber Artist/Wearable Wearable Art/Embroidery
Sashiko
Workshop
Red
Hen Fabrics
MARCH
2009
Sharon Serrano Ahmed
Quilts, Art Quilts, Fiber Artist, Felting, Surface Design
Working Dimensionally
Tiny Stitches
Patti
Brady
Working
Artist Program Director for Golden Paints, author and artist
Golden
Acrylic Lecture-Demo
Abernathy
Arts Center
MAY
2009
Linc
Bennet
Award
Winning Artist
Painted
Wood/Fabric Pictorial
Red
Hen Fabric
JUNE
2009
Planning
Meeting
Exploring
Dimension Check In
JULY
2009
Debbie
Taratoot
Artist
and owner of Rubber Stamp Fantasy
Rubber
Stamp Fantasy
AUGUST
2009
Exploring
Dimension Exhibit
Art
Turn In
SEPTEMBER
2009
Mary
Akers
Mixed
Media Artist/Fiber Artist/Water colorist
NOW
Executive Director of the Cherokee County Arts Center
Charcoal
Drawing Still Life
OCTOBER
2009
Margaret
Betz
Extraordinary
Fiber Artist
Yard
Sale
NOVEMBER
2009
Rebecca
Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
“Zen”
Doodling, Not ZenTangling
Which
I have been doing since 1969
All original designs/art/instructions.
DECEMBER
2009
Holiday
Party
Art
Exchange
JANUARY
2010
Heidi
Miracle
Mixed
Media/Fiber Artist
Based
on her recent Quilting Arts article
Creating
Fiber art with Foam Plate Mono prints
FEBRUARY
2010
Molly
Elkind
Mixed
media/Fiber/Textile Art/Wearable Art/Weaver
Presentation
Elements of Art and Principles of Design for QUILTERS
MARCH
2010
Virginia
Greaves
Award
Winning Fiber Artist
Portrait
Quilts
APRIL
2010
Sharon Serrano Ahmed
Quilts, Art Quilts, Fiber Artist, Felting, Surface Design
Embossing
Coloring and Stitching on Metal
MAY
2010
Leisa
Rich
Presentation
JUNE
2010
Denny
Webster
Fiber/Mixed
Media/Quilt Artist
Acrylic
Paint on Fabric
JULY
2010
Terri
Dilling
Painter
and Printmaker
Cyanotypes
AUGUST
2010
Exhibit
Art Turn In
SEPTEMBER
2010
NO
MEETING
OCTOBER
2010
Debbie
Taratoot
Artist
and Owner of Rubber Stamp Fantasy
Rubber
Stamp Fantasy
NOVEMBER
2010
Mary
Akers
Mixed
Media Artist/Fiber Artist/Water colorist
NOW
Executive Director of the Cherokee County Arts Center
Drawing
Workshop
DECEMBER
2010
Holiday
Party and
Art
Exchange
JANUARY
2011
Ben
Hollingsworth
Quilter/Fiber
Artist/Artist/Retired High School Art Teacher
Speaker/Teacher
Composition
Tiny
Stitches
FEBRUARY
2011
Hellenne
Vermillion
Painter,
Ceramic Artist, Silk Painter
Silk
Painting Workshop
MARCH
2011
Mary
Akers
Mixed
Media Artist/Fiber Artist/Water colorist
NOW
Executive Director of the Cherokee County Arts Center
Gel
Transfers
Red
Hen Fabrics
APRIL
2011
Planning
Meeting
Red
Hen Fabric
MAY
2011
Ben
Hollingsworth
Quilter/Fiber
Artist/Artist/Retired High School Art Teacher
Speaker/Teacher
Breaking
the Creative Block
Beadazzled
JUNE
2011
Paula
Coplon
Ceramic
and Fiber Artist
Thread
Painting
Paula's
House
JULY
2011
Taking
Flight Exhibit
The
Art Place
AUGUST
2011
Debbie
Taratoot
Artist
and Owner of Rubber Stamp Fantasy
Rubber
Stamp Fantasy
SEPTEMBER
2011
Virginia
Greaves
Award
Winning Fiber Artist
Textile
Photography
Abernathy
Arts Center
OCTOBER
2011
Diane
Schultheiss
Fiber
Artist/Silk Painter/Methodist Pastor
Tsukeniko
Ink and Shaving Cream Technique
NOVEMBER
2011
Sew
In
Social
Meeting
Tiny
Stitches
DECEMBER
2011
Holiday
Party/Art Exchange
JANUARY
2012
Martha
Myers
Textile
Artist/Fiber Artist/Wearable Wearable Art/Embroidery
Folk
Art Stitching
FEBRUARY
2012
Denny
Webster
Fiber/Mixed
Media/Quilt Artist
We
HEART Fiber Art Fusion
Creativity
exercise
MARCH
2012
Ben
Hollingsworth arranged
a
studio tour and art review at
the
studio of artist Pat Drew
APRIL
2012
Led
by Denny Webster
Fiber/Mixed
Media/Quilt Artist
Planning
Meeting and
guided
discussion and exercise about
storytelling
in our art.
MAY
2012
Led
by Denny Webster
Fiber/Mixed
Media/Quilt Artist
members
brought "homework" from April 2012 meeting to share
Contracts
were distributed for 2012 exhibit.
JUNE
2012
Rebecca
Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
Fiber
Artist's Pantry
JULY
2012
Lynn
Rinehart
Quilt
Appraisal presentation
AUGUST
2012
Hosted
by Denny Webster
at
Tiny Stitches
Turn
in art for exhibit
SEPTEMBER
2012
Debbie
Smith
Local
Mixed Media/Fiber Artist
Little
Treasures
From
a publicly-shared technique by Carol Fletcher
featured
on Quilting Arts Magazine Website
OCTOBER
2012
Debbie
Taratoot
Artist
and Owner of Rubber Stamp Fantasy
Rubber
Stamp Fantasy
NOVEMBER
2012
Painter,
Ceramic Artist, Silk Painter
Layout
and Design Workshop
DECEMBER
2012
Holiday Dinner and Gift Exchange
JANUARY
2013
Ben
Hollingsworth
Quilter/Fiber
Artist/Artist/Retired High School Art Teacher
Speaker/Teacher
Principles
of Design
FEBRUARY
2013
Award
Winning Fiber Artist
Color
Value and Choosing Fabrics
(Color
Theory, Color Illusions and how prints will affect your work.)
MARCH
2013
Rebecca Reasons Edwards
Rebecca Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
Derwent
InkTense Pencils and Crayons
APRIL
2013
Annual
Planning Meeting
MAY
2013
Program Planning Session
Program Planning Session
JUNE 2013
Virginia Greaves
Award Winning Fiber Artist
CONSTRUCTIVE
CRITIQUE
JULY
2013
Rebecca Reasons Edwards
Rebecca Reasons Edwards
Artist/Writer/Advocate
Dye
Fest at Rebecca's Home
AUGUST
2013
Art Turn in for Exhibit
Art Turn in for Exhibit
SEPTEMBER
2013
Diane Schulteiss
Diane Schulteiss
Fiber
Artist/Silk Painter/Methodist Pastor
Doodling
and “tangling”
OCTOBER
2013
Textile
Artist/Fiber Artist/Wearable Wearable Art/Embroidery
Kimono
Workshop
NOVEMBER
2013
Program Brainstorm
for 2014
Program Brainstorm
for 2014
DECEMBER
2013
Holiday Dinner
Holiday Dinner
JANUARY
2014
Dianne
Schulteiss
Fiber
Artist/Silk Painter/Methodist Pastor
Crayon and Stitches
FEBRUARY
2014
The
Great Atlanta Ice Storm
Meeting
Cancelled
MARCH
2014
Quilter/Fiber
Artist/Artist/Retired High School Art Teacher
Speaker/Teacher
Cheater
Shibori
APRIL
2014
Devon Pfeif
Devon Pfeif
Fiber
Artist and Batik Artist
Batik Slide Show, Lecture and Exhibit
Batik Slide Show, Lecture and Exhibit
MAY
2014
Lynn Rinehart
Certified Quilt Appraiser, fiber artist, quilt instructor and long arm quilter.
Fiber Art Postcards
Lynn Rinehart
Certified Quilt Appraiser, fiber artist, quilt instructor and long arm quilter.
Fiber Art Postcards
JUNE
2014
Elizabeth
Talledo
Needlework
Designer and Teacher
Thread Painting
JULY 2014
JULY 2014
Lynn Rinehart
Certified Quilt Appraiser, fiber artist, quilt instructor and long arm quilter.
Fabric/rope Bowl
Certified Quilt Appraiser, fiber artist, quilt instructor and long arm quilter.
Fabric/rope Bowl
AUGUST
2014
Artist/Textile
Designer/Needlework Artist, Art Quilter
Appeared
as featured guest on Simply Quilts with Alex
Owner
of Rishfeld Designs
Layering
SEPTEMBER
2014
Award
Winning Longarmer Quilter and Teacher
Fabrics other than Cotton
Making a Small Needle Block
OCTOBER
2014
Martha
Myers
Textile
Artist/Fiber Artist/Wearable Wearable Art/Embroidery
Silkscreen
NOVEMBER
2014
Quilter/Fiber
Artist/Artist/Retired High School Art Teacher
Speaker/Teacher
Group Show Review
