ENCORE!

Yesterday afternoon five of us hung over 100 quilts for the ENCORE! exhibit that opens Friday (14th).   ENCORE! is actually a retrospect of the past 14 years from the Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational.

 

Each year the Michigan Quilt Artists have created art work based on one theme.  At this show, there are selected pieces from each of the past 14 years!  There are over 100 quilts on display!!

 

This is my best bud, Mary, who is also one of the co-curators of the show.   Mary has been a tireless worker on this exhibit over the past 14 years.  She organized where the quilts would be on display monthly and also had to arrange getting the quilts to and from their destination as well as getting the quilts hung at each venue!!  That's a lot of work over the years. 

This is Marty the other co-curator for the Michigan  Quilt Artist Invitational.  Marty and Mary came up with the idea of having a traveling exhibit back in 1997 and what a successful run they have had.  Marty is very active in the art community in the Flint area and as a teacher, also encourages students by providing them art related programs. 

Both of these lady's have worked their hearts out and we (MQAI artists) thank them immensely for giving us a venue and a challenge each year! 

Of course, from time to time, Mary and Marty have requested help from us 'little folk'!  Here are my other buds Carol (left) and Lois Ann who assisted in hanging the quilts yesterday.  Each of these ladies are fantastic artists and if you're in the neighborhood (downtown Flint) you'll get to see some of their work on display in this show. 

 The scarves on display were hand dyed by Mary (in her spare time!!) and are for sale. 

Just a sneak peak at some of the quilts...if you want to see the rest of them, you'll have to attend the show!  It's awesome!!  So much fun to look back on the past 14 years...as my friend, Carol, said "it's so interesting to see where we started and where we ended up in our art work".  How true!! 

So if you're in the Flint area Sept. 14th thru October 5th (Monday - Friday 9 - 5 p.m.) head over to the Greater Flint Arts Council (816 S. Saginaw) or better yet, if able, come to the opening reception tomorrow (Friday the 14th) from 6 - 9 p.m.!  It's free and open to the public...food, music and beverages provided!  Can't beat that for a night out!