Twelve by Twelve Art Quilter :: Kristin LaFlamme

:: Kristin LaFlamme ::

Meaningful Circle
The Twelve by Twelve experience has taken me places I never dreamed of. Originally, I joined for two reasons: first, I was flattered to have been asked to be a part of a group that included artists whom I admired; and second, I knew it would be a good kick in the pants to expand my art quilting repertoire. What I didn’t guess was that it would grow into opportunities to share our work with a wider audience than just each other and a few blog readers, or that we would create such a meaningful circle of friends. I certainly could not have predicted that our mutual encouragement would result in international exhibitions and a book. Who knew others would be so interested in how we approached our theme challenges, or what we created? 

Friends & Mentors Found
Yet, what’s been most wonderful, has been the connections I’ve made. Twelve women I hardly knew a little over three years ago, now count as my friends. Moving often, I find it difficult to search out like-minded friends or other artists to bounce ideas off of and share experiences. However, through the magic of the internet, and the chemistry of Twelve by Twelve, it doesn’t matter where I am geographically. Over the years we’ve worked together as a group, we’ve forged some close ties. I have found a fellow forty-something mom/emerging artist in Deborah, and wise women mentors in Gerrie and Terry. And just because I feel completely at ease e-mailing images of my artwork (especially work outside of the Twelve by Twelve project) to them, asking for feedback, generally venting, and soliciting professional advice, doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t also feel equally comfortable with the rest of the Twelves. It was great fun being in a compatible time zone when Brenda received the first copy of “Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge” and was able to Skype me so we could share in the excitement of our REAL book!

Community
We are excited to show our work at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this year -- not only because of the renown event, but because nearly all of us will finally get to meet each other in person. And we know already, it’s going to be amazing! As I wrote when announcing my chosen theme, “We are forming a nice little community here.” And I couldn’t have hoped for more when I joined.

The 12x12 International Art Quilt Challenge can be viewed at www.twelveby12.org

See more of Kristin's work at www.kristinlaflamme.com.

Twelve by Twelve Art Quilter :: Helen Conway

:: Helen Conway ::

From Clever to Connected
When Diane Perin Hock invited me to join an art quilting group I was astounded. I had only been quilting for a year and certainly nothing I had made could be constituted art. But I recognised that the invitation was to be seized eagerly. At that time my legal career was multi-faceted; family law, immigration, legal journalism, lecturing. Often, people would tell me they did not know how I did so much. But, I thought I only ever did one thing. Work. Words. I was fed up being constantly described as "clever." It was not an insult, but it felt one-dimensional and stultifying. And so often being the one up on the platform or the one alone in a hotel made me feel isolated and disconnected. And now, here was the curator of the Art Quilters Blog Ring saying that my beginners work, shown on the blog I thought very few people read, qualified me to join an art group.

Dandelions
I decided if Diane had chosen me that surely I was up to being an art quilter and so I launched into it from where I stood, away in inner city London. Our first theme was “dandelions” and I would check into our blog on a public terminal in the hotel  obby and see all the pretty photos of petals and puffballs the others were posting. I was in a hotel with no fabric, no paint and definitely no dandelions.  But I did have my camera. So, I started as I went on: tangentially. My dandelion art quilt was titled, Where does all the yellow go? It referred not only to the transformation of a dandelion in its last days but to the bleak greyness of inner city streets.

Fully Me
That quilt was the start of me finding out who I am as an art quilter. It turns out the words are still a part of me – I still get my inspiration from stories and concepts more than visuals. And I like to tell a tale with my quilts. But now I am not just clever. I am arty! I communicate in fabric. And that means a lot to me. From the outset, being a member of Twelve by Twelve validated me and allowed me to expand as a person. It challenged and supported me. It gave me permission and encouragement to play and learn. It enabled me to belong. It helped to make me fully me.

The 12x12 International Art Quilt Challenge can be viewed at www.twelveby12.org.

See more of Helen's work at http://downthewell.blogspot.com.