Face Forward with the Friendship Knots

In mid November, I went to Sarasota, FL. to present a lecture and a one day workshop for the Friendship Knot Quilt Guild.  Here is a quick photo I took as the hundred or so members were gathering for their meeting.

They were a very friendly group, and several said they had enjoyed my solo exhibit of portraits at the Dunedin Fine Art Center.  My lecture included a power point presentation about my artistic journey and the art quilts that I currently am making.  The audience was attentive, even in the warm, dark room, and they mostly laughed when I hoped they would.
The guild treated me to an outstanding buffet dinner at a Mennonite restaurant nearby!  It felt like Thanksgiving, even though it was only the 19th of November.
The next day, twenty some ladies and I explored the process of making portraits in cloth.  We took it one step at a time, and built confidence along the way.  Each student had purchased a few thrift store clothing items to share.  We accomplished quite a lot, even before breaking for lunch!  Here are a few photos of our morning progress:

After lunch, we tackled noses, mouths, and held an uplifting critique session. These ladies are a talented group of artists, and a pleasure to work with.  I wish I would have gotten some photos of the portraits before everyone left for the day.  Here are a few more shots from the early afternoon:

 We had a great time working, playing, and learning together.  I think these will turn out to be some dynamic portraits when they are complete.  The artists were both courageous and thoughtful as they built their characters in fabrics.  Thank you, Friendship Knot Quilt Guild - I loved my visit with you.