Imagination!

"The Pie of Life: Page of Wooden Spoons in the Kitchen Tarot" by Susan Shie

Imagination! That's what I saw at this year's International Quilt Festival in Houston. The event is the largest of its kind in the United States, and it attracts the most gifted artists. It was my first time attending "Festival" and I was impressed by the level of imagination throughout the work.

The amazing 20-foot-long quilt by Susan Carlson

Cotton Sophisticate by Chawne Kimber

Tom Korn special exhibit

Tom Korn special exhibit

Cathy Wiggins special exhibit

"Twisted" special exhibit by Mary Kerr

"Twisted" special exhibit by Mary Kerr

Christina Belding with one of her three quilts in the show

Best of Show winner Cynthia England and "Reflections of Cape Town"

Bethanne Nemesh and her award winning quilt "October Sky"

"The Boundless Energy of Children" by Ruth de Vos

Some of my favorite quilts were the antique and vintage quilts but no photos allowed. One of my absolute favorites was a "Broderie Perse" chintz appliqué quilt made in the 1840s in New Jersey. I overheard a lady asking where the maker could have gotten the materials, and the answer is: either New York or Philadelphia! Chintz fabrics were found in port cities because the fabrics were imported.

With Victoria Findlay Wolfe

My Festival experience wasn't the typical first-timer's experience. I knew many people who were there, and got to meet people who have been Facebook friends for years. And people knew me. Everyone was surprised to learn it was my first time attending Festival, and it was great seeing everyone, both new and longtime friends. 

With Gilbert Muniz

Witrh Penny Barnes

With Penny Barnes and Andi Herman.

With Mary Kerr and Lori East

I didn't expect to stir up any controversy, but it looks like I did just that when I posted photos of the "Husbands' Lounge" at the Festival. I'd heard about it for many years, the stuff of legends, and discovered it's for real! When I posted the photos on Facebook, some of the ladies in the audience didn't appreciate the humor as much as I did.

Now, maybe it's an idea someone came up with 30 or 40 years ago, and maybe it needs a little revisiting today, but I think it was a well-intended idea originally. Of course, things are different in 2016. Maybe it should just be a "Lounge for the Overstimulated" going forward. There's always going to be someone who needs a time out because the whole experience is intense. The passion is intense, and the amount of imagination is intense.

Imagination! At the airport, I was lucky to meet Hollis Chatelain and Meg Cox for the first time. They, too, were surprised I'd never been to Quilt Festival before. While we were chatting over a quick sushi dinner, they asked about my impressions of the event. The Festival made me want to be more of a maker. Doesn't that just say it all? On the drive home from the airport, I heard the perfect song for my mood, a 1982 funk song called "Imagination" by the B.B. & Q Band. Imagination! That's what it's all about.