Presentation Portfolio Project

Now that the gallery exhibit is over, I could get back to some other summer activities. One item that I wanted to get completed prior to the exhibit was a presentation portfolio. Art Calendar talked about the importance of having a portfolio that stands out.

What better way to have a portfolio stand out than to have it be a demonstration of my work at the same time? So, I created the cover to the portfolio first.



Rather than have the portfolio have lots of paper, I opted to create a design that would allow for business cards, postcards, digital media, and some single pages of information. Given the cover size, I figured I would make the single pages be an odd size (8 inches square). So, the next piece was figuring out the dimensions of the page. Because I might use a standard CD or a mini-CD, the design needed to accomodate either. I first worked with paper to get my "template" measurements.


I settled on two "pockets" that have stitched dividers in them. I opted to bind the outside edges of the "page". I had some leftover "blades" from the fan project and wanted to use them in this portfolio as well.

Then, I had to figure out how to attached the front to the back. I made a tube out of the binding fabric and sewed it to the back of the "page" and then both fused and hand stitched the tube to the back of the front page.


Finally, a trip to Shipwreck beads and I found the beads that I wanted to use to wrap the blade ties around.

Uhuru Quilters Show & My reception

Hi all,

I've been having a bit of lull in my own fiber creations. I did contribute two quilts that will be on display at the Uhuru Quilters event on Saturday. You can see both Friendship is a Gift and Tropical Haze at that event, as well as 100+ quilts from other group members.

Then, the exhibit is up at the Dadian Gallery and the reception is this week Thursday from 5 to 7 pm. Dadian is on the campus of Wesley Theological Seminary at 4500 Mass. Ave NW.

I am making myself some new clothing. And, maybe one piece will be done and I'll wear at my reception. We will see.

Portfolio - so that's what this stuff is for!

As part of getting my solo exhibit ready this time, the curator wanted my portfolio. I had put doing a portfolio as part of my list of things to do, but hadn't gotten to it before she asked.

So, I asked what was supposed to go into the portfolio.

Her answer was that for the gallery's portfolio it needed to let the potential client see what was possible and the person who didn't know they could be a client an awareness that they could become a client.

She recommended that I include images of other works and "tear sheets" of other press materials. Well, my last time dealing with "tear sheets" was in high school journalism class when we ripped out the ads that businesses had paid to publish and mailed it to them as proof of publication. Suddenly, I came away realizing that those copies of the program brochures for the quilt events that I had been juried into were exactly the stuff she was talking about.

I also included communications with clients and information about my design processes for different works.

When I thought that I didn't have much for a portfolio, it turned into quite a big collection.

I still want to do a more artistic portfolio too, which will not be as big as the package I gave her. The cover for the artistic portfolio is done, now just to get back to that effort.

On another note, the Washington Post listed my exhibit! It was listed in the coming events in the religion section (I think) in the Saturday, May 24th, 2008 edition.

Hang on to the Label info

As part of getting ready for this latest exhibit, I was asked for information that could be used in a booklet that patrons of the gallery can use. I was grateful that I had some information for the quilts that have been in other exhibits or on my website so I could use that stuff. For the newer works, I had saved the info that I put into the label on the back of each piece. It was really accidental that I had kept that info, but it was good to be able to use it for this need too.

Pieces Installed!

The works have been installed at the Dadian Gallery. You can check out the exhibit and more details here.

Dadian Gallery - Pieces Delivered

Thirty one pieces have just left my home to go be part of the Dadian Gallery exhibit. It is always hard to sort through the work and have them leave. I am really glad to be working with a great curator, Deborah Sokolove, this time. It's a real treat to work with a curator and not have to do all of this myself. I made sure every single piece has a label with title and contact info to make the curator job's easier.

Here's one of the pieces that will be on display:

Spin-Ruler Project

In the continuing series of kaleidoscope quilts, I just finished a fiber piece that uses the "spin-ruler". I bought the ruler years ago and never used it. I think I was a little scared of it, but thought it would be interesting to use. Now that I've done a few more 'scopes, I thought I might try out the ruler. You can find out more about the ruler here: http://conniebeequilts.com/spin.html

Anyway, here's my final project:








I like the way that this piece adds my interest in Asian design. Some of the fabrics were from Kona Bay. I think my sense of design space is influenced by my life in Tokyo. I wasn't a fiber artist when I lived there, but I did appreciate their art and practiced shuji.

I guess one of the issues that I have with the way that this ruler operates is that it generates a lot of "wasted" materials. Now when I make a piece, I do try to keep the fabrics together and make other pieces using those color combinations and "wasted" materials. You'll see a few of the other pieces in the next few blogs.