TEXtiles!

I spent last week in San Antonio at the annual conference of Studio Art Quilt Associates.  And I had a marvelous time!

The weekend was bookended by Jane Dunnewold.  Rhonda and I arrived Wednesday just in time to tour Jane's studio.  And we ran into some friends there:
I have serious studio envy.  Her wet studio was HUGE!

We stayed at the Drury Plaza Hotel on the Riverwalk.  It was originally the home of Alamo National Bank.  The lobby was very ornate, with a beautiful stained glass window depicting the Alamo:
 You could still see the vaults and some very elaborate locks on the Riverwalk level:
A Texas Regional Exhibit, TEXtiles, opened during the conference:
 My quilt, "Mudcracks in the Canyon", was part of the show:
 A quilt by Jaye Dodds, my fellow NTAQ member, was also exhibited:
Thursday evening we took a cruise down the San Antonio River.  Maggie Vanderweit Meredith was at the helm:
 The Riverwalk is a beautiful place:
 And we had a fabulous time:
 It can also showcase some very unusual characters (although I must admit I like the kilt):
 This bridge across the river is covered with locks, symbolizing undying love:
The cruise ended at dusk.  What a lovely evening!
Friday was a big day for me.  I gave two presentations.  The first was my "lightning talk," a 6 minute 20 second lecture that I called "Inspiration vs. Emulation:  Finding Inspiration in Existing Works of Art."  It went very well.  Then two hours later, I led a panel discussion about the SAQA Exhibition Committee and our new push for 3-D fiber art.  Here I am in action:
That evening after dinner with friends, I relaxed on the rooftop terrace of the hotel.  It was a gorgeous night:
On Saturday, the members of the Exhibition Committee met for breakfast.  Seven of our fourteen members were in attendance:
After the morning session, I did a little shopping and then went to see Jane Dunnewold's gallery opening:
Saturday night was the Banquet and Spotlight Quilt Auction.  The competition was fierce and my donation quilt, which is 6"w x 8"h, sold for a good price:
The auction made over $22,000.  I'd say it was a pretty successful evening!  I of course did my part and bought two beautiful pieces:
The conference ended Sunday with two very interesting speakers.  First Meg Cox talked about improving your presentation skills.  Here she is showing a memory quilt she made after her husband's death:
And remember how I said Jane Dunnewold bookended my conference?  She was the final speaker.  She talked about artistic flow:
 I love her bare feet....

The conference ended with the coronation of our new Queen, ahem, President, Lisa Walton.  Here Lisa Ellis, now past president, passes on the crown:
It was a wonderful conference, full of inspiration, beauty, good friends, lots of Tex-Mex and many margaritas.  Next year, the conference will be in San Jose.  I'll be there!

I'm linking this post with Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday, Confessions of a Fiber Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday.  Go see all the wonderful work there!
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Comments

Jeanne Marklin said…
Thanks for the photos and review of the weekend. Good memories made! I can’t believe I never had a chance to have a drink with you or chat. Let’s make up for it next year!
piecefulwendy said…
Thanks for sharing. It looks like it was a great weekend. The hotel is beautiful. We stayed at the Menger when we were in San Antonio, and it too is a beautiful place to stay.
Sounds like a good time to be a Texas quilter!!
Norma Schlager said…
It looks like a missed a fabulous time! Thanks for the report and the great pictures.