Entering quilts into shows is actually a pretty new thing for me – at least compared to my age. The first time I entered was because I thought that the quilt I had made was worth being seen by others and that specific feeling was stronger than any fear I had of opening myself up to other’s opinions.

The first show I entered was in 2012. There are three shows I’ve “built up” to over the past 4 years and I thought I’d try to add another this year. I submitted a quilt to the AQS show in Paducah and I got the notification this week that my entry made it in! What’s so completely ridiculous is that it has given me just enough validation to lead to a profusion of ideas and now I have a crap load of quilts in progress!

The quilt that will be hanging in Paducah is High Voltage Birds. Seems like a good time to tell you how it came about. I had an idea in my head to do this digitally printed, multi-panel, two color quilt for a while and had my mind made up that it had to be a winter tree – bare branches, lots of negative space – I can still see it. That started my search for the perfect tree. Living in California didn’t give me too many options for those big, leafless trees out in wide open spaces. Traveling to other states gave me some “almost rights” but nothing I wanted to use. This went on for almost two years.

Then one day my husband and I drove along the coast and stopped in Pescadero – a couple of great little shops, freshly made artichoke bread, a little farm that makes incredible goat cheese. My husband made me go down a back street to take some pictures of rusted metal and peeling paint (yes, I was feeling cranky and wanted to go home) when I happened to look down the street a bit – the telephone pole and birds – my urban tree. I ended up taking masses of photos and then home to play in Photoshop!

I hope this quilt has a good time visiting Kentucky. Not sure yet if I’m going to be able to make it there to visit.