The Owl and the Pussycat by Kit Stafford
I was sorting through my recently uploaded photos this morning and found this set that I had forgotten about. These photos were taken on Fiber Arts Stroll day. Sarah and I got in to Sisters at about 11:00 so that I could get set up. First thing we did was to stop somewhere for coffee and, lucky for both of us, it was Navigator News that we chose. I had no idea there would be such a special exhibit there! I was blown away by these lovely artworks by Kit Stafford. Kit is the daughter of the famous poet William Stafford. My quilt, Longing for Connection, was inspired by one of his poems. I had not known much about Kit, except as his daughter, but she is a longtime Sisters resident who is very much a part of the art, music and poetry scene.
When we got there, the labels weren't up on these art pieces, and Kit wasn't there. I got to chat with one of the employees who was preparing the labels and I mentioned that it was too bad Kit wasn't there, because I'd love to meet her. As it turned out, she stopped by my booth later and said hi and I got to say how much I loved her work. She said that her one and only "quilt" class had been with Janet Bolton a few years ago and she made these pieces after that. She doesn't do much sewing nowadays. Boy, that makes these pieces even more special. You'll note that these illustrate fairy tales and nursery rhymes and are made so inventively with vintage textiles. I consider myself lucky to have seen them. Most were framed under glass and I only had my cell phone with me so I did the best I could with Photoshop to crop and enhance the photos.
Kit Stafford (no label, so I'm not sure which story this is)
The Three Little Pigs by Kit Stafford (note the bbw)
Kit Stafford (no label, so I'm not sure which story this is)
The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe by Kit Stafford
Little Red Riding Hood by Kit Stafford (sorry for the reflection, but this was my favorite!)
Tiny Red Riding Hood detail
This last piece was the only one with color. It's a fantastic map quilt all sewn by hand. It reminds me of the work of Valerie Goodwin, but I'm not sure if that was the influence. I really love the detail! So, are you inspired to get out your old linens and work some magic? I know I am!