Don't you love how--if you commit to a goal--and tell others you are going to do it, you actually get it done. Now posting clearance items for 20 days is a lot of work. I have to go through the work I have and find the quilts that have been here too long. Then I have to admit they need a new home even if I don't get the price that I feel they deserve.

Still the word "clearance" does have the word "clear" in it and there is something liberating about creating new space in the studio.

This is the case with my quilt "river of gentle autumn." I made a number of quilts in this series when I was building the new studio. The object was to create works that would sell to help me pay for the building and I made a number of them. What wonderful studies in color and place they were.

Now I only have two of them left. This one I call "river of gentle autumn." Don't you love the peaceful colors? At 38x38 inches it occupies space while fitting in many locations. This is one of the last I made of this series and also one of the last quilts I made that relied on quilt as you go to provide the texture and substance. Therefore I have reduced the price from $675 to $375.

river of gentle autumn--38x38"--quilt--ann brauer 2015

Don't you love the subtle contrast between the free flowing river and the geometry of the banks of the river?

detail--river of gentle autumn--quilt--ann brauer 2015

Of course it is signed.

detail--river of gentle autumn--quilt--ann brauer 2015

To see more images of this quilt, please check out my Etsy shop here.

There is an apocryphal but oh so true story that I have heard for years--probably you have heard it also.

An artist is asked what she would do if she was given a million dollars. The answer of course is to keep making art until she ran out of money.

Isn't that the way it goes. Always there is another quilt to make. Another show to prepare for.

Next up is the Baltimore Craft Show February 23-25 at the Baltimore Convention Center. www.craftcouncil.org How I love this show. This is another large show with six hundred artists and lots of customers who are searching for an escape from winter. For me it is the first chance to define my work for the coming year. How can I create a body of work that carries on from what I have previously done, allows me take advantage of the insights from last year and reads as a cohesive whole. One friend noted that all of my square quilts reminded her of school bus windows. Interesting thought. Do I need to make more quilts that are other sizes? Another friend whose work I respect said she preferred my more abstract pieces. Hmmm. And of course there are all those who make comments about psychedelic colors. I hear these and put them in the back of my mind to gel.

I look at other art to feed my soul and to help me see new possibilities. What inspires me. What am I trying to say. I sketch lots of quilts that will probably not get made just to see if I could make them. After all,  I am not making quilts just to make quilts--I  want to make quilts that have a purpose. Although it can be important to understand the technique until it becomes my language, technique is not the content of the quilts--at least not for me. I want to speak with the viewer. What am I trying to communicate.

And I make lots of potholders and place mats as I think about it. There is no point in sitting idly by and fretting too much. That does not create art. Instead I sew and play with the fabrics.

This year I have decided to feature my quilt "mountain sunrise". I love the colors and the joy of this piece. So happy and confident. Definitely it will be a focus. But my booth is large and there are 600 exhibitors at the Baltimore Show. I need to WOW the crowd.

mountain sunrise--40x40"--quilt--Ann Brauer 2017--image by John Polak

I make a long quilt--it's a new day. Not large enough to be a showstopper but still it was a quilt I wanted to make in a shape that could look great over a sofa or bed. Size does matter sometimes.

it's a new day--17x63"--Ann Brauer 2017

I look at other quilts I have made. I love the triptych in notes from twilight. That could make a strong statement in my booth.

notes from twilight--40x80"--quilt--Ann Brauer 2017--image by John Polak

And I start sewing with a purpose. Yes this is a quilt that I want to make. A quilt that will look great. And a quilt that should dominate the booth. Now there is just the long slow road to completion. One tiny bit of fabric at a time. I'll try to keep you posted.

And you--how do you choose what to make? How do you create a body of work?

Finally--knock on wood-it seems that this period of cloudy rainy weather may be ending. At least for a little while.

So what is there but the joy of blue skies. Need I say more?

into the sky--quilt--45x45 in--ann brauer--photo by John Polak

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me "How long does it take to make a quilt?" I could probably retire. A good question. A fair question. But one that is so impossible to answer. For instance, there is a quilt I have been dreaming about for years. Maybe even decades. I will sketch it out during quiet times at craft shows. Play with the design in those early morning hours as I gradually awaken. Visit art museums and ponder how can I make it.

Now I know there are many methods of making quilts by now and some of them would allow me to create the design. However, with no offense to those who use these methods so successfully, they are not my methods. I don't fuse. I don't reverse applique. I don't paper piece. All of these methods would work--and there are many other methods that might also work. But they are not MY method.

So I continued to ponder and dream until finally it hit me. Yes, this just might work. I knew the colors. The concept. I could see a couple of tricks that might help. It has been a long cold spring. Shelburne Falls has been quiet. I might as well try.

quilt--Ann Brauer 2015

quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

quilt--2015--Ann Brauer

quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

Finally spring is coming. The snow is actually melting. The maple sugar taps are in place and The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls is open--and even has a few crocii in bloom. (Don't you just love that word even if spell-check doesn't?) After this winter I can hardly wait--although they say a long cold spring will help the maple sugar producers which of course is great.

I am spending my first spring in my new studio and it is so wonderful. The building is high enough I can catch glimpses of the last little ice chunks float down the river. There is a pair of ducks that swim around--I must get a bird book and figure out what kind they are. And yes, I am actually getting work done also.

I am absolutely loving my new flame series with its intense curves and dramatic colors. Each quilt just leads me on to the next one. Of course there is "summer skies". Bright and cheerful. Great colors aren't they?

summer skies--38x42"--Ann Brauer--photo by John Polak

But what if I work in the more complex colors? Maybe add some intense quilting after I piece it. The substance is amazing. This one I call "stormy coast". This is just a snapshot--too new to have been to my photographer yet.

stormy coast--42 x 38"--Ann Brauer detail of stormy coast--Ann Brauer

Every day when I work on them I come home exhausted.  There are some long hangings perfect for a table runner or staircase. A few shorter quilts for that special place. The sewing is intense and slow as I try to get the swirls and colors just right with lots of motion.  I so love the feeling when I get inspired with so many possibilities. It makes going to work fun.

I will be showing these quilts at a brand new craft show The Art of American Craft Museum Series April 24, 25 and 26 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. There are lots of amazing artist there--just check out the list to see for yourself. The show is a benefit for the Costume & Textile Society of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.  Yes, this should have some amazing work here. For more information  www.AmericanFineCraftShow.com

When I am not doing this show I am usually working in my studio although do call first if you are coming from a distance. Yes, Lamson and Goodnow's shop (the kitchen store)  remains open just down stream from me and the Salmon Falls Artisan Showroom is now open most days. And I am trying to list more items on my Etsy shop for those who can't make it to Shelburne Falls. I have lots of eyeglass cases and table runners there as well as the wall hangings. In my "spare" time I am trying to find some old favorites to put on clearance. For more info: http://www.etsy.com/shop/annbrauer

Enough for now. I hope your spring brings lots of flowers and sunshine. I look forward to seeing some of you in person or through the internet.

Thanks for reading.

Dear all,

Yikes. It is almost time for the Baltimore Fine Craft Show. February 20-22 at the Baltimore Convention Center. I am Booth 1207.

I have been working so hard getting ready. I got inspired to make a new series. Are they flames? Spires of hope? Rivers. I am not sure. I just know that I love them. This is a snapshot of the largest of the quilts. Don't you love how the colors just dance together? The quilt itself is about nine feet long.

quilt--Ann Brauer

Then there is this more controlled quilt--I am not sure if that is the right word--rhubarb fire.

rhubarb fire--40x40"--quilt--Ann Brauer

And the long blue flame. Not the best of my images but it is 80 inches long and can also be hung vertically. Wouldn't it look great over a bed?

quilt--Ann Brauer--13x80"

Well, there are several more quilts in this series. I am taking them all down to my photographer this Tuesday--weather permitting--and will have them at my Booth in Baltimore. Speaking of Baltimore, if you go to their web site you can pre-purchase tickets at a slight savings.  Friday evening between 5 and 8 tickets are only $5 for those who want to just a hint of the show. And while you are there, do check out the Made Room installations. My quilt --river of green--will be prominently displayed there. For those who want a blast from the past, the CERF+ Booth will have some images of my destroyed studio. They were so helpful after Tropical Storm Irene. For more information on the Baltimore Show:
http://shows.craftcouncil.org/baltimore

river of green--38x38"--quilt--Ann Brauer

Meanwhile, if you can't make it to the show, I have been posting more quilts and other items on my Etsy site. http://www.etsy.com/shop/annbrauer  In March I will be at the Paradise City Arts Festival in Marlborough, Massachusetts March 20-22. Do check their web site for discount tickets and more information. http://www.paradisecityarts.com

Well, enough for now. I hope you all manage to stay dry and safe. I will put the images of my new quilts on my web site as soon as I get them back.

Thanks.

I remember once years ago. I was at a craft show. The potter next to me was constantly talking to customers. "What was his secret?" I asked when he had a spare moment. Finding time was not an issue for me.

His answer was simple--"Don't say no right away. Listen to the suggestions of the customer. Draw them out. See if it is something you can do. Maybe you will learn something. Maybe you will get an order. At least you are talking with people."

Sure there are times that it doesn't work. There are items I know I don't want to make. Been there. Done that. Too much work for what I will get. Not my style.

But other times, it can lead me down a new path. Help me expand my quilts in new directions. Push me in ways I would not have thought possible. It happened recently at a show. A woman was looking for a head board for her bed. She wanted something long and horizontal and fell in love with this runner.

geometric table runner--12x40"--Ann Brauer

Of course the colors were wrong. She needed it longer. Six feet to be precise. And she needed it to match the colors in her room. I sent her a bunch of fabrics which she played with until midnight one day. Then she asked for more fabrics and played with those until she got just the colors she wanted for the central stripe. When I saw them, my eyebrows silently raised. But still I smiled.

Now this was also a design I continued to play with. I added colors and more dimension around the outside. But she had not seen those. The yellow with the shades of grey.

black, white and yellow table runner--12x40"--Ann Brauer

The plum and green.

plum and green table runner--12x40"--Ann Brauer

She had not seen these. Clearly she had a design in her mind. I must make her what she saw. What she imagines. It will be hanging over her bed after all.

I started sewing. How long and thin those first little bits of yellow were. How would they stand up to the design. Would they be lost in the black and white?

table runner--Ann Brauer--2014

Would the colors she had surrounding the yellow be too busy? These were not my choice but I could see how she wanted to encapsulate the yellow so I added them.

table runner--Ann Brauer--2014

Should the black and white be almost random as they were in the original or should I keep the colors constant? I thought about it. Decided that as in the original I would make them almost random although I would not break up the colors for the long rows.

The gist of this runner is patterns that resolve into a whole. There is an element of trust that the process in the end will work. And meanwhile there is lots and lots of sewing.

table runner--12x72 inches--Ann Brauer

On and on. And on.

table runner--Ann Brauer--2014

 Until finally the whole begins to emerge.

table runner--12x72"--Ann Brauer

Finally today I finish. Hmm. Interesting. There is a possibility that interests me. So simple and yet complex at the same time. The yellow really did work. The designs do peak through in the fabric.

table runner--12x72 inches--Ann Brauer

What a statement it makes. Now I can't wait to finish it.  What a great idea she had. How I want to make another just to have it. Play with the concept. Explore the possibilities.

Yes, I am glad I listened. Does this ever happen to you? Do you find it hard to listen? To decide if it is a project that interests you? What have you learned?

OK-- by now--as you just might already know--I moved into a new studio. Yeah!!! Friends told me my work looks absolutely fabulous. Never have they seen it look so good.

September fields--quilt--Ann Brauer--2014

And sure enough, within days, my big quilt--September fields--is headed for its new home. Yeah!!! Again.

But that means that I need to make another new quilt. After all, I am doing the Berkshire Craft Show August 8-10 in Great Barrington, MA. Should I cheer again? And then The American Craft Exposition in Evanston Augut 22-24. Yikes, what was I thinking.

Well, there is no time to think. I have to start--NOW. But what to make. Truth be told, I am not always feeling creative. Especially not when I am building a new studio. (Not that that is something I do often--but lots of my energy goes to deciding what color the door should be, what about the color of the tile in the rental unit upstairs. And how can I promote the new studio?) You get the gist.

But I can't hold a pity party. I must dig deep and think quickly. I know I want the quilt to have lots of color in it. I do after all have a black and grey quilt--winter light--which is fabulous. So I want something different and joyous.

winter light--99x99"--Ann Brauer--2013--quilt

I look around me. This is a quilt I made as a test for a large quilt that never happened. Yes, I love the sweep of the colors. So rich and wonderful.

quilt by Ann Brauer

quilt by Ann Brauer

I love the sweep of the colors. But while the white looks fantastic in this smaller quilt, would it be too busy in a large quilt?  I try to visualize it.

Maybe dark would look better? More like September fields. Hmmm.

quilt by Ann Brauer

Well, it is time to make what I know. I can't fret about the new quilt too long. Fretting after all takes up time and energy. So I start. One long thin strip of yellow.

quilt by Ann Brauer

quilt by Ann Brauer

quilt by Ann Brauer

And the American Craft Exposition at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. www.americancraftexpo.org

Wow--yesterday I got to work in the new studio. Doing some organizing. Putting the sewing machine in place. Finding the iron. I got a couple of big cabinets--perfect for stashing lots of "stash". Pun intended.

It was Saturday. The workers--who are all actually very kind and skilled people--and so nice--had other plans. And although it is fascinating watching them methodically put the finishing touches on my studio, for a few hours finally it was mine and I got to absorb being there.

Let me tell you--the space is absolutely amazing. I kept having to pinch myself that this really and truly is mine. Sure I have a lot of work to do but I did just sit on the walk way for half an hour finishing a placemat and watching the world go by. Gorgeous views. I even sat at the sewing machine and started a potholder.

Isn't it time for a bit of show and tell? Yes, I still have a lot of work to do.


And more work facing my work area.





But I did clear out the back area so they can install the track lights on Tuesday.




And another view of this space. One of my favorites.




The brown cardboard is just to protect the floor during construction. Amazingly strong paper with fiber running through it. I can't wait until the floor reappears. Grey polished concrete.


And as seen from my work area with just a bit of the storage cabinets to the right. I am trying not to think about all I have to do. Oh well. Salt de-icer on top. Why not?



 And the storage cabinets. Luckily my wonderful DH got them in place.




And of course, the view from my sewing machine. The reason--or at least one of the reasons--for this project.


Well, I'll try to post more pictures soon. Hope you enjoyed this sneak preview. If you happen to be in the area and see that I am there without too many workers, do feel free to drop by and say hi for a moment.

Done. Finally done. Oh how I do love to hang a new quilt up so I can admire it.  What a feeling of relief and satisfaction that finally it works. Looks good, doesn't it?

Gentle ocean--quilt--32x48"--Ann Brauer

And yet, if you are like me, you don't even want to think about how long it takes to go from the concept to the finished quilt. This time I was really racing. After all, the Washington Craft Show is November 1-3 at the DC Convention Center. How soon that seems. How nervous I always get before this show. So much incredibly beautiful--dare I say it--breathtaking work there. I want to make sure I show my very best side. Here is the website if you are in the area: http://www.craftsamericashows.com/WASH_main.htm

So I start with the concept. The first few blocks are easy this time.



Maybe too easy.


A row or two a day. The quilt seems to be falling into place. Until I look at the finished sketch.


Yes, there is a problem. That bottom row. Isn't it too dark, too sultry for the quilt. Of course I go home for the day. Maybe over night it will resolve itself, right?

But no. It is still wrong. I make several blocks in softer browns. Is that the answer?



Does that help? Better. But still not really the answer, is it? Time to go home again. Think some more. Maybe the answer is right under my nose. Maybe the problem is the brown. What about green? Would that give the quilt the lightness I want? I pin up some fabric. Think. Ponder. Finish more eyeglass cases. Well, the only way out is to try.



Yes Yes Yes. Of course I still have to sew the quilt together. Ugh.  And I do need to resolve the color and size of the orange block. But that is another story. Or rather a variation of the story that I just told which I am sure you do not need to hear again. So now I get to begin the process again. Work on another quilt. And patiently try to explain how long it really takes to make a quilt.

Does this ever happen to you? What is your solution when it just doesn't look right? And will I get to see any of you at the Washington Craft Show or maybe CraftBoston in December or the studio?