Entre!
Buried behind this group of people you would find a woman learning to communicate in the language of quilters. For four days I watched the visitors to ma Maison.
As they turned the corner les yeux (their eyes) POPPED! In a land where everything is beautifully styled with wonderful taste I was surprised to see the reaction was so positive. A littel French and little English and a lot of FRANGLAIS went down in this area.
Loani Prior was across the hall with her fanciful tea cozy demo. Evidence of imagination was everywhere.
What one might consider to be an every day object is now an extraordinary object.
This was also most evident in Gillian Travis's stall where images from her travels around the world bring small details of a variety of cultures to life.
From socks to flowers textiles are transformed to images of delight.
Right inside the door was a beautiful collection from some of the artists. Bamboo by Misao Wada sat in perfect compliment to Brigitte's Joesephine Baker quilt and other bits of pieces that welcomed the visitors to the exhibition.
Imagine our joy at finding the selvedge magazine stall replete with many object d'art to ponder from scarves to dolls and everything in between.
Our Quiltmania friends were busy at their booth handing over book after book filled with inspirational ideas in quilt and stitching forms.
We made friends with many of the artists over breakfast and dinner in our or near our hotel. Maggie Bonanomie brings folk art to life in wool. She and her husband Harold became constant companions in the hotel where we shared the stories of our lives, homes and families over laughs and red wines!
Mary Koval had a fabulous collection of antique quilts, blocks and samples of her fabric lines. For me, I see her name on collections of fabric and it was a surprise to meet her in person and out of context.
The men in the background of this trip were the colour of our lives. When we left the event and headed out to dinner the laughs resounded through the streets of Nantes. good food...good friends...good fun!!!
I had an amazing conversation with LInda Konig. She arrived in my maison and we agreed that our eyes see pattern in a similar way but our colour sense stands in opposite poles. It was a meeting of the minds that sparked my imagination as I realised we are all the same but our interpretation is so very personal.
Inside and out the visual explosion was beyond compare and my tiny brain is bursting to get home to my studio...but first...a week of traveling around from place to place with no particular place to be!!! k
What an amazing dream trip!! Thank you so much for posting and taking us along. It looks magical!
Posted by: Linda | Sunday, 22 April 2012 at 10:56 PM
Have a good week ...
Posted by: Bricolos du Lundi | Monday, 23 April 2012 at 01:14 AM
incredible! I feel like i just walked inside Quiltmania and I want to stay!!
Posted by: Pam | Monday, 23 April 2012 at 04:41 AM
Thank you so much for sharing your journey. Quiltmania, France, WOW - so surreal!
Posted by: Patsy from Cali | Monday, 23 April 2012 at 05:03 AM
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences! I am heading to France in September for a quilt tour and cannot wait!
Posted by: Anna | Monday, 23 April 2012 at 08:36 AM
I'm dead tired and must go to bed, but first! a quick look at your French experience. Thank you for taking us along and letting us see what you saw--so interesting and wonderful. I hope you have a lovely rest of your trip and we'll check back with you when you are in your studio (and in between, of course!)
Elizabeth E.
occasionalpiece
Posted by: Elizabeth E. | Monday, 23 April 2012 at 02:24 PM
Thank-you for taking us on this visual journey. Enjoy the rest of your holiday
Posted by: Chris Goodall | Monday, 23 April 2012 at 05:01 PM
Hi Kathy, I really enjoyed meeting you and I told Kaffe this past weekend that you had a blast down there, ;o)))
you know what he answered, "I knew that"
So now enjoy your holidays, your merit after that fantastic show
See you one day at your shop as promised
Posted by: Lil | Wednesday, 25 April 2012 at 06:40 AM
Your Trip is Wonderful so far Thanks for sharing it with Us...we are Envious of Course!
Take Care
Posted by: Maree | Saturday, 28 April 2012 at 06:06 PM
As a artist it most be fun to see what other people design. I'd love to go and get ideas for future designs. It's inspiring to see how hard people work to create beautiful things. It's also beautiful when people get to express their thoughts into physical things. Their art is a illustration of themselves and how they feel. Not always but somethings.
Posted by: Mike | Thursday, 11 October 2012 at 10:59 AM