Quilts for Obama at the Historical Society of Washington, DC

It is such a great honor to be included in this exhibit. Quilts for Obama; an Exhibit Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th President is a joint effort of the Historical Society of Wasshington, DC, The Quilters of Color Network and The Group fo Cultural Documentation. Curator Roland L. Freeman has put together about 60 quilts from across the United States and also includes quilts from Kenya and from 1st Lady Micelle Obama's oldest living relative, Mrs Carrie Nelson. The Quilts for Obama exhibit will be on display from January 11th to January 31st 2009. More info can be obtained at: http://www.historydc.org/location/exhibits.asp .

My quilt, "Hope Comes to Harlem" is one of 2 I created especially for this exhibit. The other, "On Shoulders We Stand" is currently at the Gadson Gallery (my home). Only one could go to DC so the honorable Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi helped to make the choice. Fellow HGQC quilter Michelle Bishop also has a quilt in this exhibit.

My Brother's Threads at the New York State Museum

In 2007 Harlem Needle Arts presented My Brother's Threads at Lincoln Center's Cork Gallery. This textile exhibit in tribute to men and fiber work can now be seen at the New York State Museum in Albany, NY. Featured are the work of male fiber artisans and fiber art that features male subjects. My quilt titled "When Old School Was Young" can be seen along with "Harold in the Moment" and "The Liberation of Yellow Bill". My Brother's threads and a quilt exhibit titled "Syncapated Threads: Quilting in the Jazz Tradition" can both be viewed at the NYSM through March 2009. For more info visit: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/exhibits/special/mybrothersthread.cfm .

Holiday Happenings

This is the time of year when there is always a lot going on and not enough time to see and do everything. Hopefully you will be in town and have a chance to check out my latest creations. There is plenty to see in all price ranges whether you what something special for yourself or someone else.

SAT. 12/6 & SUN. 12/7, 1-6pm

the Gadson Gallery

225 West 134th Street , NY, NY 10030

(212) 694-0262

Now until January 1 2009

Gallery M

123 Wset 135th street

call for hours

THUR. 12/18 - SUN. 12/21

NJPAC Kwanzaa weekend.

Venders, Concerts, and ME!

http://www.njpac.org/load_screen.asp?screen=directions

Another Blog

http://fiberfabulosity.blogspot.com/
This blog will be in addition to this one and will chronicle some of my crochet and knitting escapades and highlight artwork and items that are available in my gallery. I am also working on an official website but that has not gone as smoothly as I planned. Not unusual for a slightly technically challenged diva but I am working on digitally improving myself all the time. If you have a moment please check out. the new blog. Any one thinking of having a website might want to get their feet wet with a blog. They are a cost effective and a some what easy way of having a presence on the web for just about anything.

Newly Purchased Beauties

Beauty in a Darker Hue is the title of my latest series of quilts that daybued during the art tours last weekend. Deeply Rooted Flower (left) and Draped in Legacy (right) are both spoken for. They will soon be in their new homes with very appreciative owners.

SAC/ HOAST is a hit!

I want to thank everyone that visited me during the Strivers Art Circuit/ Harlem Open Artist Studio tour this week end. During the tour I had a good deal of traffic and quite a few sales. I will keep all my visitors up to date on all of my art activities. Thanks so very much for your support.
My raffle winners are :
- Paula Wynter and Naeemah Lamont for the HGQC site in Mount Morris/Marcus Garvey Park
- Janice Fongkin and E Russell Payne for the Gadson Gallery.

SEMINOLEFRICAN !

Seminolefrican in Purple is the title of this latest piece which combines African and Native American textile styles. It is documented that the Seminole Indians of Georgia and Florida accepted runaway African slaves and free men into their fold. The two groups learned and thrived from each other which was viewed as a threat to the status quo of United States government who dealt with them accordingly. This work salutes the idea of cultures coming together for a common good and represents what could have been another successful and culturally vibrant American community. Seminolefrican in Purple will be showcased with the Harlem Girls Quilting Circles The Color Purple Exhibition which is part of HOAST (Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour), 10/4 & 10/5 at 27 Mount Morris Park West bt. 122nd and 123rd Streets.

Quilts on the Farm

Black Dimesions in Art, an upstate New York arts organization, will host a quilt exhibit titled; African American Quilters on Exhibition from October 1st to the 31st. This exhibit will showcase the work of local quilters near the Albany area as well as downstate quilters like myself. This all takes place at the lovely Wellington's Herb and Spice farm in Schoharie, NY located at 649 rickard Hill Road, Schoharie, NY 12157, (518) 295-7366. The farm features an extremely scenic view, with a gift show and tea room. Mrs Wellington's Island Ice tea is a must if you visit. Schoharie also has local bed and breakfasts at reasonable prices so as the leaves change you may want to make a week end out of this event. To find out more on the farm and their activities go to www.wellintonsherbsandspices.com. Two of my Cotton by the Sea works will be on exhibit.

SAC - Strivers Art Circuit

SAC, Strivers Art Circuit, was set up by myself 4 local artists/gallery owners in order to promote ourselves for the up coming HOAST, Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour. I created the cover art that is the actual map and includes the 7 current members of SAC. Please join us on October 4th and 5th from 1-6pm and visit all of us. It will be a great day in the uptown arts scene and I hope you will join us. There will be giveaways and discounts for attendees. I will have my latest creations up at the Gadson Gallery and will reveal my Holiday Greeting Cards and 2008 Quilt Art Calendar with some of my favorite work.

For more info on the tour visit www.striversartcircuit.com.

Off to Market!

Please check me and some other local artist out at the 145th Street Farmers Market every Saturday (weather permitting) through November. I come out with my quilts, quilt art prints, note cards and more and set up under my market umbrella. Holiday season will be here before you know it and you are bound to catch a bargin on something lovely. Every now and then I will offer a creative class or activity around 2pm (I email this info in advance). The market is open from 10am-4pm and is located between Bradhurst and Edgecombe Aves no Harlem's 145th Street.

The Creative Spirit - a ticket to the Crazy House!

Those of you who have known me for any length of time have seen me cover a lot of creative ground: stained glass, body products, tie dye, slip casting (I just moved my mothers things from her apartment so if anyone every wants to do a 20year retrospective of my creativity please consult her storage space). Now that I am committed to my quilting there are still moments where I travel off that path into another project. I am now making wine in assorted flavors and last year I rediscovered my knitting machine. Oh what a tangled web artists weave.
Today my new camera arrived and along with it I purchase an instructional overview video. Do I dare delve into photography? Only for medicinal purposes I hope. I got a new camera because the old one seems not to like the sand I dropped it in and a good camera is necessary to take good pictures of my quilts. To take good pictures I need to know my camera and basic rules of photography. To get that knowledge I need books and maybe a class and....... here we go again!

Lil' Mama follows Little Sister

A Mid Summer Night's Blue featuring a childhood glimpse of my sister can be viewed at ArtGotham Gallery in SOHO New York. She follows an earlir quilt of my niece Tiana which was part of ArtGotham's Square Foot group show and was sold. Summer Blues is a smaller ArtGotham group show and though my Lil' mama is not in the typical style of this gallery she is still hanging there. Yes, she is kind of in the booth in the back in the dark but she hangs proudly none the less. The Summer Blues exhibition runs until Aug. 24th 2008. If you are in lower Manhattan check it out: ArtGotham, 190 Ave of te Americas (6th Ave) between Prince and Spring Streets - right near the C line Spring Street train station. Call for hours: 917 319 2030

Walking Away From the Light

This quilt was part of ArtGotham's http://www.artgotham.com/about/about.php3 recent "Square Foot Exhibit" and has found a new home. I have been asked to create another piece slightly larger for one of the up coming ArtGotham events: "Summer Blues" a group exhibition. The quilts sister which has a much darker feel is back at the Gadson Gallery.

Cotton By The Sea continues

The Cotton by the Sea event with jewelry by Shimoda and my quilt art was well attended and a good time was had by all. If you did not get a chance to see my new art work the gallery will be open for visitors again during the Harlem Week festivities on west135th Street from 2-7pm, Sat. 8/16 and Sun. 8/17.

the Gadson Gallery

225 West 134th Street

Harlem, NY

If you have questions or would like to schedule a private appointment you may email me at gadsongallery@aol.com. Prints and t-shirts of some of my quilts are now be available.

Cotton by the Sea

July 12th 2-7pm

July 13th 1-6pm

The Gadson Gallery

225 West 134th Street

Harlem NY, (bt. Adam Clayton Powell & Frederick Douglass Blvd.)

My friend and fellow artist, Shimoda and I are in the midst of preparing a special event for the summer season. Cotton by the Sea is a show containing jewelry, quilt art and knit wear we have created in celebration of warm weather and stylish living. Please join us for light refreshments and a chance to view and purchase our creations.

quilt above: Currently untitled with "X's and O's" pearl jewelry by Shimoda of Shimoda Accessories.

SPEAK OUT closing soon

The current exhibit for Harlem Girls Quilting Circle, "SPEAK OUT", is scheduled to close on June 27th. This is a very dynamic exhibit and it is a shame that the viewing opportunities were limited. The exhibit may be extented but if not my 2 quilts will be on display during Cotton by the Sea at the Gadson Gallery, July 12th & 13th. The Speak Out exhibit allowed HGQC members to create work that addressed topics which were inportant to the artist. My Country Tis' of Greed (top) and Tale of Two Sisters(right) both address ideas about our nations conduct and it's relationship to the dollar.

Art Panel Discussion May 18th

I will be participating in this event on Sunday as part of a panel. This event is part of the Homebase art project which is based in Harlem and includes artists of various nationalities. Some "American diversity" will be added with this event. See if this fits in your schedule and join us:

Sunday May 18, 20082-4pm (arrival requested 1:45pm)

764 St. Nicholas Ave. (at 148th Street)

Contact:Aleathia BrownAleathiab@msn.com 718 519 0607

ABOUT HOMEBASE
17 international artist transform a historical townhouse in Sugar Hill, Harlem with site-specific artwork addressing the notion of Home. www.homebaseproject.com

ABOUT THIS EVENT
Harlem Arts Alliance Visual Artist Coordinator and career Visual Artist Aleathia Brown will be accompanied by Averlyn Archer of Canvas Paper and Stone Gallery, Laura Gadson of Gadson Gallery and (To be announced). Join the group for a panel discussion as they give an art talk on the impact that making art in a home environment has on the works they show, produce and share with the community and beyond. Each will share the journey and describe the significance of Home and Heritage a place called Harlem. The panel will share the nuances of converting the place that they rest their soul into an art selling environment. Audience dialogue strongly encouraged. Flat screen DVD presentation of Aleathia Brown's "Live Art" showcase! Donation Suggested: $10.00 (your support enables art to grow & exist)

Spring/Summer 2008 Events

SPEAK OUT!

A collection of work with something to say by the Harlem Girls Quilting Circle

Caribbean Cultural Center 408 West 58th street (bt 9th & 10th Ave)

March 22nd - June 27th

M-F 10am-6pm

Saturdays: 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21 - 11am-6pm

(I have 2 pieces in this exhibit that speak to the conduct of the USA)

http://www.cccadi.org/

Square Foot Exhibition

Group exhibit of over 100 emerging artist all working in the constraints of a 12" x 12" canvas

present by Art Gotham

192 Avenue of the Americas (6th Ave bt Spring and Prince streets) SOHO

Sat. June 7th (reception 1-8pm) - Sat. July 12th

www.artgotham.com

Look mom, I made it to SOHO! I have 2 canvases in this exhibit- all are for sale

"Cotton by the SEA"

A breezy collaboration of wearable and fine art by Shimoda of Shimoda Accessories and myself.

The Gadson Gallery - my place

225 West 134th Street (bt Adam Clayton Powell & Frederick Douglass Blvds)

(212) 694-0262

Sat. July12th, 2-7PM, Sun., July 13th 1-6pm

H.O.A.S.T. 2008

Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour

Sat.,October 4th, Sun., October 5th

Time TBA

the Gadson Gallery

225 west 134th Street

(212) 694-0262

Finally! a new post

I know I am very bad about keeping up with my blog. Please bare with me while I multi-task as an artist, instructor, house renovator, elder care giver, zoo keeper..... you know the list. I am glad to find that there are some of you that try to keep up with me and my work through this blog. I will do my best to do better.
I was afraid that this year would be slow in comparison to the wonderful exhibits and events I partiscipated in last year. This is not the case. Please check out the schedule of events listed for 2008. I will be collaborating with friends and strangers uptown, downtown and upstate so I hope there will be an event for everyone. Thanks again for checking in and I hope to see you soon!

Laura

The Family Quilt on the Big Screen

I am well on my way to the big time. Though my Grandmother quilt did not make the cover of the book she will be in, "The Family Quilt" has made it to the Jumbotron in Times Square. The Ohio historical Society has been heavily promoting the Quilting African American Womens History exhibit at the National African American Museum in Wilberforce, Ohio and my quilt was used in the huge video screen ad. The ad is pictured here on the left but if you scroll down my blog you can get a better view of the quilt. This exhibit will open in March with a reception I plan to attend on March 8th.

Gadson Gallery Woven Wear

By now most of you may know I have a forbidden love affair with yarn. I been spending far too much time seeking it out, buying it and then creating with it. From Sheep and Wool festivals to Ebay, I have been hunting down and aquiring interesting fibers. It's taken over the sewing room and almost run me out of my bed room.

Please HELP! I will be feverously working on crocheting up a good amount of items and I need good people to take them off my hands. Coats, Sweaters, Ponchos, Ponchettes and more. During my Woven Wear Birthday Bash I will offer some enticing discounts on my needle work. Please come out and join me on Feb. 16th from 2-7Pm at 225 West 134th Street. New York, NY. There will be light refreshments, give aways and of course... birtday cake!

Ponchette with matching dickey on sale for $230.00

wool, wool blend and mohair yarns from Italy,

Turkey and the USA. (mittens no longer available)