Additional Inspiration from AQS QuiltWeek

Purple Yellow Mosaic

Another interesting special exhibit at AQS QuiltWeek in Des Moines was Colorplay: International Quilt Challenge. The quilts were curated by Twelve by Twelve - a group of twelve international quilt artists who share a love of art quilting and were brought together by their desire to play, experiment, learn and grow. On display were twelve collaborative quilt “mosaics”...each comprised of twelve, 12 x 12 inch art quilts based on a designated color or palette. The twelve mosaics represented twelve color themes, including: Pink, Blue/White/Black, Kilauea, PurpleYellow, Lorikeet, Rusty, Eggplant, Brown/Sage/Blue, Chartreuse, Spice, Gray, and Orange. It was a treat to look down this aisle of artistic designs and see the color range and creativity! I wish I had a bunch more photos to show you...luckily the Twelve by Twelve website has a fabulous gallery you can view to see this exquisite display in more detail...go take a look - I am pretty sure you will be inspired...

Spice Mosaic...my personal favorite...

Tarek Abdelhay

I was also fascinated by the exhibit "Return of Stitch Like an Egyptian" featuring the Tentmakers of Cairo. Two tentmakers (Hosam Hanafy and Tarek Abdelhay) were quilting onsite, demonstrating their appliqué technique...and to say they were quick hand quilters would be an understatement - they were lightning fast - cutting and adding pieces to their blocks faster than imaginable...I was in awe as I watched them make quick work of even the most intricate designs. The quilts in this exhibit are a canvas-backed cotton...each unique...and all contain brilliantly colorful appliqués.

A little history: In the times of nomadic desert travel, most homes were constructed of canvas walls and roofs - tentmakers would embellishing the inner walls of these canvas structures with brightly colored designs, hoping to bring color and texture to the plain desert landscape. Over the years, these designs became extremely vibrant and more and more intricate. Although the use of these particular quilts as dwelling art has diminished in Egypt, they are still used for ceremonial purposes, such as: temporary decorations at weddings, funerals, henna parties, or Ramadan celebrations.

You can see additional photos of these intricate and colorful quilts by visiting the AQS Online Catalog, where there are many available for purchase.

UPDATE: I received a lovely comment from Kim Beamish after writing this blog post - Kim is the producer of The Tentmakers Of Chareh El Khiamiah - a documentary film focusing on the dwindling community of traditional Egyptian artisans know as the Tentmakers of Cairo. 
Her comment reads: Great to see that you met Hosam and Tarek two very good friends of mine. They always enjoy the awe and excitement by quilters who know their thing watching them work. If you or anyone else is looking for more information about the tentmakers of Cairo please take a look at our website www.tentmakersofcairo.com and find out more about the documentary film we are presently in production of called 'The Tentmakers of Chareh El Khiamiah'.
Visit the website mentioned to see wonderful videos, photos, articles, and shop.

I hope you enjoyed today's post, filled with color, creativity, and design...just writing about these exhibits makes me want to rush to my studio and play!