A Crafter's Life

The Great Art Quilt Oops!

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

I am running out of art quilts my portfolio. On one hand this is a good thing, as many have sold including 4 that the City of Seattle own as part of their Portable Works Collection. On the other hand – I am running out of available pieces in my portfolio for shows/calls for entry. I explained why I’ve not made many recent art quilts in my post Secret Quilt and Design Wall Struggle.

I am approaching 3 years in Colorado (in April 2022) and in early 2021 I realized I want to show my work in my new home Colorado and since I was not up to making any additional art quilts at that time, I needed to try and get some of my remaining pieces in a Colorado based show.

So back in April 2021, I responded to a call for entry for a Textile Arts show at the R Gallery in Boulder, Colorado and my art quilt Color Story III: Random Not So Random was accepted. 

Random Not So Random, photographed by Jeremy Koons

I was “over the moon” with excitement as I was going to be in my first Colorado show!

When it came time to deliver the quilt to the gallery for the show I carefully packaged it up and we set it in the back of the car (we have a hatchback). 

Unfortunately my partner John also (accidentally) set his large open beverage in the back of the car, and forgot it.

We stopped for lunch along the way and John went to check something in the back of the car and discovered his drink (which he had forgotten about and did not know he left it there) had spilled and soaked my recycled silk art quilt. 

We could not deliver the quilt to the gallery as it was a “hot mess” to say the least.

I am just now able to write about it, and laugh about it, as it was an upsetting moment for me to say the least. 

I contacted the gallery and told them what happened and that I would not be able to be in the show.

John felt absolutely terrible about it and ended up buying the quilt from me for what I was going to list it at in the gallery. The positive outcome was that I did not have to lose 30 – 50% of the sale to the gallery commission. Another positive outcome is that the quilt dried out and although to me it does not look exactly like it did originally, John loves it and has it displayed on the wall near his home office downstairs:

John’s home office and his coworker Mike the Miniature Schnauzer always ready to consult

John says he is proud to own one of my art quilts.

Feature Photo by Pawel Janiak on Unsplash

Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

38 thoughts on “The Great Art Quilt Oops!”

  3. So, how much did you want to strangle John at the moment of hot mess discovery? Glad to see that gorgeous quilt has found a good home, though…and has been placed somewhere where he always has to think about what he did!! : )

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  11. I thought you were going to say that you washed it and still had it in the show
    But it looks like a better ending for sure!
    And such a cheery piece with the warm tones down yellow – and the informal symmetry offers an inviting causal feel .
    I like the red swirl line at the bottom too

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  14. Although it must have been very upsetting at the time, you now get to enjoy looking at your beautiful art quilt all the time, sometimes the universe just knows what is best 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Pingback: Another Recycled Fabric Art Quilt Sold – tierneycreates

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