Alaska SAQA February 2016 Meeting

The February informal coffee meeting for the Alaska SAQA group was held on February 9, 2016 from 10AM -12PM.

AK SAQA members Amy Meissner, Diane Melms, Cat Larrea, Barb Hanson, Gail Ramsay, Faye Stiehm, Maria Shell, Jan Wallace, and Kate Beebe

We had a great discussion about several Alaska art projects and opportunities. Jan Wallace let the group know that the Kenai Arts Center will be exhibiting an All Media Show. The juror is Anchorage Museum Director Julie Decker. The deadline for submissions is February 26, 2016.


Here are the official details from the Redoubt Reporter.

“The Kenai Fine Art Center is accepting entries for its biennial juried exhibition, “Wildfire,” which will go on display in March. Entries should explore the concept of wildfire, what it means and the many forms it can take. This exhibition is open to all mediums with an entry limit of two items. The entry fee is $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers. All entries must be ready to hang/display. Submit artwork from noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 22 to 26 at the Kenai Fine Art Center. For more information, call 283-7040, email ourkfac@gmail.com or stop by the center.”

We also discussed the Anchorage Gorilla Knitters project to recover the people chairs at the Loussac Public Library. If you are interested in this project you can learn and follow their progress on the Facebook page


Cat Larrea gave an update on the joint exhibition we are planning with the SAQA Hawaii group. It has been decided that the pieces for the exhibition must fit in a board game flat rate box which is 23 1/2” by 11 1/2”. We discussed possible names for the exhibition with several members liking the idea of playing around with the word non-contiguous which is what we are. There will be a Go to Meeting for both Alaska and Hawaii SAQA members to discuss the exhibition plans. The meeting is scheduled for 12:30PM AK time on Monday February 22. If you would like to participate in the meeting, please contact Cat via her website for more information. Cat would like some one to be in charge of locating exhibition space for the show. We are planning on having the show in 2017. A Hawaii member has agreed to write a grant for SAQA. Maria Shell agreed to proof read the document if necessary.


The Valley Quilters Guild program coordinator Jessica Salter contacted us about having an AK SAQA presentation for their quild. Kate Beebe, Gail Ramsay, and Cat Larrea agreed they would do a presentation called “Let’s Talk Art Quilts” on August 4th for the Valley Quilters Guild. They would like AK SAQA members to loan pieces to them for this presentation. If you are interested, please bring your quilts to a AK SAQA meeting. 

Cat Larrea is also giving a class called Color Confident Fabric Selection at the Quilt Tree. She would also like to borrow quilts to share with her class. If you have a quilt with great color composition, please consider loaning it to Cat for her March 5th and 12th class. 

We will not be having a ART CLOTH NORTH in 2017. Amy Meissner has offered to continue to work with the Blue Hollomon Gallery to make a 2018 ART CLOTH NORTH III happen. 

Cat will be offering a Photoshop Elements day long workshop for artists (including SAQA members, but also other interested artists) on Monday February 29th. If you are interested in this workshop, please contact Cat.

ART CLOTH NORTH is currently on exhibit at the Blue Hollomon Gallery here in Anchorage, Alaska. You can see the show until the end of February. You can see photos of the First Friday event here.

Jan Wallace had some great 3-D quilt pieces to share.






Gail Ramsay made this beautiful small piece entirely out of up-cycled materials. 

Faye Steihm shared a large piece she is working. She is in search for more of the fabric. She lost her last bit of stash when the latest earthquake knocked tea all over it. We are glad the quilt wasn’t harmed. 


Our next informal coffee talk meeting will be Tuesday March 8th from 10AM -12PM at the Kaladi Brothers on Brayton . We will be in the meeting room with Nixon. We hope to see you there!



ART CLOTH NORTH II


Last Friday was the opening of ART CLOTH NORTH II at the Blue Hollomon Gallery here in Anchorage, Alaska. 


ART CLOTH NORTH II is a SAQA Alaska juried regional show. This is the second year we have had this members show hence the II after the name.


The turn out was fabulous for the event. The gallery owners felt is might have been one of their largest crowds yet. 


The crowd was dense it was difficult to get photos of the quilts without people in the way.


If you missed the opening, you still have plenty of time to see the show. It will be hanging until the end of February. 


There were nine AK SAQA members with work in the show.



Barb Hanson



























As you can tell by the images, we are a very diverse group. If you are in Anchorage and interested in learning more about the Alaska SAQA group, please join us for our monthly meeting. Our next gathering is scheduled for Tuesday March 8th from 10AM to 12PM at the meeting room in the Kaladi Brothers on Brayton Road

AK SAQA Meeting January 12, 2016

Our January meeting was held on Tuesday January 12, 2016 from 10AM to noon. There was lots of discussion about advertising for the upcoming ART CLOTH NORTH II which opens in February. Diane has put in hours and hours of work moving this show forward. 

We all volunteered to hang posters and mail postcards. 

Within 48 hours, Cat Larrea had sent the Alaska Dispatch a press release and we were officially advertised in town. How cool is that?

We had a lengthy discussion about hanging systems. 


We had an incredible Show and Tell session.

Carrie Payne shared her latest work.


There is also a great display of her work and patterns at Seams Like Home.




Nancy Sopp had a great piece to share.


Gail Ramsey shared a bed quilt she recently made. Many of us agreed that we often get going in the studio by creating utility quilts. 


Jan Wallace joined us from Soldotna, Alaska. This photo does not do her beautiful handmade tunic justice. 


Jan has also been exploring some ideas related to the Modern Quilt scene. 




New member Kate BeeBe (welcome Kate!) shared a recent handwork that she completed while on the road traveling. 


Faye Stiehm had a great small piece for the group to admire. 



If you are in town, I hope you will join us for the opening of ART CLOTH NORTH at the Blue-Hollomon Gallery  for our First Friday Opening on February 5th from 5PM- 8PM. 

Or join us for coffee. Our February meeting is scheduled for Tuesday February 9th from 10AM -12PM at the Kaladi Brothers on Brayton. We will be in the meeting room with Nixon.