Dear QE Clients and Friends,
For those of you who have been on my E-list for a while, you know that I typically only send out information once or twice a year, and it usually pertains to my textile tours to Japan. However, as noted in my July 2019 email, I am no longer offering tours, and after 30 years in business wearing several hats, I have shifted gears and I am turning to my artwork. This email is both a test of my email delivery system via my new ISP, and also to ask if you want to stay on for my more frequent postings, as I hope to be writing a little more often.
For this first post, I thought I would share with you some images from the opening of my solo exhibit. In April, while finishing up the larger works for the show, I signed on to the “100 Day Project,” committing to make something every day for 100 days and post about it. I decided to make miniature cloth amulets, similar to the omamori (good luck charms) that one can purchase at Japanese temples. If you did not follow my day-to-day posts on facebook or instagram about this adventure, you can now see all 100 on my new website (same url: www.QEJAPAN.com) in the Gallery section along with my medium and large scale fiber pieces.
My exhibition was held at the beautiful Lobby Gallery 255 of our Union County Public Library here in Lewisburg, PA. In addition to my 100 Cloth Amulets, I hung 43 pieces on the wall that included a wide range of fiber techniques: Japanese sashiko embroidery, hand quilting, Japanese rag weaving, and abstract fiber collage. I was on site at the library nearly every day greeting visitors from near and far (Virginia, Missouri, Michigan, Connecticut, and all across PA). August 2019 was the most exciting and most rewarding month of my life.
I hope that you will choose to stay on the QE E-list for my “now and then” studio blog. I’ve met and become friends with so many of you across these last three decades, on tours, at shows and guilds, and through the JFC. I love hearing from you. Likewise, if you have made something with fabrics or patterns you purchased from QETJ, please contact me as I might like to include a photo of your work in a future blog.
Please stay tuned for my next blog where I will be sharing images of my artwork hanging in clients’ homes.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Very truly yours,
Susan Ball Faeder, Fiber Artist & Business Owner
Quilters’ Express to Japan
Celebrating 30 years in business, since 1989
Susan! Hope all is well with you. Please keep me on your list.
Happy to keep you on my e-list. And hope you are well, too. Let’s keep in touch.
Congratulations on this wonderful exhibit Susan. I hope you find your artistic endeavors challenging, fun and rewarding in this new phase of life! Char
Thank you, Char. I appreciate your support from afar. S
Wonderful display of your quilts
Kerrolyne ~ thanks for being in touch.
A big step and wonderful reminder of your work and show. Thanks for allowing us a peek into this wonderful event???
Cheryl, Thank you for standing by and offering your hand of friendship and wisdom during my transition.
Susan your work is perfection! So happy I was able to visit your display with you. Let’s get together soon. Rita
Rita, Thank you for your friendship and support. I so appreciate your making the trek to see my show. Yes, let’s get together soon. A holiday lunch or dinner… maybe MJ too?
So happy to have you nearby and creating such beautiful works of art! Please do keep me on the list for more frequent news !
Thanks, Mary, for taking a walk through my website. Your support and encouragement mean a lot.
Good to hear from you! Please keep me on or put me on your contact list. I’m glad I saw your “solo” and had the visit in August! I have a 3 month show coming in January..lots to do! Have a good Thanksgiving! Deb
Deb, It was wonderful having you here as a guest in Lewisburg, and being able to catch up. Please email me info on your upcoming exhibit- with plenty of notice. Maybe I can come your way.
Susan, so sorry to have missed the exhibit. Hope to see another. Please keep me on the list.
Catherine
Thanks, Catherine. Nice to hear from you. You can come for a studio visit anytime! 😉
Wonderful to hear about your newest adventure.
Thanks, Linda. An adventure it is!
Thanks for checking in. Let me know how you are and what you are working on… you have my email.
What a great thing to do – a solo exhibition. I’m working towards one myself- in response to neading a positive thing to works towards; husband (74) is in aged care home with Alzheimer’s disease. I’m still travelling- have been in all continents now ( including flightseeing over Antarctica)- and doing as much fibre arts as possible. Please sign me up to your blog. Margie Creek 2008
Wow. It’s been ages! Happy to hear you are pushing your quilting. Please send me the details of your upcoming show so I can share them and/or email me some images as you progress. I would like to support you. Very sorry to hear about your husband. If I recall correctly, you are still in Australia, yes?
Love seeing your 100 days project this past summer and your advice on my project. Please keep me on your list. I hope our paths cross again soon. Bobbie
Thanks, Bobby. Wouldn’t that be nice to cross paths again? Someone should orchestrate a QE reunion, eh?
It’s so fun and exciting to see the new developments with your art. I love my jeans and the art pieces I have all around my house. Will share pictures.
Jean, my friend and great supporter of women making art! Thank you. Yes, please do take some photos “in situ” so I can include them in the next blog. I forgot to take photos of the jeans… could you please? No hurry.
Congratulations on your exhibition, and on your new path! Look forward to seeing even more of your inspirational work.
Thank you, Maia. I hope that we can somehow meet again somewhere. S
Congratulations, Susan. Patricia wrote about your 100 days exhibit of amulets on her blog a month or so ago. That is an intriguing concept and quite a challenge. I imagine that at times it was a bit stressful as well. I wish that I could view your amulets as well as the rest of your collection in person. Last Saturday there was an exhibit in La Conner called Japon Tex that included Japanese fabrics, quilts, sashiko, and paper crafts. It is held every year and it would be wonderful if you could come and display your collection, give a talk, and maybe sell some things, too. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to talk to Patricia about participating next year if that interests you at all. Would love to see your work and to finally meet you. Here’s to daring to step out and begin anew!
PS I would like to receive your blog.
Dear Nance, Thank you for your commentary- however, I feel I need to clarify a few things: I was a “guest blogger” on Patricia’s site. That means she invited me to make the post. That was my essay and all my photos- not Patricia’s. And yes, it was a challenge to do the 100 day project, but the stress was not in the making of each amulet. I also had to write about each one daily, photograph it, and then post it. That is part of the commitment when you sign on. Also, FYI a few months ago I offered my amulets to La Conner for exhibition because I thought it would be a great match, but they turned me down. And finally, I have been in business 30 years, traveling all over the nation teaching and lecturing and selling- as well as leading 30 tours to Japan for quilters. I am happy to hand the gauntlet to Patricia and encourage her to carry on. With few exceptions, I have hung up my travel hats, although you might see an Etsy site coming soon. Happy to keep you on my elist.
Congratulations on your courageous move into a new chapter. Please keep me in your email list. I’ll be on the east coast next spring. I’ll get in touch for travel suggestions. Judith McGinty QE29
Judith- Life’s transitions do take courage, don’t they? You are definitely on the list to stay. I want to know what you are doing and where you are… if you will go back to japan? Please keep me in the loop. Meanwhile, if you are coming east, not sure I can make recommendations, but maybe I can come meet you? Cheers~
The new website is so beautiful and easy to navigate. Your art looks impressive all hanging together. My life is topsy turvy at the moment but the packing up for our move is almost done. Having a fabric/sewing sale for all my quilting friends and former students next week. But all my Japanese fabrics and treasures are already safely moved to Coronado.
Thanks for strolling through my new website and for your feedback. Appreciated muchly. I know you are in the midst of a big big transition… but it is so smart of you to do this. Guess I should come visit Coronado – if that’s where the Japanese fabric is. 😉
How exciting! Best of luck on this new journey!
Thanks, Jen. I hope things are good in your corner of the world. I still think about a visit to Arizona.
Thanks for all your inspiration.. i truly enjoy keeping up with your journey..only sorry I didn’t make the japan trip, but sometimes life gets in the way. Have a wonderful holiday season
Hi Susan, Thanks for being in touch, for your kind comment, and for your long membership in the JFC. I hope you are well and sewing. If you completed your Dear Jane, or if you have any other quilts that use fabric purchased from QETJ, please send me a photo by email.
Susan, thank you for the photos of your exhibit which I am so sad to have missed! Please keep me on your list and I look forward to seeing more and more of your gorgeous artwork, and hopefully your Etsy store. I hope you and your loved ones enjoy beautiful holidays and a happy, healthy and productive year ahead.
Marianne!!!!! SOooooo nice to hear from you. Thank you for your sweet words and wishes. I wish the same for you. Let’s try for a catch up call soon? Hugs~S