Exhibition: "Wash Day" juried into Art League of Hilton Head's 2023 Biennale

My “Wash Day” art quilt was juried into the Art League of Hilton Head’s prestigious 2023 Biennale art exhibition. There were over 600 entries, from which 100 artists from 25 states were accepted. The exhibit ran from May 20-June 17 at the Art League Gallery located inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Bob and I traveled to Hilton Head for the Opening Reception on May 19th which was very well attended.

Check Out My First Magazine Feature!

Issue #23 of Quiltfolk magazine focused on North Carolina dropped July 1 and I am one of the featured artists!! I am thrilled that this prestigious national publication chose to showcase my work among that of so many amazingly talented makers who love their craft and their communities. I am looking forward to receiving my copy and sharing it with all those who have supported my artistic ambitions. (NOTE: Not my quilt on the cover. I am featured in a story inside the issue.)

Quiltfolk is a subscription-only publication, but they are making a special offer for friends and family who may wish to purchase a copy of this issue. Just enter the coupon code below the cover photo at checkout.

"Congratulations! You Are Invited...."

One of my key goals for this year is to seek opportunities to gain greater exposure for my artwork. As part of that effort, I have decided to submit entries to a number of juried exhibitions within easy driving distance of my home in Charlotte, NC. By keeping things local, I will be able to attend the openings and also participate in other opportunities provided to the selected artists.

I recently applied to several shows and was beyond excited when I received my first positive response about 2 weeks later. My piece “Here Comes the Sun” will be included in the summer exhibition sponsored by the Yadkin Arts Council in Yadkinville, NC.. The exhibit opens July 15th and will run through Labor Day weekend. My husband and I will be attending the National Black Theater Festival in nearby Winston-Salem, NC in early August and I hope to persuade some of the friends traveling with us to take a little detour while they are in the area. We also look forward to taking our grandsons to see the exhibit when they are with us for their annual “Camp Mimi & G-Bob” visit.

Hoping to hear positive news about the other two outstanding applications and I am currently working on a couple more entries with July deadline dates. Keeping my fingers crossed for more emails that read, “Congratulations! You are invited…”!

My First Exhibit

Last Fall I was asked to do a presentation about my work to the Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild. One of the attendees was a librarian who remembered my artwork when she was tasked with finding a way to brighten the walls of a new temporary branch that opened in a high traffic location in Uptown Charlotte. She reached out to me in January 2022 to see if I would be interested in showing my artwork in their library space. This was a great opportunity to introduce my work to a new audience and I quickly agreed. Our conversation led to 10 of my images being displayed in the branch for the entire month of March. Along with the display, I was able to provide library patrons with information about my website and social media accounts. Event publicity included the following description: “Just as an author builds a story, local artist Linda Keene builds her exquisite quilts by layering figures and story elements to achieve the right perspective and tell a visual story. The unique hand-stitched backgrounds in her art are tribute to the generations of African-Americna quiltmakers in her family. Check out a selection of her beautiful quilt art during March at the Founders Hall library.” Thanks to social media posts, a number of friends have gone to see the exhibit and left positive messages of support. Exciting times!

UPDATE: A follow-up exhibit is planned for the month of June at the Allegra Westbrooks Library which is located in a heavily African-American neighborhood in Charlotte. The exhibit will open with an artist’s talk on June 2.

A Look at the Past

I am currently working on a series of art quilts based on old photographs. I got the idea from a wonderful collection of formal portraits from the late 1800s through the 1930s that I found in my late father’s personal effects . Along with the work of Harlem Renaissance photographer James Van Der Zee, these photos provide a glimpse of African-American life that is rarely seen in history books. It has been a lot of fun trying to capture the mood of these striking black and white images using colorful modern fabrics. My goal is to complete a group of images that can be exhibited along with the photos that inspired them.

Working in the Background

This year I am resolving to work on larger pieces with more complex backgrounds. This presents a challenge in terms of layering the elements in each composition without adding a lot of bulk. I am experimenting with new types of fusible and batting, as well as using some machine stitching in my backgrounds. There is a lot of trial and error involved, but I hope to find a winning combination of materials. I’m thinking that I need to create a journal that summarizes how each piece is constructed so I’ll know how to replicate the effects. This is an example of a background that I’ve created for a piece showing 4 girlfriends on a tropical getaway. It is the first time I’ve completed the background before including figures. I look forward to seeing how the final piece comes together.

New Ways of Work

I recently learned a new appliqué technique using fusible adhesives that makes in much easier to assemble my layered quilt tops. It literally saves days on each piece! I used this technique for the first time on this piece which I call “Here Comes the Sun”. I also used a software program that turns photos into art to manipulate the original image that inspired the quilt. This helped me select a color palatte that I thought would be more striking. I love playing around with new tools.

Great Expectations

Some young friends of mine recently celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter. Throughout the pregnancy, the Mom was eloquent in sharing her hopes and dreams for her baby in a time of great upheaval. Social unrest and the ongoing pandemic were a backdrop that caused her to sometimes question whether it was wise to bring a child into the world at this time. Ultimately, the couple chose to believe that they could offer their baby the love and security she would need to thrive. I am so looking forward to watching them navigate the challenges of parenting in the years ahead.

Behold the Star

Every so often, an image springs fully formed into my head and comes together very quickly. That is what I experienced with this piece which I call “Behold the Star.” When I saw my niece Shelby sing a solo on this song during the 95th Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert, I knew immediately that I wanted to capture that moment in an art quilt. I sketched the idea the next day, searched through my fabric stash and got to work. Three days later, I had the quilt top pieced together and was preparing it for quilting. As those familiar with my work know, I typically hand quilt my pieces using a simple seed or rice stitch in the same color as the background. But a friend saw the piece when it was pinned together and reacted so positively to the “sparkle” of the pins on the dark background, that I decided to try and replicate the effect using a star stitch in a contrasting color. I really like the effect.

Ballerinas on the Brain

I did not do a lot of work in 2021, but I definitely went through an extended phase when I was intrigued with producing images of ballerinas. Inspired by a piece of pink and grey printed fabric from my stash, I produced two different images of little ballerina girls in 3-dimensional pink tutus I called “Tiny Dancers”. I then made three images of older girl ballerinas, imagining them as role models for my little girl dancers. I called that group of images “Ballerina Divas”. Lastly, I created three images using the colors of three African-American sororities which I called “Ballerina Girls”. Along the way, I experienced some issues with reproducing the images with dark colored tutus, which was discouraging since I had expected them to be very popular. I learned that I should probably experiment with new materials before using them in quilts that I plan to have reproduced.

On the Course

My husband Bob is a avid golfer. He fell in love with the game after taking his first lesson in 1999 and has played steadily ever since. You can imagine my surprise after 25 years of marriage to discover that he could wake up at the crack of dawn to play golf when it was previously a struggle to get him up in the mornings. Golf has been a great way for Bob to connect with other men, and he truly enjoys the many friendships that he has developed on the golf course. In anticipation of a milestone birthday that Bob has coming up in March 2021, I thought it would be fun to do a piece that honors his love of the sport. He was enthusiastic - about coaching me about details of the game so that I could create an authentic image. At times, he got a little carried away with this role as “Creative Consultant”, but overall the experience of working together was a lot of fun.

Dancing the Night Away

One of the great joys of my teen years was going to parties and dancing to the latest hits. I loved to watch shows like Soul Train and Solid Gold that featured all the top R&B performers and talented dancers showing off new dance moves. This experience inspired me to create a series around dances that were popular in different eras - Swing, Lindy Hop, The Bump and Salsa. This series was challenging because of the need to create a sense of movement in the dancers’ bodies. Another fun aspect of these images was the period costumes, incorporating elements like platform shoes. I also used a new material - heat transfer vinyl - to create music backgrounds for each piece which would have been very difficult to achieve using fabric. All in all, this was a very satisfying effort.

Giving Back

One of my motivations in selling my artwork was to assist my philanthropic efforts by dedicating a portion of the proceeds to supporting HBCUs. This year I was able to make almost $4000 in donations, including this one to Johnson C. Smith University here in Charlotte. Other recipients were Morehouse College, Spelman College and St. Augustine’s University. All of the institutions are facing unprecedented challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic and I was happy to do my part.

A Return to Creativity

After a long creative drought caused by all the social and political upheaval of the past 7 months, I finally found the inspiration to start making art again by focusing on the upcoming holiday season. Although the coronavirus pandemic will make it harder to celebrate the occasions with friends and family, I think everyone will want to maintain some of the traditions like sending holiday cards. I created a total of five new images that I plan to offer on cards this season. My personal favorite is this image of an African-American Santa delivering presents on the night before Christmas. The other images in the series are four African-American Angels in colorful robes. I hope they will brighten the sprits of all who send them and all who receive them.

Honoring Our Foremothers

On Mother’s Day a friend posted a picture of her grandmother and several other female relatives. It inspired me to consider the women in my own line and think of how I might represent them artistically. I call this piece “Generations” because it represents the legacy passed down from mothers to their daughters. We are who we are because of the women who set the example for us. When we honor our mothers, we also honor all the generations who came before. I never had the opportunity to meet my maternal great-grandmother, but this piece is an idealized family portrait of four generations.

I am Linda daughter of

Gertrude daughter of

Amanda daughter of

Edie daughter of

Rena who was descended from

Unknown African women whose DNA has been passed down to me.

Featured Artist Profile on ArtsyShark

I was so excited to be selected by the Artsyshark.com as a Featured Artist for 2020. This was the first time I have ever submitted my work to a competition, so you can imagine how surprised I was to have my portfolio selected. The prize was to have an article featuring my work on their website that would be promoted to their large audience. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

Sing Lady Sing!

I’ve been wanting to do a music-themed piece for a while now and I decided to do a tribute to all the great female vocalists whose performances I’ve enjoyed over the years. This piece was inspired by my Soror Maria Howell, who is doing weekly YouTube concerts during the coronavirus quarantine, accompanied by the amazing Noel Freidline on piano. Their “Live By Request” shows (Wednesdays at 7:00 PM) are a highlight of our week. These Charlotte-based artists are local favorites and perform regular in jazz venues around town.

Art In The Time of Coronavirus

Working on my artwork has been a welcome distraction during this time of quarantine. It allows me to get away from the daily drumbeat of (mostly negative) news about the pandemic and focus on something positive. This piece is one of a 3-part series inspired by my nephew Max Richardson (Yale 2020) and all the high school and college Seniors who are missing out on their commencement ceremonies and other celebrations honoring their graduations. Like all of us, their lives will be forever changed by this experience and the disruptions that it has caused. I am just grateful that my family and I are healthy and that I have the ability to do something I enjoy as we navigate these crazy times we are living through.

THEME: Family Relationships

Family is a fun theme to explore in my artwork because families come in so many different configurations and there are so many different relationships that can be depicted. For every piece I do, I get multiple requests for other variations. If I show a mother and her daughters, I get asked to do a mother-son or father-son piece. If I show a couple with one child, I get asked to do one with multiple children or different genders. And don’t let me get started on grandparents and grandchildren!! I sometimes have to explain that I am not producing family portraits, just images that represent family relationships. I simply pick a family group that best represents the relationship I am trying to convey at the moment.

THEME: Milestones

There are times in life that demand a visual that captures the moment - occasions like weddings, graduations, the purchase of a new home, birth of a baby, etc. I come from a family with a rich legacy of photographs documenting these milestones, some of which date back to the late 1800s. As an amateur genealogist, I feel privileged to have these visual insights into the lives and times of my ancestors.

It is very rewarding to try and capture the joy of these milestone occasions through my artwork. I love it when I hear feedback about these pieces that they remind the viewer of special times in their own lives.