Please check out my exhibit at Chef’s Palette Restaurant and Bar in Apex, NC. Jojo Campbell was kind to write an excellent overview of my art experiences. Read it all at the link above.
Artist of the Month
Author: Mary
2 YEARS!
Wow! When the quarantine started and continued, I hunkered down in my studio and concentrated on creativity. With June 2022 approaching, I have decided to add a couple of recent activities and return to blogging ”occasionally”, but not daily. Please comment or email to join in the conversation
Earlier this year, my friends encouraged me to join FALC (Fine Arts League-Cary), an organization that emphasizes local art exhibits. In that regard, a reception was held at The Mayton in downtown Cary to celebrate the start of a monthly exhibit in their gallery halls on the second and third floors.
We’ve enjoyed a few meals there with friends since the reception and always found everything to be delicious.
“El Tajo Gorge” from my photograph and research about Ronda, Spain was juried into the May-June exhibit along with a variety of exquisite paintings.
All images and text in all categories on this site are copyright protected by Mary A Ritter (aka ‘M Unique) and may not be reproduced in any form without express permission.
FALL! FALL! FALL!
FALL –
the colored leaves; the cooler temperatures; the delicious stews, soups and desserts associated with Fall. Apples, pumpkins and nuts of all kind are with us again. There is no reason to wonder why Fall remains my favorite time of year.
So much has happened since I last posted a blog – hardly anything worth repeating here. 2020 has not been the most positive of years. At least we are closer to the election -4 more sleeps – enough said about that. The hot temperatures have been blown away by the numerous hurricanes winding down as they have passed over and around us here in central North Carolina. We send concern to those more directly impacted. I have about 2 dozen green tomatoes still clinging to the vines. My fault, as I didn’t buy the plants until mid-June. Yesterday, I moved them closer to my window so I could watch them, thinking they might ripen if they knew I was watching. Hmmm… as with boiling water, I don’t think this will do the trick. They also needed protection from the swirling tail winds of Hurricane Zeta and possible frosty nights that might creep in unaware to me.
AND, most importantly, our tiny family bubble of 4 has managed to stay healthy and isolated from the hideous virus that is threatening the world.
To take my mind off of the world around me, hesitating to wander into it, I challenged myself to make some hangings for my sheltered entrance and the narrow space under the light by the garage where I usually hang a seasonal wreath. My September piece features coneflowers which I have used in previous works. I credit Jan Soules, a well-known quilt artist, for the composition layout. I usually work from original ideas, but fell in love with her use of piecing for the background. Starting from that, I worked my own end of summer design. My piece is made from mostly patio grade fabrics – canvas and jute cord, with regular weight quilting threads so that I could hang it in the sheltered weather elements by my front door. There are some fabrics in the sky that are prints from my sky paintings.
For October, I created a small hanging featuring a front yard scene of appropriate items. Again, I used patio canvas, but used a rusting process to add textures to the pumpkins.
For October Bounty, I wanted muted values to reflect the general colors of the season with pops of color to feature the bounty of the month. The sky is strips of duck fabric interwoven to create a textured sky, but still remaining in the muted tones. The strips were raw edge, but secured with lots of stitching in due process. A few of the woven strips were previously printed and some have sequins attached to the purchased fabric. The fields are duck fabric which has been rusted to various degrees. Texture was added with colored jute cord to separate the fields. The binding is jute as well. Most fabrics are either canvas, burlap, or duck.
There was no pattern. I drew the tree in a simple line drawing while looking at a sample and then widened and enhanced the branches with paint. The tree was then enlarged in my printer and the sections were taped together to serve as a pattern. The hanging was completed in sections and then assembled with fleece as batting, just because I had fleece on hand (covid variations). The backing is a nylon/polyester fabric that was in my stash. Some of the fabrics melt when heat is applied – a lesson learned. Luckily, I am finding that the rusted fabric does not seem to fade, even after being displayed for a month through wind and rain. It has been in a north-facing location, so no direct sunlight. The piece was submitted for SAQA’s challenge, Land Art-from the Forest to your Balcony, but did not make the cut this time. I have created two additional pieces for outdoor display, and am working on Maple Leaves and Gobble for display in November – SOON.
Stay well. Be safe. Wear a mask. Self-distance. Wash your hands, and most of all… VOTE! We’ll get through this world-wide challenge as best we can.
Sacred Threads Quilts Exhibit comes to Raleigh, NC
The West Raleigh Presbyterian Church is hosting the Sacred Threads Quilts Exhibit in November, December and January. I was happy to recruit two local art quilters to join me in helping the church volunteers hang the show in mid-November and to also get a close up view of each of these beautiful art quilts. A special “thank you” goes out to Barb and Jane. The church has issued a poster, shown below, so visitors can plan their viewing times. Below the poster are photos from groups that have joined me in celebrating the exhibit which features art quilts and their stories based on six themes: Joy, Peace/Brotherhood, Healing, Guilt, Inspiration, and Spirituality.
My art quilt is entitled Le Chêne Chapelle, (the Oak Chapel). You can read more about it here:
https://maryritter.com/2019/04/30/sacred-threads-exhibit/
and
Bonjour!
My journal for our recent trip to France (Provence-Burgundy-Paris) is ready for your eyes to see. I could not present it as a daily blog because the ship blocked uploading of this sort of genre. So I took notes and spent time this first week home putting it all together. The main audience for it is “me” – it is my record of what we experienced. It all becomes a blur rather quickly unless documented. You can find it at this link: Provence-Burgundy-Paris. I tested it on my laptop and on my iPhone. It takes a few seconds to load the first time, but after that it runs smoothly on both platforms. Once again, merci beaucoup to Michel Etienne, our GCCL guide who worked so diligently to make everything wonderful, and to all the local guides, Robin (French Riviera), Anna (Paris), Gilles (Covered Passages) and more, who made it so enjoyable. Read and enjoy!
TWO SPECIAL EXHIBIT OPPORTUNITIES
The STUDIO ART QUILT ASSOCIATES (SAQA) is currently auctioning off donated quilts to raise the funds to support their promulgation of the quilting/fiber arts. I am honored to participate by donating my 12×12″ piece to this effort. It is up for bidding this week. Check it out, along with the other quilts available for bidding/purchase this week. Week Two Auction Quilts
“A BETTER WORLD” is currently on display online. This originated as an invitational exhibit, and again, I was honored to be invited to participate. Forty of the pieces will travel to the International Quilt Show in Houston. If you want to be inspired, read all of the entries into this show of heroes. They are listed in alphabetical order by artists’ last name – mine is in the R category, of course.
Quilt and Surface Design Symposium (QSDS)
Rough draft – much to do still. 
Judi Bastion was one of the road warriors who traveled in our little Prius for 1000 miles! Bravo! She studied Composition Quartet under Sue Benner. 
Gwen Brink also traveled the long road with Judi and me. She studied Pattern as Metaphor under the guidance of Joe Cunningham.
A group of 120+- gathered at the Columbus (Ohio) College of Art and Design (CCAD) for QSDS last week to study and play under the direction of a variety of art instructors , concentrating on a wide variety of topics. In my class, eight of us were fortunate to work under the guidance, wisdom and frivolity of Deborah Fell. Here are a few photos of the location and people with whom I was directly involved. This experience was so rich with information and quality examples that I could have attended a second week and more. Check it out for 2020 – you will not regret attending QSDS!
SAQA Benefit Auction Quilt….
Bidding on SAQA art quilt Benefit Auction donations will be September 13 through October 6 at http://www.saqa.com/auction-quilts.php
© Mary A Ritter 2019
PAQA-South ART QUILT dreams
The 2019 International Juried ARTQUILTSdreams is open and will be available for viewing at Page-Walker Gallery and History Center from March 27-May 18. Be sure to call prior to planning to be sure other activities do not prevent viewing (119 Ambassador Loop, Cary, NC * 919-460-4963) Enjoy viewing Page-Walker Gallery shots, individual photos and statements at the link below. The exhibit is stunning, so if you can see it in person, it is well worth it!
Sacred Threads Exhibit
So pleased…. Le Chêne Chapelle (The Oak Chapel) was accepted into the Sacred Threads show under the category of “Spirituality”. (39″x56″) http://www.sacredthreadsquilts.com
SACRED THREADS is exhibited in Herndon, VA (near Washington DC) from July 11-25. Subsequently, I have been notified that it will travel to a variety of venues for two years. So far these venues have been enlisted; more will be added through time. View a slideshow of the traveling exhibit here:http://sacredthreadsquilts.com/html/2019travelexhibit.html
The 2019 travel exhibit is currently committed to these locations:
HeART Gallery, Toledo, OH
September 2019
Flint Festival of Quilts, Flint, MI
October 2019
West Raleigh Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC
November 2019 – January 2020
First Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
February 2020
Ogallala Quilters’ Society Spring Festival, Dimmitt, TX, April 2020
Southeastern Quilt and Textile Musuem
May – June 2020
American Quilter’s Society Shows:
Lancaster The Nook, August 5 – 7, 2020
Grand Rapids, August 19 – 22, 2020
Charleston, SC, September 30 – October 2, 2020
Best of the Valley Quilt Show:
Lindsay, CA – April, 2021
Click Here to View a Slideshow of our Tentative 2019 Travel Exhibit.
FISSURES!
Having just completed “El Tajo Gorge, Ronda, Spain”, it was exciting to have it juried into the “FISSURES!” show at the Emerald Art Center in Springfield, Oregon. I will have to ship it mid-February, so I need to enjoy it for the next few days. The exhibit will run from March 5 to March 30.
Artist Statement: The views of the El Tajo gorge, once a fortification in its own natural right, and the surrounding countryside are spectacular and captured my imagination on a visit in 2015. The full colors of sunset were spectacular, as was the view during the full hot sun of daylight. Ronda, an impregnable town created in Neolithic times in Malaga, Spain, sits above the El Tajo gorge that guides the Guadalevín River through town center. Ronda was first declared a city by Julius Caesar in 1AD with the Moorish culture and religion dominating Ronda until Christians first forced entry in 1485. The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) is the third and newest of bridges built to promote the flow of residents and world-wide visitors through town. It was built in 1793 and took forty-two years for construction. There are two older bridges and all three bridges now unite the culturally diverse societies. Puente Nuevo provides not only a physical path between the two cliffs above the El Tajo gorge, but also conjoins the old culture and architecture set apart by the gorge in ancient times with more modern society and structures on the other end. When in Spain, do not miss a visit to Ronda!
SNOW FUN!
This December finds us with 10″ of snow. Might as well spend some time snow dyeing some fabric!!
Sunday Drive Along Blue Ridge Parkway
My daughter, Andrea, and I decided to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville to Blowing Rock, NC. It turned out to be an eventful drive as we climbed much higher in elevation than we expected. We also spent some time at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center at the wonderful museum there. Then, we saw some “white stuff” along the side of the road venturing up into the stunted trees at about 6,000 elevation. Enjoy some of our photos and then plan to visit this National Park someday soon!
Snow!
SAFF-Southeast Area Fiber Fair
We awoke to a very rainy and chilly day, so we were glad that our plans were under the roofs of the WNC Agricultural Center for the SAFF presentation in Fletcher, NC, near Asheville. There is such great variety here! Take a look at what my camera saw! After a brief respite at the condo, we are off to the Mast General Store, a glass art studio, and a delicious dinner somewhere. Rain has subsided! More later.
Spinning from the Angora rabbit
Angora rabbit
Where do we begin?
Woolen Table Runners
The fiber/roving sales area.
Sheep visiting the show.
Santa’s beards
Beautiful – to buy!
Ragtime Purses
Ceramic Buttons $$$$
Clever thread storage
Shuttles and weaving supplies
Baskets!
Beautiful shawls
Ceramic Buttons-$$$$
Starting young at the wheel…
Fabricated Structures-August 2018 Show
The Thread Whisperers (Ana Sumner, Debbie Herbst, Shirley Perryman, Mary Ritter)
spent a hectic day hanging our show at Page-Walker Art Gallery and History Center in Cary, North Carolina today. After all the hard work, we agree that the pieces make for a lovely sight. Here are some gallery shots, quickly taken so not perfect photography, of the lower and upper galleries. The first slide show is the lower gallery which showcases FABRICATED STRUCTURES of primarily the man-made variety.
This collage features the organic structures found in nature which are displayed in the upper gallery at Page-Walker Art Gallery and History Center.
Sunflowers, Soaking Up the Sun, and Gathering the Pumpkins (Sumner)
Autumn Aspins (Perryman) Carolina Springtime (Ritter) Simple Grace (Sumner)
Autumn Splendor (Perryman) Poinsettia Power! (Ritter)
The Canyon (Herbst) Unstructured and To The Point (Ritter)
Razzle Dazzle (Perryman) Peaceful Sands (Sumner) Poppies at Midnight (Herbst)
Exhibit Dates: August 7, 2018 to Sept 2, 2018
Show Title: FABRICATED STRUCTURES
Artist Reception scheduled for August 17, 2018 from 6 to 8 PM. Open to the Public – please come!
Gallery Statement: The Thread Whisperers have challenged themselves to depict organic and inorganic structures in their fabric art. From the dramatic to the subtle, this exhibit will reflect the spirits of Debbie Herbst, Shirley Perryman, Mary Ritter and Ana Sumner through their anthologies of fabric, thread, embellishment and machine and/or hand quilting. View the beauty of all that surrounds us – skylines, buildings, landscapes and nature – focusing your vision through their unique perspectives.
Coming in August 2018!
Save the Date!
The Thread Whisperers (Ana Sumner, Debbie Herbst, Shirley Perryman, Mary Ritter)
will be exhibiting at the Page Walker Arts and History Center, Cary, NC
Exhibit Dates: August 7, 2018 to Sept 2, 2018
Show Title: FABRICATED STRUCTURES – organic and inorganic
Art Reception scheduled for August 17, 2018 from 6 to 8 PM. Open to the Public – please come!
Gallery Statement: The Thread Whisperers have challenged themselves to depict organic and inorganic structures in their fabric art. From the dramatic to the subtle, this exhibit will reflect the spirits of Debbie Herbst, Shirley Perryman, Mary Ritter and Ana Sumner through their anthologies of fabric, thread, embellishment and machine and/or hand quilting. View the beauty of all that surrounds us – skylines, buildings, landscapes and nature – focusing your vision through their unique perspectives.
Thanksgiving 2017 – Carnegie Photos
Thanksgiving 2017 – Monday 11/27-30
Monday:
I was awake at 5AM, knowing that my schedule was wide open for the day. I dozed and read email. We had a breakfast muffin and coffee at the deli down on the street corner. We stored our bags at the hotel and taxied with Eric and Andrea to Penn Station where they boarded to return to Cary, and we bought NJ Transit train tickets to Wayne, NJ for later in the day. We boarded the Hopon Hopoff Red Line tour bus for the Downtown route and rode the entire route through Wall Street, Battery Park and the Downtown-Lower Manhattan area. After a two hour ride, we had lunch at Rock Park Cafe overlooking Rockefeller Ice Skating Ring. It was a relaxing day. We walked back to Hotel Edison through Times Square to get our bags and taxied to Penn Station to board NJ Transit train to Newark-Broadstreet drop off, where we visited and had dinner with Marianne and Jim, Norm’s brother, at their home.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28
We enjoyed a very relaxing day in Wayne, NJ, with Jim and Marianne, taking a ride to Wykoff Nature park and enjoying an amble through the woods there.
Wednesday, November 29
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York
Jim, Norm and I headed out by bus and train to the Bronx. Vanderbilt constructed the railroads, and he was clever enough to put a train stop adjacent to the Botanical Gardens that he also built. This is a gorgeous 58 acre park in all seasons, but at Christmas time, they host a model train and buildings show in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. All of the model buildings represent 150 NY landmarks.
“Marvel at G-scale locomotives humming along among familiar sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Rockefeller Center on nearly a half-mile of track. This year’s exhibition showcases Midtown Manhattan’s iconic skyscrapers and other architectural wonders, featuring new replicas of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, General Electric Building, and St. Bartholomew’s Church.”
All of the model buildings are finished with natural products from woods and gardens.
The first three pictures in the slide show are of Grand Central Train Station in NYC. Each slide show is quite lengthy, so don’t move on too fast.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30 –
We boarded Amtrak at the Newark Penn Station at 11:22AM and arrived home in Cary, NC right on time at 9:15PM. It is a relaxing ride…. but bring your own entertainment and food!!!! These pictures are of Newark Penn Station… an old fashioned but comfortable and clean place to board the train.
Thanks for joining me on this journey!
Thanksgiving 2017 Sunday 11/26
It was an early morning for me as we had a Call Time of 8:15AM. I walked to Park Central Hotel for coffee and an egg sandwich, and then walked to Carnegie Hall Stage Door.
Dress rehearsal would be held on stage from 8:45-11:30. We were led through the back halls of Carnegie Hall to our assigned Orchestra Room to wait for our call. I took advantage to snap a couple of shots of photos on the wall as I waited. Back stage is a maze of hallways and orchestra rooms. Because I was seated, I also had access to an elevator and didn’t have to climb the six flights of stairs up to the orchestra room and then back down and around to the stage.
After our rehearsal on stage, we were led to tiered box seats on each side of the audience hall. We would sit in the box seats, high up on both sides of the hall while Choir #2 presented their parts. After rehearsing the last of our part with Choir #2 on the stage we were dismissed until 1:15PM. The stage manager allowed me to snap one photo of Choir #2 and the orchestra as they rehearsed on the stage. The red box seats on the left are where we would be seated to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. There were box seats on both sides of the hall.
I took time to take some photos outside of Carnegie Hall before finding a place to grab a snack. I did not eat at the Russian Tea Room, however.
I crossed the street to Red Eye Grill and had a brunch of avocado toast/poached eggs/tea, changed into my concert apparel in their bathroom, touched up my makeup, went to Park Central Hotel to pass the time. We soon walked to the Stage door and were seated on stage for concert. The concert was sold out and well received. When all 400+ voices join together for the Hallelujah Chorus and Amen, the audience is amazed as they are seated almost in the middle of the two choirs.
A review was soon published so can read all about it. To quote:
“Not only does DCINY have its own capable orchestra for such occasions, but it gathered close to five-hundred singers from Arizona, California, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio, as well as international choruses from Austria, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Mexico, and “individual singers from around the globe.” The emotions created by such large musical forces, mirrored and magnified by the excitement of the packed hall of music-lovers, have to be experienced to be believed. Suffice it to say that anyone proclaiming the end of classical music needs to crawl out from under his rock and witness it.”
There was a gala held at the Brasserie 8 1/2 Restaurant. I met Norm, Eric, and Andrea at Park Central Hotel and we walked to Brasserie 8 1/2 for open bar and buffet dinner. The small group that represented the Cary Community Choir posed for a picture together. We comprise about 1/4 of the Cary Community Choir.
Eric went back to hotel, but Norm, Andrea and I walked to the subway and took it to Macy’s to view their Christmas windows. We had hoped to go to Madison Avenue to see the windows there, but I was too tired.
We taxied to Hotel Edison by 9:30 and had a short rest. Then Kathy and Chuck Johnson, friends from Minnesota, joined us in the lobby for a brief visit. They just happened to be in NYC at the same time. We were pleased to be able to connect with them. They walked back to their hotel. ……..Sleep.
Thanksgiving 2017 – Saturday 11/25
I had an early Call so I was up at 7:30 and walked to Park Central Hotel for a coffee and muffin at the deli in their lobby. Call Time was at 8:45 with rehearsal from 9AM until 2PM – no breaks. The two choir pictures show just Choir one which is about 200+ voices and sings Part I of the Messiah (the Christmas Portion). Choir 2 rehearses separately and is also 200+ voices. They sing Part 2 and 3 of the Messiah – the Easter portion of the Gospel. We will sing together on the Hallelujah Chorus, Worthy is the Lamb and the Amen – 400+ voices. I sit right under the directors podium…. he hears all my mistakes and doesn’t hesitate to say something! When I take too deep a breath, he says….. “I hear you!” But he is funny and friendly.
I met up with my family back at Hotel Edison, but took time for pea soup at Juniors Restaurant (from the 1950) before we headed out once again. They supposedly have the best cheesecake in NYC, but I didn’t try any this time. I think I missed my chance.
Tonight’s destination was the northeastern corner of Central Park by Jackie Kennedy Reservoir. We walked the path in that area and enjoyed the colorful trees that still survived this late into the fall season. One picture shows the Metropolitan Museum through the trees.
We walked past the Guggenheim to see its architecture, but again it was a free night, so we avoided the crowds this time. The line was around the corner and back as far as we could see. My rehearsals took away from the better times for the museums, but we knew that would happen.
We ate dinner at New Amity Restaurant, a classic old-school, NY diner with friendly service and neighborhood clients on the Upper East Side. It is a short walk from both the Guggenheim and Metropolitan Museums. Since I had eaten a late lunch, I enjoyed a waffle with ice cream – a reward for a heavy day of singing. The cold felt good on my throat, but probably wasn’t the best choice for it. We took the bus back to Times Square and watched the neighborhoods float by along the way. On our walk from the bus to the hotel, we stopped to watch the light show on the wall of Sak’s Fifth Avenue.
After a short walk to Hotel Edison…. Sleep.
Narrative Textile Illustrations 