Have Bike.....Will Travel Part 1

I am participating in a challenge created by Mary Kerr. http://www.marywkerr.com/  The deadline is Friday. After all is said and done, making the quilt was the EASY task.

Since I wanted to use a pattern created by Bob Diehl, to create the silohuette, I needed to get his permission to use it. A little background....I purchased a wall hanging about 20 years ago. It was a wood piece with a couple riding a tandem bicycle. I knew if I could use it to make a cloth version it would be just what I needed for my quilt. Fortunately, like all artists, Bob signed the back of the piece. And through the wonderful capabilities of the internet, I found him. I 'googled' his name. That didn't reveal too much except that someone who had the same name displayed his woodwork at a Kentucky Art Center. There was no website or email listed for him. Then I went to 'Linked In' and searched his name. The result showed someone with his name who listed woodwork as one of his skills. I took the chance it was the Bob Diehl I was looking for and requested him to become part of my network so I could discuss the use of his design in my work. An immediate response from him revealed he was the person I was looking for. Not only did he give me permission, but he offered to send me a clean picture of his design for me to use. Aren't artists wonderful??

Then I needed to find a photographer to take the picture to the requirements in the challenge. For those of you who quilt, you know how tricky it is to take pictures of a quilt and get the quilting to display the right way. I felt comfortable taking my own picture, but did not feel comfortable that it would be judged next to quilts that were professionally finished. With less than ten days to my deadline, I checked with family members who are photographers, but their schedules were full. I went to local Senior Center Photo Club meeting to meet photographers, but the recommended person was not there. The two hours I spent at the meeting were not wasted as I learned alot about taking pictures so much so that I'll probably join and then attend their monthly meetings. I asked Judy Gula, owner of Artistic Artifacts and Batik Tambai, who photographed the quilts for the challenges she sponsored. She said one lived a good distance away and that her son did the other one. I asked if he did work for others. She said yes and would check to see if he was interested in photographing my quilt. I felt that since he was a high school photography student with a sophisticated camera and access to studio lights that he would be a good choice. Kyle Gula finished the photo shoot yesterday and I am pleased with his work. Hopefully, Mary Kerr will be happy with my photo, too.

A special thank you goes to all of these people who helped me meet my deadline.