Diane Rusin Doran's "Return of the Grackle"

I mentioned earlier that this year has been one full of fiber...and indeed it has been.  One of the events I attended (but did not enter) was the National Quilter's Association (NQA) Show in Columbus in June.  As usual, the show was very well done with quilts to please the traditionalist as well as the art quilter.

Much smaller than IQF in Cincinnati, none the less I enjoy going every year.

One of the pieces which struck me was this one by Diane Rusin Doran, entitled "The Return of the Grackle. "   Diane took a Third place for digital imagery at the 2010 International Quilter's Show in Houston, as well as a third place innovative at the 2011 Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza.  She also took third here in Columbus.

Diane uses digital imagery which she manipulates on the computer. The richness and the contrast in textures in this piece, as well as the colors really make this piece speak to me. Her quilting is spectacular.  She uses contrasting motifs in order to bring out the texture, and her quilting is of the highest quality.

I also like the fact that she chose the common Grackle, an American native which people seem to get confused with the starling.  I have always loved the bright shiny colors which reflect off a grackle's feathers, and I also think that the sounds they make are interesting and can be melodic.  But the neatest thing is that they use their tails like a rudder.  As they fly, the tail will swivel so it is vertical, and then just before landing, it is spread and moved downward to slow their flight.  They are an amazing bit of natural engineering!

You can find more of Diane Rusin Doran's work here.