Category Archives: Journey

Creating Connections

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It has been 6 months since I started my Artist in Residence with the Durham Art Guild. With it coming to an end, I have a solo show with all new work March 15th – April 11th. My work for this residence explored more of my process but also looking at making pieces that may be more than just 2 dimensions.

For those that are local, I hope you can come to the Opening Reception March 15th and celebrate this journey with me. In the meantime, I’m sharing with you all the details around my show.

Artist Statement

Creating connections is about getting away from the daily routines and experiencing the world around me. It may mean taking a trip away, or it may just be a walk or grabbing a coffee in my local area, or it may be allowing myself to feel and process what is going on around me.

When I experience that “something”, I use photography to capture a reference image. These experiences tend to percolate in my mind until an idea forms into a design. I get to a point where I need to get that design on paper and bring the design to fruition in fabric. I love this process of creating – the color, the exploration, the problem solving – driving the deepening connection to the idea (inspiration) until a quilt is made.

Bio

Michelle Wilkie is a textile artist and designer of modern quilts. Her artistic practice revolves around modern quilting where she seamlessly blends traditional techniques with a contemporary twist, embracing both Improvisation and Minimalism.

This past year, Michelle has completed an artist in residence at Durham Art Guild and Penland School of Craft. She exhibited at Page-Walker Center in a solo exhibition “Eyes Wide Open”, and exhibited at CAM Raleigh, Truist Gallery, 311 Gallery and ArtSpace NC and curated international shows in France and Italy. Her work is included in the SAS Art Collection and other private collections and can be seen at Artfields exhibition in April. She regularly has work juried into International Quilt Exhibitions and has been featured in several magazines and has work published in the book Modern Quilts: Design of the New Century. 

Events

Address
Durham Art Guild Golden Belt Gallery
Mill No. 1 at Golden Belt Campus
800 Taylor St.
Durham, NC 27701
Public Hours
Monday – Saturday: 10:00AM-7:00PM
Sunday: 12:00PM-6:00PM

Opening Reception
15th March 2024 6-9pm

Enjoy an evening of art with the opening reception for Michelle Wilkie (DAG Artist in Residence) show, Creating Connections.  Come along to see all new textile works that are inspired by elements or emotions she has experienced. A charcuterie plate accompanied with Michelle’s favorite wines, beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided. 

Afternoon Tea and Reading with Frances O’Roark Dowell
23rd March 2024 3-5pm

Spend an afternoon with us and share in a casual afternoon tea, in the style Michelle remembers from home (NZ), while listening to a reading by local author Frances O’Roark Dowell. While enjoying your tea/coffee accompanied by some savory and sweet bites, bring a project to work on and chat to others (projects could be sketchbook drawings, hand stitching, knitting, crochet, etc). If you forget a project or need new items, no problem, Freeman’s Creative pop-up shop is on-hand where you can purchase what you need. 

France O’Roark Dowell

Frances O’Roark Dowell first combined her love of storytelling and quiltmaking in her 2016 novel Birds in the Air, followed by the short story collection, Margaret Goes Modern. She currently leads a thriving online community at QuiltFiction.com, where she shares weekly updates on her Milton Falls quilting stories, including Friendship Album, 1933 and Diary of a Mad Quilter. Frances is also the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of over 25 books for middle-grade readers. 

Tiki Tour (An Artist Walk-through)

tiki tour (New Zealand Slang)

1. a sight-seeing journey with no particular destination in mind.
2. taking the scenic route to a destination.
3. to wander aimlessly.

You are invited to come on a tiki tour, as Artist Michelle Wilkie, shares her art process from inspiration to the final art work on some of the pieces in her solo show, “Creating Connections”. Stay, enjoy a beverage and light finger foods, while relishing in conversation and an informal Q+A. 

Private Studio Tours

You can also reserve private studio tours during the weeks the show is showing, Mondays – Thursday. Book via Calendly here.

Stay tuned for the next post on my recommendations on pulling a solo show together.

Recap of 2023

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2023 has been a little bit of a whirlwind, from quitting my job to focusing on being an emerging artist, to turning 50, and then to top off the milestones celebrating 10 years of sewing and quilting. I am so thankful for the opportunities and the people I have met and supported me on this journey.

In 2023, I was focused on engaging and learn about the local art communities. It was a year of firsts:

  • I was accepted for my first artist in residence and then was offered a 6 month one with the Durham Art Guild.
  • Had my first Art Solo show at Page Walker in Cary, NC.
  • Taught my first Summer Camp Classes for middle and high schoolers.
  • Juried into my first Art Show across multiple medians.
  • Attended my first artist critique.
  • Participated in Big Ink and carved and printed my first woodblock.
  • Selected to participate in my first business class for artists with Triangle Artworks.

There were so many new experiences and I tried to embrace and engage with as many of them as I could. My biggest accomplishment though was putting myself out there, attending the events and networking.

In light of those following my journey though here are some of the numbers for things I have applied to or completed in 2023.

Artist in Residence Programs

I applied for 3 Artist in Residence this year and completed one that I was accepted in last year. Acceptance rate was 66%. I will definitely include more information on my experience for my 6 month Artist in Residence after I complete it in April.

Residency ProgramWorks SubmittedResultCost of SubmissionCalendar
Penland Winter Artist in Residence 2023 (2 weeks)Aroha, One of these things, Isolation, HomeAccepted$307 Jan to 21 Jan
ArtSpace Summer Artist in ResidenceInvisible Visible, Rails II, Snowfall, Isolation, One of these things, Aroha, Study No. 3, Cairns, Home, City of MannheimDeclined$25N/A
Durham Art Guild Artist in ResidenceRails II, Snowfall, Isolation, One of these things, Aroha, Study No. 3, Home, Broken Trellis, Ford+Son, Colosseum Wood bock PrintAccepted$15Jul to Dec
Chateau Orquevaux, France Artist in ResidenceRails II, Study no.3, Ford+Son, Colosseum, Broken TrellisAccepted Fee WaivedJun to Jul
(3 weeks 2025)

Exhibitions

For exhibitions, the second half of 2023 was very successful. I have learned a couple of things with this experience. Firstly, I now keep a spreadsheet for submission with piece (and its details), dates and notes. This way I can keep track and try to avoid any overlaps. Secondly, it is ok to withdraw for some events and say no (though keep as an exception not a rule).

Here are the shows that I exhibited in 2023 (except the solo show as that was accepted last year but exhibited this year). All shows below were juried. For the Durham Art Guild’s 69th Juried Exhibition, I even got an Honorable mention. My acceptance rate was 92%, which was just amazing.

Applied forWorks SubmittedResultCost of SubmissionCalendar
Town of Cary, Solo ExhibitionTread, Negative Crosswalk, San Francisco Bustle, Altitudinal Ecosystem, Snowfall, Orange Creamsicle, Rotating Spokes, Manicured Gardens, Rails I, Sunday BestAccepted$07 Jul to 19 Aug
Scaffold, ArtSpace NCOutskirtsAcceptedN/A3 Apr to 30 Jun
NC Artist ExhibitionFord+SonAccepted$3524 Sep to 22 Oct
DAG: Breathing New LifeLive LifeAccepted$018 Aug to 22 Sep
Quilts=Art=QuiltRails IIDeclined$35
Durham Art Guild 69th Juried ExhibitionRails II, Broken Trellis, ColosseumAccepted$1517 Nov to 5 Jan
Homage, 311 GalleryWhitneyAccepted$25Dec
QuiltCon 2024Rails II, Broken Trellis, Colosseum, WalledAccepted$8022-25 Feb 2024
Artfields SC 2024Ford+SonAccepted$2526 Apr to 4 May 2024

Additionally, I had two other opportunities to show work. One was a non-juried member show and the other was by Invitation.

Non-Juried ShowsWorks SubmittedCost of SubmissionCalendar
Modern Textiles @ Fayetteville Technical Community College, The Art GalleryStudy no. 3, Orange Creamsicle, Sunday Best, Carbon under pressure, Correlation$023 Oct to 15Dec
12×12 Member Showcase, ArtSpace NCShutters$03 Nov to 30 Dec

Other Applications

Lastly, in full transparency, I did apply for a course and was selected to attend with no cost to me and received to declines for Magazine competition submissions which is below. Acceptance rate 0% for the magazine submissions.

Applied forWorks SubmittedResultCost of SubmissionCalendar
Excellence in Quilts (Fiber Art Now)Rails II, Ford+Son, Colosseum at NightDeclined$30NA
2023 Exhibition In Print (Surface Design Association)Ford+Son, Rails II, SnowfallDeclined$30NA
Durham Momentum 360 Art Entrepreneurship (Triangle Artworks)Artist Statement, Bio, CVAccepted $06 week class

Actuals (the money side)

The other thing I have released is to make sure you budget at the beginning of the year for the application fees. This year, just from above, here is what my actuals were.

Application Costs $345
Income (includes monetary value for prizes)$1600

I learned so much in the past year, so this year my 2024 goals are a little more targeted. I’ll share more in my next post. Happy New Year, everyone.

Emerging Artist – Business Updates

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On this journey of being a full-time artist, I’ve been lucky to have amazing conversations with many people (artists, curators and others). While the creative practice is important so is the business side of being an artist.

The business steps, I have taken so far are:

  • Created a new website using Square Space for both my Gallery and Shop.
  • Updated my class descriptions for Q4 2023 and 2024. I am taking bookings, please let me know your interest.
  • On Instagram, I have seen a dramatic decrease in engagement, as such I have also started a monthly newsletter. If you are interested in supporting me and getting monthly updates for classes or exhibitions, or interested in purchasing new work you can subscribe to my newsletter in my gallery/shop website.

I feel like I am doing well with both increasing followers on social media and getting my work spotlighted in exhibitions. I have work exhibited in various places since July 2023 through July 2024 (except January and February next year). Next step, I hope to convert this wonderful visibility into sales, so that I can afford to pay for a studio next year.

My goal for Q4 is to get a portfolio review and to send it to some galleries. I’ll keep you updated as things progress.