Take a look at what my students did in the barn. I am so proud of them. Lots of natural light and room for creative work! 
​

 Pokey Bolton is the founder of Craft Napa, her latest endeavor and it's a retreat that I highly recommend. With an impressive resume to boast, Pokey is the founder of two quilt magazines, hosted PBS Quilting Arts TV,  was Chief Creative Officer at Quilts Inc and now that she has moved to Napa, built an AMAZING Art Barn and sharing her dreams with us!
 I believe she is just ramping up! 

I was lucky to be invited to teach and be the keynote speaker at The Creativity Luncheon. The event was a true, fill your cup kind of artist & sisterhood pow-wow. I got to preach my favorite belief  "we are all creative". We just need to support our creativity....

                           Harness it.                      Nourish it.                   Run with it.
​

Sunrise walk behind barn. Mist, light, shadows and tucked in that valley is Pokey's Art Barn....Magical. 

Freddy Moran is unforgettable. She's funny, talented, colorful, witty, frank, charming, wicked stylish and some one I am lucky enough to call my friend. I met Freddy when I began designing fabrics for P&B Textiles 30 years ago and Irwin Bear, the owner knew it was imperative that I meet all the local movers and shakers of the quilt scene in the San Francisco Bay Area. Of course she was one of them even though she was just coming into the quilt scene and lamenting the fussy piecing and perfect matched seams of shaker blue and tea dyed calicos that has previously defined many American quilts. We actually had a class together at the Cotton Patch and both of us fled class, feeling completely subpar at our inability to stitch a straight line and press open a seam..because we were off 1/32 of an inch...Seriously...she brought out her ruler to measure our work....Wrong teacher for us! We have laughed at that early story ever since. She has become a local icon and inspiration to us all with her renegade "red is a neutral" quote and encouraging quilters to just jump in, not be afraid of putting fabric down, and to just get in the studio and do the work.  She loves color. She uses all kinds of hues and patterns. She liberates everyone who has ever taken a class from her to just keep adding more color, and not worry about your technique. Grab so glue! Go ahead, no judgement here!  JUST HAVE FUN. And if it's not fun, why are you doing it? Did I mention she is mother to 5 grown men, 12 grandchildren ( I think) and family is paramount to her...Which is another reason I love her so. 

Making Faces is her latest collection that was shown here in Berkeley at Hello Stitch and the other half of her collection hung at Bay Quilts this past month. Seeing them all together lined up along a massive white wall with sun streaming in from large skylights just made me smile. She is uninhibited, a natural born creative and I was thrilled that she was feeling up to the outing. Freddy has had a very difficult year and gave all those who love her a real scare. She came through the other side and is back at it in her studio with a little help from maker friends and shines brightly when she meets a new quilter. It's one of my favorite things when we have been out and about together. People are drawn to her and she lights up a room and really engages with each and every person she talks quilts with. I just love witnessing these interactions. Her years of teaching have influenced multiple generations of makers and we are so lucky she has embraced her style, strong voice and shared her stories and visual delights with us. 

This picture below was taken three years ago when Anthropologie opened up in Walnut Creek. We were so excited and made a special trip to see all the delicious design, color in home decor and fashion. What a fun day, one I will always cherish. We shopped till we dropped then headed to lunch across the street at Neiman Marcus for a little bubbly....and some small bites...Please leave any comments you might have for Freddy.  I will pass them along to her. I know she'd love to hear from you and is always amazed that she has influenced so many makers in the world of color and fabric. 

Keep Making,
Stay Creative,
​xx