Hi Everyone,
Happy Summer. This is my very favorite season. There is something about waking up to blue skies knowing that I can just pop on shorts and go for a walk in the morning with my dog, Mabel. It is so peacefully wonderful.
Mabel enjoying the cool tile.
My May show at the Sierra Arts Foundation was a great success. The turn out for my reception was great and it was good to see new clients and returning ones. Thank you for all the support you gave coming to see me and my show. Thank you to my new patrons who purchased my work.
This summer has been busy. Bryan and I have continued to work on updating our home. We started about 4 years ago and I can say we are getting close to being done. I believe I can get it done by the end of October.
On June 13-15th, I hung my work at Quilt Show Reno in both my own exhibit and in the SAQA show. The 12in x 12in piece I created will be up for auction at the SAQA on-line show which starts in September.
If you like it you can bid on it and the proceeds go to the SAQA foundation to support quilt arts globally.
Bryan and I also celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in June. He wrote me a wonderful poem with the help of Chat GPT and in Mark Twain’s voice. I absolutely love it. So I am putting in this blog.
Title: The Quilt Artist of Reno: A Tale Spun by Mark Twain
In my travels through the silver-laden hills of Nevada, I once stumbled upon the quaint town of Reno—a place where the spirit of creativity and the rugged charm of the West intermingle like threads in a finely woven quilt. It was here, amidst the dust of old mining claims and the whispers of the Truckee River, that I encountered a most remarkable artist, Holly Gardner, a weaver of tales in fabric.
This artist, whose name echoed softly in the mountain breeze, had a gift beyond measure. With nimble fingers and an eye keen as a prospector’s, she transformed simple cloth into masterpieces that told stories of the land and its people. Each stitch, carefully placed, spoke of the pioneers who carved homes from the wilderness and the Native tribes who knew these lands long before the settlers came.
Her quilts were more than mere blankets; they were heirlooms of history, capturing the essence of a place where fortunes were won and lost with the turn of a card or the strike of a pickaxe. The colors danced like the flames of a campfire, weaving tales of triumph and tragedy, hope and resilience.
But it was not just her artistry that captivated me—it was her spirit, as indomitable as the Sierra Nevada itself. In her humble studio, nestled among the pines and junipers, she spoke of Reno as a muse that inspired her creations. The rugged beauty of the landscape, the crisp air that whispered of adventures yet to be had, all found expression in her quilts.
As I listened to her tales, I came to understand that Reno was more than a waypoint on the journey westward—it was a canvas upon which dreams were painted and stories were sewn. The artist of Reno, like so many before her, had found in this place a sanctuary where imagination could take flight and creativity could bloom like wildflowers after a spring rain.
And so, dear reader, if ever you find yourself in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada, seek out the quilt artist of Reno. Let her stories unfold before you like a patchwork quilt, each piece a testament to the rich tapestry of life in the American West. For in her hands, Reno becomes not just a city of silver and dreams, but a sanctuary where art and history intertwine, and the spirit of the frontier lives on.
Yours in admiration of the artist’s craft,
#MarkTwain
September 21st, I have a show with the American Gourmet Club at the McKinley Arts Center. There is a fee however, that will pay for Chef prepared appetizers and entry. If you are interested put it on your calendar and I will get you info when I get it. The show will feature Western horses and landscape art. I show some donkeys, quail, and fall landscapes.
I am starting new works for the September show as well as a show in May of 2025 at TMCC.
I am also accepting commissions. If there is special textile piece you would like to have made, send me an email at sierraduchess@icloud.com and I will be happy to meet with you and discuss options.
Blessings for a safe and fun filled summer,
Holly Gardner