Mention the word "Quilting" and sometimes it scares the heck out of the average person on the street…..

But not here in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Quilting is an art that appeals to people from all walks of life.

First National Bank embraces the art of Quilting and is testament to that.
Each time I visit there is an exhibition in place in the foyer of the building. Sometimes, the art of a local artist is featured, sometimes it's a photographer who shares their passion.
It's a pleasure to spend time there…. its one of the most welcoming buildings I've visited.
Today the smell of hot popcorn whispered through the building…. and there was an assistant manning a very professional popcorn machine and giving bottles of ice water to the customers… which was rather nice on a 92 deg day.

We don't see that on the international news.
We don't see the grass roots support given to the community from institutions such as the bank in our papers either.

It's unheard of at home in Australia… we just have guards on the door… and very few people to assist us, let alone someone smiling and giving us gifts.!!!!

Yesterday I was guest speaker at a function sponsored by the bank.
It was a full house and it wasn't just the dedicated quilter who enjoyed sharing discussion for a few hours over lunch.

As a Quilter who considers Quilting art ~ just that, an "Art"….. I was thrilled with the response.
No I wasn't just preaching to the converted I was sharing the joy I experience with people from all walks of life.

Today, I visited Artists in the community who have played a big part in the cultural education of the community.

Ernie Lee Miller, a delightful lady showed us her some of her art which features the history and stories of the city.

"Ernie Lee Miller transforms her empathy with the people of the southwest
into her portraits and sculpture shown in the tri-cultures of her beloved
native area. 

She has not strayed far from the one room adobe school where she did
her first ranch scenes.  Now in her rustic adobe studio she paints
her family at their various activities, including riding horses, tending
cattle, fiddling and dancing. 

Ernie feels she has been most stingily influenced in her art by her
people, the wise old pioneers, the homesteaders, the proud Spaniards, the
mystical Indians, fellow artist and the children"

 

I smooched a painted pony…. Oh by the way, you can still see the bruises on my elbow and forearm from my dramatic dive in class last week…..the rest is hidden.

That's a sick grin…..!!!!! who on earth is that woman in the poster holding her head up.?

A gift from the proprietor of one of the other Art galleries….

Tomorrow is class and I'm excited.