This was outside of Ventura, driving from San Diego up to Pismo Beach, where we spent the night and had dinner with friends. The yellow wildflowers on the hillsides were beautiful!

Me, Allison, and Jamie in our classroom at Asilomar the next day.

ASILOMAR CONFERENCE CENTER - 

EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINAR

I just spent the past week at Asilomar taking a class from Rosalie Dace, who is an outstanding teacher.  The class was called "Dancing on a Tightrope," and it was about taking a risk with your work.  We each made an abstract art quilt based on a photo, an idea, or anything we wanted.  The first few days were spent working on small, experimental pieces.  Every morning and every afternoon the class of 23 brought their chairs to the front of the classroom where Rosalie would talk about a multitude of topics all pertaining to art and quilting.  Her hands-on demonstrations were enormously helpful, as well as all her tips and vast knowledge of abstract art quilting.  After a week I discovered that I really do enjoy creating abstract art quilts as much as I enjoy creating literal art quilts.

Practice exercises the first couple of days.  First attempt (in the middle) was pretty awful!  We were to try to use fabric and embellishments for added texture, and to think abstractly without a sketch or plan.

The start of my main quilt, a work in progress.

In the middle of the week, when there is no evening program to attend, the group of friends I am with go out to dinner.  This year we used Uber to take us from Pacific Grove to Carmel and Vesuvio's Trattoria.

Enjoying happy hour wine and food (not served yet) on the rooftop patio.

The accountants!  (our very own CPAs)

Waiting outside for Uber to pick us up and take us back to campus.  Four very "happy" quilters!!!

SMILE SHOES!!!!!