Focus on Fiber 2009

We got back yesterday from our week at Focus on Fiber down in New Smyrna Beach, FL. We had an amazing time. This was mom's second year going and my first. The ladies that go are quite the group and Mary McBride does a fabulous job putting it on. The retreat is a full week of unguided art. Basically you bring and work on whatever floats your boat! Here are a number of pictures I took from the week so you all can get an idea of the fun we had.

The back end of the car totally jam packed with supplies.

Pics of the cabin we stayed in down at ACA (Atlantic Center for the Arts)

Me packing some stuff up in the kitchen.

View out to the boardwalk.

The Dance Studio which was the sewing room that held about 18 of us.

We spent a morning at the beach......

A pic of the boardwalk that winds back to the cabins.

Liz Berg spent much of her time out on this patio dyeing fabric.

Mara Whitridge in the Sculpture Studio where we had a table to paint.

Mom working on discharging.

This was the Painting Studio that had about 6 people working in it.

These two pics are of a sculpture that Pamela Allen and Rosemary Claus-Gray made.

Close up of the sculpture.

View from the "Pod" in the center of the campus.

Happy hours were a must during the retreat and here is the view of the "coffee table" with some dead soldiers one afternoon.

The commons where we ate every meal.

This is of all the ladies that belong to SAQA.

The papparazzi that was following them!

Janet B. and Rosalie trying gelatin printing. We had some extra left over that would have gotten thrown away so they decided to try it out.

Rosalie with Marian looking on.

Some of the prints.

Janet B. working hard on her painting.

Rosemary Claus-Gray right before our last dinner which was Morrocan themed.

Chef Sue arranged for belly dancers to come perform.

Rosemary jumped up to dance at the end of their performance. Man can she shake her hips!!!

I got many more photos this past week. I really recommend that if you are able to attend a quilting retreat you should. There was a fun, creative atmosphere at Focus on Fiber that made the week speed by and end all too quickly. Hopefully we will be able to attend next year which already has it's dates set for March 13-21, 2010. We'll keep our fingers crossed that it will be possible for us.