My friend Michele invited me to speak about my modern quilts at the newly formed Inland Empire Modern Quilt Guild in San Bernardino.
So I packed up the quilts I have at hand and off I went. The topic was what does modern mean to me. Well to be honest, if I’m making it now, it’s modern. I love being a part of the modern quilt movement, but since I’ve been quilting for almost 40 years, my style is set, and that comes through.
Thank you, Michele for taking pictures, I tend to be the photographer, it’s nice being on the other side of the camera. This is a quilt I made 30 years ago, but in it’ style, use of solids and some negative space, it would fit well into a modern show. This was still done when I was hand quilting everything.
Then there is my masterpiece from 29 years ago. I still think this is the best quilt I ever made and probably ever will. All hand work. Based on the title page from the book of Mark from the Lindisfarne Gospels.
This one was made 18 years ago, the final quilt I made before going on a long hiatus from quiltmaking.
And this one is four years old. See what I’m saying about how my style is very apparant?
A pillow made from one of the first Michael Miller chanlenges. This was back in the day when modern quilting was still a small group. If you belonged to a modern guild, you got a bundle of fabric. Today we are so numerous, you need to respond asap and hope that you are chosen for a bundle. Ah the joys of growing and expanding.
I returned to quilting about a year and half before I discovered LAMQG. I joined them in the second year of their existance. So This storm at sea was made for my son with a few newer fabrics as well as many map and travel themed ones. He clearly uses it a lot, it was filthy. Since he has laundry in his apartment building, there was no way this was going to get washed. I’m a good mom, and I washed it for him. Along with this next one, that isn’t as old, but why not? If I’m already in the mood to launder quilts.
The Chuppah collaboration that I made with my son in law Yochanan. He made the top, I added the borders and the corners and then I quilted it. No question, he ‘gets’ the modern sensibilities much better than I do.
My 1600 hexagons, all hand pieced, but machine quilted. I tried to create color fields, I’m pleased with how I distributed them. No matter how scrappy the quilt – I never just throw things together, there is a lot of planning about the placement of the quilt blocks or patches.
A good example is this clam shell, I chose mostly floral prints and went to town. If you notice the orange/brown/white fabric, that is a good indication of how I laid it out row by row and made sure to disperse the fabrics all over, so there are no clumps on one color.
My California Dreaming of a New York beauty. This is my second favorite quilt. It has been accepted at a show in Ontario CA, Redesigning traditions. More on that as the show opens in December.
Smaller pieces, my water challenge for Valley MQG, this time, needle turn applique.
I am part of an Instagram swap with the paper piece designs of Quiet Play, by the end of the month I will be sending this off to its’ new owner.
And finally, the mini quilt I made in Luke Haynes class at Quiltcon. I enjoyed the class, I enjoyed the process, I don’t like the end result. It is so not me! But Michele loves it! She bought it from me and I couldn’t be happier! That is what I call a win-win.
The guild itself was delightful, every guild takes on it’s own personality. It is fun seeing experienced quilters discovering modern quilting and being willing to try new things. Along side new quilters for whom modern quilting is their introduction to the quilt world.
Leah
Today people are visiting the mission again because of the mission. In the 1930s, in order to get tourists to the ruins, the town publicized the swallows. They told the story of the swallows returning on March 19th en-mass. Songs were written, a festival was created. Nature runs in cycles, with many renovations being done in the 90’s the swallows left.
Efforts are being made to lure them back and maybe it’s working. A handful of nests are on some of the buildings, not sure if these are new or old. They certainly are very interesting. 
The colonnade of the mission yard.
It takes a lot of work, restoration work to maintain a building in arrested decay.
As seen in the upper right corner, it takes strong steel bolts to hold the structure together.
A beautiful tile in the colonnade honoring St. Fatima, love how the wooden frame mimics the tiles.
Inside, of course, it is the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The old Sera Chapel is still in use, repaired and in beautiful condition.
In 1986 the new Basilica was completed. They tried to recreate the church that fell in 1812. Without exact building plans, they had to look at other Mexican churches of the time. This is a large complex with a school and Franciscan monks. I saw one on the street, with his habit, his modern sneakers and a cold latte from Starbucks. Being a monk does not mean living in the distant past.
A mission bell of course! Thanks to my friend Becky, who did a better job of sluething than I did. I found out that Mrs. A.S.C Forbes had a real name, not just the initals of her husband. Her full name is Harrye (Harriet) Rebbeca Piper Smith Forbes. She came up with the idea for the bells, created them in her foundry and even created an idividual bell for each mission, based on the bells found there. Most of the originals are long gone, but a new foundry bought her mold and the State has been putting them back up along the El Camino Real – mostly the 101 freeway.
This is the kind of picture you expect someone to take in Spain, modernity in front of a ruin. Most people don’t think of California as having anything old and certainly no ruins. But then most people don’t know history, so it’s easy to excuse them.
These are remains from a massive church built for the Mission San Juan Capistrano, built in the early 19th century, destroyed in an earthquake in 1812.
The mission was rebuilt, but not on the same large scale.
One thing that fascinates me is the building materials, people use what they have on hand. In this case, not much of one building material, so they used many. Adobe, of course, rocks as well as some fired bricks.
There were strong wooden beams for support, had to have been brought in from somewhere else, either up from Mexico or on board ships. And they weren’t strong enough when the earthquake hit.
Each mission has it’s own character, to me, it’s the remains of the large church that really stand out. I couldn’t help wondering, is this girl listening to the audio tour or is she playing Pokemon go?
These are the two larger originals bells, they stand on the footprint of the original bell tower, with an image of Father Junipero Sera peeking through. There is a special exhibition about him inside the mission building.
When the Church was rebuilt, no tower. Instead, the bells were installed in a wall, the two big bells are replicas of the original and the two small ones are original. Tradition is to ring the bells by hand, using the rope. Although for visitors there is a sign, please do not ring the bells.
I love all these textures. Another thing about this mission is the decision to stay with arrested decay. In San Fernando, all has been repaired except one small wall. Here the decision has been to leave the effects of time out in the open, although it wouldn’t surprise me if some maintenance is being done.
Often it’s only when I have the chance to take a close look at the photos do I see the details. Like the fact that the bracing for this bell is shaped like a cross.
Or the design around this window includes a cross as well.
Unlike the window next to it that doesn’t.
Of course, old windows were very small, this one may not have been glazed. The iron support is new, had there been iron to support the church, it may not have fallen.
What looks like a reflection in the glass may not be. I don’t think there is any glass, it’s just blue sky with what looks like chicken wire in the window. I may be completely wrong about this, I just took the picture.
I know, this image of Father Sera welcoming a young native to the faith is completely un-PC. But then I hate political correctness. This is what was important at the time, civilizing and taming these new lands. Of course, Catholicism was a big part of that effort. I know people like to bash the Missions for destroying native life. Funny how none of those people ever bash Islam for it’s massive expansion – where it was convert or die by the sword.
Once the Mexicans took over Alta California they secularized the missions and this one became a ranch. The original document signed by Abraham Lincoln returning the missions to the church used to be here. Although I’m not Christian, I love seeing these old missions being used for their original purpose again.
Back to wonderful textures.
Today we enjoy something that shows it’s age, I wonder if this weren’t such a busy tourist spot if the people who worship, learn and live here wouldn’t prefer a refurbished site.
Love it when lichen becomes part of the architecture.
Or algae in the fountain.
I have been remiss in my garden, but busy with the camera in other gardens.
This is an easy flower to grow in California, so I can’t explain why it isn’t all over mine.
The pinks get darker and darker.
Some are already red.
But translucent as the sun shines through.
And then we get one so dark, it could almost be called black.
Which is why it is so hard to photograph.
Not even a pretend hollyhock, but I couldn’t resist.
We have great beaches in Los Angeles, even if I’m not much of a beach person, and certainly not one to go into our frigid waters.
I’m happy to go and be the photographer, while the young uns have fun.
This year Cameron is in Mommy’s arms, by next year he’ll be right there in the water with his brother.
This needs to be on a greeting card.
Ok, I wasn’t even here, I took the pictures from my Dils feed. But it’s a great picture of grandma and Shira heading to the ocean.
While Atyan plays in the sand.
I did go the the beach with Yish and Yoch, we just walked along the water. And burned our feet on the sand during the 1/4 mile hike down to the waters edge. Not only are LA beaches beautiful white sand, for the most part they are pretty wide. Not sure how they prevented development right up to waters edge, but in Santa Monica they succeeded.
Santa Monica Pier on a hot July weekend. We rode the new Expo line from Palms to Santa Monica, it was lovely. The train was full of weekend beach goers.
Somebody got very creative. I understand someone does this on a large scale up in Ventura.
What a balance, not only in the structure, but in the shape and textures of the rocks. Better than many an art piece I’d find in a museum or gallery.
Sometimes it’s nature that provides all the beauty all on it’s own.
The church was build and destroyed 3 times, final time in the Sylmar earthquake of 1972, so the building we see today is very new, 1974. Although it is adobe, I’m guessing there is a lot of earthquake retrofitting inside those thick walls. The 1994 earthquake damaged the convento but not the church.
I don’t know how much of this is old or original from the previous churches. It certainly is ornate. When I arrived for my visit, I was told to view other parts of the grounds since a funeral was taking place in the church.
Exiting the back door and looking through the church back to the green garden.
They were given prime realestate right next to the church and the area is a lovely garden, with a mural of Bob Hope.
When I visited, the Magnolia tree was in bloom.
As were these lovely white lilies.
Water is the most important element anywhere in California. The mission used to have it’s own water system and this fountain is a replica of the original.
What used to be the main gathering point for all the women is now simply decorative. 
Along with other fountains on the property.
The Archival Center of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is here on the property. Both an historic museum as well as a research center. You know me, I love mosaic, and am thrilled to see the Piczeck Tableaus which show the development of the Archdiocese, from the original one that was established with the Spanish.
Through the Monterey – Los Angeles Diocese that lasted 93 years, covering five Archbishops.
Finally to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as it is today. Of course all that other large area has been split into smaller more manageable archdioceses as well.
It was time to visit the San Fernando mission. When my older sons were in 4th grade they were at a Jewish Day school, so maybe visiting a Catholic mission wasn’t ‘appropriate’ – even if it is integral to the history of California.
I can only guess that my youngest missed the visit because there was so much work to be from the damage of the Northridge earthquake. Notice the mission bell?
The bright turquoise paint might be new, but looks like this bell is original to the spot. I don’t know who the people are who erected it, I do know that it was cast by Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes, I have no idea what her first name was. Such was the tradition in the early 20th century to only use initials.
Another one stands right by the Church itself, I don’t think this one is original to the spot, but I may be wrong. Meanwhile, just look at how thick the adobe is.
School children visiting the mission. 
The bell tower here is not as impressive as Mission San Gabriel, each mission has wonderful individual characteristics of their own.
All the missions had a lot of land. Unlike Mission San Gabriel, the buildings are spread out here with a lot of open space. To the left is the Convento, finished in 1822. The front faces the street with those twenty one Roman arches, this is the back view.
It is the only two story adobe building of it’s size still standing. Today it houses an extensive museum as well as the only intact wine cellar in any of the mission, it is underground, better for climate control.
See how thick the walls are! They have to support a second story. Of course the building went through massive renovations and earthquake support after 1994.
Walls and arches were pretty low, both the Spaniards and the natives were short people.
A section of the adobe wall was left un-repaired. They used a very thick coat of stucco to protect the adobe. Although this stucco isn’t fired, it is much less porous and does protect the adobe bricks from the elements. The roofs had fired tiles, the tile maker is in the museum.
These have been exposed to the elements for 20 years and are still in very good shape. Yay for California clay!
On a side building, out of the way, someone has affixed a modern tile.
By 1927 a playhouse was built specifically to house this grand play. The exterior is based on Mission San Antonio de Padua, up on the central coast. The play only survived a few more years, the depression took it’s toll.
The bell is not quite as impressive as even the small bells on the mission. they are here for decoration, not to call the faithful to Church.
I love things like this wonderful sconce, I’m not sure what I’d call the style? New Gothic maybe?
The interior is even more impressive than the facade. Since this was built for a live show, there are plenty of dressing rooms, unlike many of our movie palaces – that really can only show movies.
Today the theater is home to a 
I’m not sure how many pipes there are, thousands? Behind this screen (and another on the other side of the stage) are bellows that open and shut to modulate the sound.
Sort of Aztec?
Most of the decorations are made from plaster, and through the years have needed cleaning and repainting.
The upkeep is amazing.
On the walls there are displayed ten banners, each different. Once again, a sort of gothic feel. These are original to the building and have never been removed, although they have been cleaned in place.
Among the details
A steer. As well as conquistadors.
Almost 20 years ago, when the ceiling was cleaned and repainted the artist used people connected to the theater as models for these four heads. Well he used three models, the 4th one is a self portrait. Why not, he did all the work, why not put himself into the artwork.
The largest of the six bells, unfortunately they aren’t rung much anymore because there is a fear that they are too delicate. For a far off mission no one was going to construct the most durable of bells.
This being a copper bell, I love seeing the different patinas. Especially the green that came from the bell itself.
The old bell tour fell over a century ago and it wasn’t rebuilt on this side of the building. Fascinating to see the mishmash of stone and brick used to build this building, which was completed in 1801. 
The gardens are serene and lovely. Many of the grape vines date back to the founding. They have even harvested them and tried to make wine – not so good. Viticulture has come a long way.
Through the portion of the garden that is also the cemetery are the these plaques commemorating the stations of the cross, made from Talavera tile from Mexico, these were installed in the early 20th century.
The Virgin of Guadalupe was probably also installed at the same time. You can see how much love and adoration she gets from the local parishioners today. At the time the mission was built, I’m sure the Spanish had no interest in her, although they should have. She has more to do with the Catholic beliefs of the Mexicans than all the missions put together. Today she is patron saint of Mexico, even for those who are no longer Catholic.
One of the workshops on the grounds. Notice has small and low the doorway is. We are all taller and bigger these days.
The old Padres living quarters are now the museum. I found this old mirror intriguing. When the priests led the service they had their backs to the congregation, a mirror was needed so they could see what was going on behind them.
An example of a Padres’ room, probably much more ornate now than it was back then. This is probably a hodgepodge of items found in the mission.
You know me and ceramics, I love them. Dishes that were used either in the mission or by local people as well. I also love the old nails, an every day item we take for granted. How it has evolved through the years.
The mission bells that were installed in the early 1900s’ along the Camino Real. It is very fitting that the San Gabriel Woman’s club sponsored this one, since it was a woman Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes who ran a foundry and is the originator of these bells.
We walked around the corner to one of the three remaining Adobe houses in San Gabriel. This one is owned by the Church (the other two are privately owned) and is rarely open to the public.
The plaque states that this is the Lopez Adobe, built at the same time the Mission was constructed. Adobe bricks are used throughout the arid south, as well as south America. These are unfired bricks, which means the upkeep is difficult. We have wonderful clay here in California, what we didn’t have is many trees, so firing bricks would have been a much more expensive proposition. The exterior is stuccoed and both the exterior and the roof must constantly be maintained – rain is a real enemy to adobe.
Originally the structure was just two large rooms, with massive walls. The thicker the wall – the sturdier it is and less chance of it crumbling. It always then creates a real barrier against the heat and the cold. Of course a fire place is a must, it does get cold here in the winter. The use of decorative tiles indicates some wealth.
By the mid 19th century a brick addition was added, an indoor kitchen, more rooms and an extensive use of Mexican tile.
I just love the red tile floor, the decorative tiles on the riser and old linoleum as well.
Studying the map
After the rains there is so much green, we love it! Even if there isn’t water in the creek.
I have been warned about poison oak many times. It was good to see the real thing so I know what to avoid. Never saw any more on the trail, this is a very well maintained hike, so they are probably removing it from the trail areas.
This very green meadow will soon be brown. Plants react to the rain and burst forward when they have a chance.
Another thing I don’t touch is mushrooms, some are edible and some deadly poisonous, no idea which is which.
Some of the flowers along the way.
None of these are very big, my photos are deceiving. 
These two examples are tiny, I’d say the flowers are smaller than a dime, but oh so pretty!
I’m guessing that in a month or two this will burst open and spread more seeds.
My telephoto was at maximum. Looking back down at this bench.
Of course on our way back we had to stop here and rest. As we reached the bottom the whole Sierra Madre search and rescue team were out, someone got stuck somewhere near the waterfall, so we didn’t go explore there. They said it wasn’t a bad situation, but every rescue is a learning one, so they were way over manned.
Meanwhile back at home, this little lady built a nest over our patio. Notice how tiny it is, it is hanging on the fairy lights. Also notice how dark her beak is.
A few days ago I noticed this, two beaks and they are orange tipped with black! The babies were born!
Here they are, peaking out, waiting for mama to feed them. Of course now I am watching them daily!