Greetings from Your New SAQA Co-Reps

Hello Oregon SAQA Members

This is our first communication as the new representatives. Let us introduce ourselves: Betty Daggett, from Portland, is a long time quilter who began making art quilts four years ago. Photography inspires much of her work as the camera's lens gives her a new perspective for viewing the world. Betty has been involved with several quilt groups in her community over the past fifteen years. She is an active member in Columbia Fiber Arts Guild in Portland and was the Membership Chairperson for that organization for two years. Taking classes has expanded her techniques to create quilts with many layers. Jean Wells Keenan of Sisters is well known in the quilting community for being the founder of the Outdoor Quilt Show and as co-owner of The Stitchin' Post for 36 years. She has written 38 books on quilting, traveled the country and internationally teaching quilting as well as lecturing on business in the industry. Quilting has always been her passion and her interest in art quilting began about eight years ago. Nature is her inspiration for color as well as imagery.

We both are looking forward to our term as your representatives. Our goals are to help personalize SAQA to the members and extend the learning environment and participation in show entries. Parlor meetings seem to be a good way of gathering together like-minded people to further develop the members as art quilters. The Eugene area and Central Oregon have established meetings. Some help is needed in the Portland area and rest of the state to form similar parlor groups to increase individual participation and growth as art quilters in the state.

We are both in the process of digesting the web site and want to have a one-day state conference in the fall of 2012 in the Portland area.

Please feel free to communicate with either Betty or myself.
Jean Wells