UPdates From Mel’s Studio…
Elevate your art quilting game with 14 seasoned experts teaching at Layered & Stitched: An Art Quilt Experience held online May 17th & 18th! Get ready to celebrate all things art quilting including techniques, tips, and improvisation!
Get inspired by my "Block Printed & Stitched" presentation where I'll share my collection of finished art quilts that are layered with painted and block-printed Evolon non-woven fiber, free-motion quilting, hand embroidery, and embellishments. From materials to the process and techniques, I'll share my expertise in painting and block printing on Evolon, stitching, and a unique way of finishing with Puffy Paint. Discover how to work with Evolon and its unique properties to use in your future art quilt projects.
Save $20 off your ticket with my code art24mel or click here and the discount will automatically be applied:
Let's talk value:
🧵Get 12 hours of instruction in 9 hours with the magic of technology!
🧵You’ll get lifetime access to the event after it wraps for your viewing pleasure.
🧵During the live event, enter for a chance to win exciting giveaways.
🧵Get a digital swag bag with goodies every quilter will love.
Hope to see you online May 17 and 19 at Layered & Stitched: An Art Quilt Experience!
Delighted to teach 3 workshops as part of Pacific International Quilt Festival:
Exploring Evolon in Your Fiber Art (NEW CLASS!!): Wed, July 24 from 9 AM - 4 PM
Spend a day playing with Evolon, a super soft, yet strong non-woven fiber that has many art quilt applications. We’ll experiment with a variety of techniques to transform Evolon through layers of faux-dyeing, sun printing, mark making, painting, stamping, stenciling, raw-edge applique, and stitching! You’ll leave with lots of swatches, ideas, and inspiration to incorporate Evolon into your fiber art!
Doodling Magnificent Mandalas: Thurs, July 25 from 9 AM - 12 PM
Join me for 3 hours of Zen-time, in this doodle-only version of Magnificent Mandalas. Discover a variety of simple petal shapes and filler designs that can be combined and layered into intricate mandala designs. While we won't stitch on machines, you will leave with inspiration and resources for creating a range of original mandala quilt designs using free-motion quilting, reverse applique, fused applique, and block printing.
Block Print & Play!: Thursday, July 25 from 1-4 PM
Learn to hand carve your own block prints for use on paper and/or fabric. Learn more about the supplies, tools, and block printing process as you go through the steps to design, carve, and print your own original block printed patterns. Be forewarned that block printing is super fun and addicting!
Extra! Extra! You can read all about my Block-Printed and Stitched series of wholecloth quilts on pages 56-60 in the Spring 2024 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. The article covers the materials and processes I use to transform Evolon CR non-woven fabric through faux dyeing, block printing, and stitching! I hope you will be inspired to incorporate Evolon and Block Printing into your art quilting journey!
This issue is packed with art quilting inspiration from so many incredible fiber artists. Watch your mailbox for this new issue which will hit newsstands on March 19th. You can order a digital copy now or hard copy on/after 3/19 while supplies last.
Need a creative boost with your quilting goals? You can watch my QUILT 2024 "Let's Get Rolling on Your 2024 Quilting Resolutions" presentation for just $9! It is one of several individual workshops available for purchase to watch as many times for 30 days. Of course you can purchase a VIP pass and watch all 30 QUILT 2024 programs and bonus content through January 15, 2025!
Join me for a boost of quilting fun & inspiration with these online, open-enrollment workshops:
Design by Dice: Sun 4/7, 10 AM - 12 PM PDT/1 -3 PM EDT
Add a playful twist of inspiration to your quilt designs through the use of dice! I'll introduce how I use dice to challenge myself and explore new design combinations in terms of color schemes, elements of art, design principles, block orientation, and quilting motifs. Then it will be your turn to roll the dice and play with these concepts through several hands-on exercises! ($25/2 hour workshop)
This class will be taught live, online via Zoom. A link to the recording will be provided by the instructor after the workshop for access to watch/rewatch for 1 week. Open enrollment workshops are open to quilters all around the world!
Delighted to catch up with Coach Tammie Bennett to record episode 189 on her Show Up Society Podcast. We chat about her amazing Dare to Show Up group program which included so many great dares that stretched my personal and professional life in a positive direction.
You can listen to this episode (and all her other incredible episodes) on Spotify and/or Apple.
Psstt! This is the 3rd group program that I’ve taken with Coach Tammie and I am excited to enroll in her new The Show Up Society community which I know will be a blast and be a much needed boost to my creative practice, business, and personal life!
Extra! Extra! You can read an interview with Canvas Rebel where I dish on my creative journey, goals, teaching, and online presence. Happy reading!
Listen into the episode 105 of the Quilter on Fire Podcast, featuring an interview with yours truly! Brandy Maslowski is an absolutely delightful podcast host. We had a lovely chat about my creative journey, design inspiration, sense of play, taking creative risks, and love of quilt challenges!
Extra! Extra! Read all about how I approach risk and risk taking in my art, along with some fun along the way! Thanks to Shoutout Colorado for the lovely introduction!
Order a copy of Prism Play: A Full Spectrum of Art Quilts featuring 60+ monochromatic art quilts made by members of the Northern California/Northern Nevada region of Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc.
*I am delighted to have my “WIN-WIN Wind Energy” quilt included in this gorgeous exhibit and book (including a slice on the front cover!)
Honored to be spotlighted by Create Whimsy. What fun to reflect on my creative journey as part of the interview. And I love how they captured my creative journey in their opening paragrph: "Mel Beach’s next quilt could emerge from a simple roll of the dice. But not just any dice. The quilt artist, teacher and lecturer applies creative instructions to the sides of her dice to prompt her to stretch her artist’s wings. A huge advocate of making short and long term goals and then creating daily, Mel keeps her creativity flowing by constantly challenging herself, making art and sharing what she learns with her students."-Create Whimsy
Check it out and see what inspiration you can take back into your own creative journey...
Delighted to be an Artist in Residence on episode 19 of the Quilting Arts Podcast. What an absolute pleasure to chat about art and creativity with co-hosts Vivika Hansen DeNegre and Susan Brubaker Knapp. Some of the fun topics that come up include 100 day projects, mixing it up with dice, taking creative risks, comedy improv, and SAQA. I invite you to listen as I hope it inspires you to create and play today!
I am super excited to be featured on The Quilt Show, Episode 2808. This fun episode aired April 11th and showcases top-stitched curves, ways to jump start your creativity through playful 100-Day Projects involving dice, and tips for mark-free free-motion quiltiing!
Watch the episode (available for TQS subscribers—TQS Subscriptions are available for 1-month, 6-months, and 12-months)
Read my blog post sharing some more behind-the-scenes about each segment and the quilts featured
Watch the trailer video for Episode 2808
Go behind the scenes on the set with Mel Beach
Learn more about The Quilt Show editing process with TQS Editor Rick Mahal as he edits my promo video!
Need a Creative Reset? Check out my “Creating Daily with Dice” article included in the latest issue of Curated Quilts: Creativity in the Midst of Covid. This is an absolutely gorgeous magazine packed with beatiful photos and inspirational stories about staying creative during Covid.
Subscribe to Curated Quilts
Super excited to see my article "Roll the Dice: Up Your Game and Take a Chance" included on pages 92-96 in the latest Spring 2021 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine!! I hope it inspires you to roll the dice as part of your creative process.
Here is a preview of all the awesome content packed into the Spring 2021 issue. You can order your own digital copy using this link. Happy reading!
Delighted to share my experiences with the Craft Industry Alliance community by writing “Building Confidence and Learn to Think on Your Feet with Comedy Improv Classes”: An article about the value of taking comedy improv classes and the positive impact they have had on my quilting & teaching business! Happy Reading!!
Quilting Arts TV Series 2600 will be airing on Public Access channels around the country over the next few weeks. Check your local listings for airtimes. The series is packed with 16 artists sharing a large variety of art quilting tips and techniques. In episode 2608, I share a modern approach to free motion with pebble quilting. We’ll turn common Pebble Woes into Whoas!! Download the free eBook HERE.
If you enjoy art quilting and want to see more contemporary quilting techniques and inspiring guests, a digital video download of the entire Quilting Arts TV Series 2600 is available for purchase HERE or receive both series 2600 and a subscription to Quilting Arts magazine for $49.99 available HERE.
Honored to tape three segments for Quilting Arts TV series 2500 and 2600!! You can watch previews of Season 2500, packed with an amazing line up of artists, art quilting techniques, and inspiration.
Hint-Hint: Episodes 2502 and 2510 look especially fun! Visit each episode page to download instructions for each project featured.
Be sure to check your local TV listings and PBS channels for when these episodes will air.
Watch me share my love of quilt challenges, Slice of Improv, Mod Molas & Comedy Improv on The Quilt Show, episode 2112.
Watch the teaser video for the episode
Read the episode description of what fun projects and quilting inspiration will be covered