Marianne suggested we meet for coffee. Since there's a wonderful café just across the street from the Temecula Valley Museum, which was conveniently hosting an exhibition I had hoped to see, we made a more interesting date.

Outdoor Fun in Fabric features 32 quilts from the textile artists at Quilts on a Wall Art Guild. This exhibit showcases their creative artwork with the theme “Outdoor Fun.” Each piece encompasses the theme through a variety of scenes which include hot air ballooning, a day at the beach, wine tasting, animals in the wild, and so much more.

Someone once said "Quilting is painting with needles!" The works exhibited here are masterpieces. We were so very impressed.

How adorable is Bicycle Boys by Laurie Mutalipassi? Those eyes!

Cheryl Guacci's Joy Ride was joyful. Combine two of my favorite things, fall colors and vintage vehicles, and I am instantly a fan.

All of these quilts demand a close study to really grasp their complexity and to fully understand just how talented the artists are.

I actually smiled when I saw No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem! The fabric diversity was exceptional and the use of a shell design for the little boy's nipple was just too dang clever! Well done, Judy Crotts.

The beach scenes were each uniquely appealing. Anticipation is the perfect name for this piece by Ann Turley.

Each interpretation of the theme (and naming) was so different including Charlene Tuch's Life's a Beach.

I'm sorry I didn't get the name of the fabric artist who created Antarctic Beach. I found it to be so whimsical. Who doesn't love penguins frolicking in the snow?

California Dreaming... indeed Carol Churchill. Wow.

Outdoor fun was captured locally, too, with Temecula Valley Wine Tasting Tours by Tara Ritacco.

This exceptional work gets the award for blowing my mind. I can't even begin to fully explain the complexity of Karen Johnston's Spotting the Mountain Lion at the Zoo.

The work was a sewn collage of intricate pieces, of various other animals, which was deftly combined to create a cohesive and beautiful artwork.

Every one of the pieces really demanded an up close & personal study. The photos just can't capture the minute details.

Yep, mind blown!

Outdoor Fun in Fabric was so exceptional, it overflowed out into the rotunda where several of Karen Maceno's Fabric Mosaic Collage pieces were displayed.

She wrote of this art medium, "Fabric collage and mosaic layers are therapeutic-such as putting together a jigsaw puzzle-finding the right piece of fabric, turning that piece to all sides, sometimes using the reverse side of the fabric. Fabric collaging allows for freedom of expression and creativity; it is exhilarating and habit forming."

After spending time really studying this exhibition, I can see what Karen meant. It was exhilarating just to be able to admire the artwork. What an inspiring exhibition. I am so pleased Marianne and I could experience this together. I think we're both more motivated to do something creative. It was truly amazing.

“It is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics,

when women of high thoughts

and accomplishments love to sew;

especially as they are never more at home with their hearts

than while so occupied.”

– Nathaniel Hawthorne