EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION
Reap As You Sew
Solo Exhibit April - May 2018
Now Is the Time: Reap As You Sew
Spiritually-inspired quilts by Christine Smith
Bay Quilts Gallery, Richmond, CA
Presenter at "Meet the Teachers"
Northern California Quilt Council
Booth displayed Reap As You Sew book and poster, several of Christine’s quilts,
and brochures describing her teaching topics
Preparing the “Now Is the Time” Bay Quilts Exhibit
The variety of quilts in this exhibit demonstrates Christine’s versatility in choosing different styles and techniques to honor each inspiration. All her quilts have stories and a spiritual meaning.
Sacred Threads is a Biannual Show of Quilts with Themes of Joy, Inspiration, Peace, Grief, Healing, and Spirituality
Christine has had one or two quilts juried into this show three times, has had stories of her quilts recorded there for quilt history purposes, and photos and descriptions of her quilts have been published by Sacred Threads.
From Heartbreak to Hope and Healing
35" x 35" - 2018
The name and lines say it all! Notice the silver double-needle stitching from the source of light in the upper right leading towards stabilization, that is, healing.
From Nora's to the Crash Pad 76” x 76”, Commercial and Hand-Dyed Cottons, 2017
When dating forty years ago, Christine and her now-husband had their most special dates at Nora’s Restaurant in DC. On a DC visit decades later, they visited its new location, decorated with antique quilts. Inspired by a small antique wallhanging there, Christine created this more modern take as a bed quilt for the apartment they then had in San Francisco, their “crash pad.”
Letting Go
Japanese Fabrics (except one), 63" x 63", 2018
A lesson in letting go after years of collecting Japanese fabrics—a spiritual lesson, for sure! And this quilt produces much more joy than a stash of unused collector fabrics!
Verticalifragilistic
20" x 60", 2016
Improvisationally pieced using Thai silks and home decor fabrics, plus some dyed cheesecloth, on a canvas background. To Christine, improv projects are similar to walking in the Spirit without knowing where you’ll end up, and trusting the process.
Six Quilts at the Bay Quilts Show
Framed whole cloth “Fountain of Life” (top left); “Logan: Queen of My Animal Kingdom” (Cavalier); “Led by the Spirit;” “Multitasking;” “Chihuly Reflections;” and “Freedom.”
Freedom Quilt
31" x 24", 2018
Inspired by Unbound Ministry, Christine painstakingly collaged and free-motion quilted tiny pieces of commercial and hand-dyed cottons, relying on value rather than hue to depict being set free in Christ. The arms and broken bonds are sometimes used in the San Francisco and Albuquerque Unbound teams’ publicity, and this favorite quilt hangs in Christine’s office.
Opening Reception for Christine's Bay Quilts Solo Exhibit
Behind the excited women are “Penelope Skates Out of Darkness” (a miracle story quilt); “From Heartbreak to Hope and Healing,” and Christine’s most extensively exhibited quilt, “Bring on the Endorphins!” which was part of Studio Art Quilt Associates’ traveling, The Color Wheel of Emotions, which traveled to seven universities and museum exhibits around the U.S.
Led by the Spirit
23" x 36", 2018
Cotton, Satin, Acrylic Paint, and Tulle
This fanciful self-portrait was inspired by the praise and worship song, “Draw Me Close,” a prayerful memory of dancing with her father who can lead excellently, and knowing that she can let herself be led by the Holy Spirit (represented by the black lines) and experience security, freedom, and joy.
Fountain of Life
8" x 10", 2018
A favorite Biblical concept created by free-motion quilting, then framed.
Multitasking
25" x 45", 2018
Cottons and Tulle
Improvisational piece inspired by Kandinsky. One of Christine’s favorites, this quilt reminds her not to try to do too much at a time!
Chihuly Reflections
37" x 29", 2015
Cottons and Acryllic Paint
This began as an exercise in working with different ways to show light, which brought Dale Chiluly’s glass installations to mind. Begun in a workshop with Hollis Chatelain, Christine based her design on a tiny part of one of Chihuly’s huge outdoor garden installations. The quilt leads different people to conjure up many different delightful scenes in their imaginative minds.
Free to Play
27” x 26”, 2014
Commercial & Dye-Painted Cotton
This whimsical improv piece reminds us of Jesus’ insistence that we must become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. To Christine that suggests enjoying wonder and awe, innocence, and playfulness, to the delight of the inner child and our sense of play, freedom, and joy.
Reap As You Sew
©2014, WestBow Press
120 pages, 8.5” x 11”
This why-to-quilt book has over 90 color photos and shares inspiring true stories about ten quilters of different faiths or beliefs who experienced the emotional, spiritual, interpersonal, and communal benefits of making quilts. Each chapter includes Steps Along a Spiritual Quiltmaking Path, which spells out ideas to consider in your creative processes, practical action steps, ways to set your creativity free, and plenty of food for thought or prayer. Christine also shares her own story quilts, including one about a mother-daughter collaborative healing quilt.
A-Muse Us, Por Favor
22” x 27”, 2007
Cotton & Recycled
Embellishments
Fun and whimsical, with a humorous connection to our family history, this piece was exhibited in a Huron Valley, Michigan, show called “Stories of Our Lives,” where it won an Honorable Mention.
Blah in Your Face
47” x 41”, 1999
Commercial Cottons
This one wasn’t spiritually inspired; if anything, it shows Christine’s rebelliousness at the time, because it was made in an Angie Woolman workshop where the directions were to use all neutral colors. But that just seemed too dull to Christine, and this is one of her oldest favorites.
Dualism Deconstructed
28” x 39”, 2013
Cotton dye-painted by
Hollis Chatelain
This story quilt and the process by which it was created over a year are told in Reap As You Sew. The quilt was exhibited at Sacred Threads and Pacific International Quilt Festival (juried international shows).
Flight of Fancy
12” x 14”, 2011
Hand-painted cottons,
silks, and tea bags
Whimsical quilt exhibited at Gualala Arts, Gualala, CA; now used as a table topper in Christine’s Albuquerque prayer corner.
Jellies: Fantasies of Their Creators
24” x 36”, 2008
Cottons & Embellishments
Imagining what fun the Great Creator had inventing jellies, Christine portrayed a real sea nettle, modified two “originals,” and fabricated one purely as her fantasy.
Let Spirit Flow
27.5” x 27.5”, 2013
Hand-dyed cottons and
dyed leather
Made for the cover of Reap As You Sew and exhibited at Sacred Threads exhibit, this quilt was documented as part of the American Quilt History project. There’s a wondrous story about how this was inspired by the Holy Spirit and the Brasilia Cathedral.
Like Making Pasta: A Mother-Daughter Healing Quilt
52” x 49”, 2007
Collaborating with the intent to heal their estrangement, Christine and her then 21-year-old printmaker daughter incorporated dreams, pastimes, and family history into a mixed process quilt that actually redefined their bond and taught them how, with time and dedication, a relationship can soar to new heights. This story is told in Reap As You Sew and in a video. This quilt was juried into Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza 2007 and a solo exhibit by invitation, “Story Quilts by Chris Boersma Smith,” for The Sea Ranch Association Art in the Office series, exhibited from 2011 to 2013.
Mommy’s Faith Walk
40” x 56”, 2007
Old clothes and machine embroidery
This memory quilt was made from clothing of Christine’s sister-in-law who died one year after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, for her very young children. It shows the way their faith and community sustained the family during that year. Christine’s brother and these two children used the quilt in presentations about how to help families dealing with tragedy.
Penelope Skates Out of Darkness
18” x 19”, 2013
Cotton dye-painted by
Hollis Chatelain
This whole cloth machine quilted story quilt was the last quilt Christine made prior to an ice skating accident in which she broke both arms. Notice how the Seuss-like creature has mangled arms, is ice skating, and in the omnious sky, she quilted three angels, which is what she saw in the abstractly dyed fabric! When she realized this, she rejoiced at the divine protection and that two broken arms was all she had happen in the accident.
Persistence (aka Perseverance)
72” x 72”, 2009
Cottons, Paper-pieced from
a Karen Stone pattern
The longest quiltmaking project Christine ever did, hence the name; this quilt won Third Place at Art in the Redwoods at Gualala Arts, Gualala, CA.
Many of the blocks were made while away at a Palisades Lake cabin with a dear quilt group friend who was persevering courageously and purposefully through cancer. She truly modeled this virtue!
Promontory Point
56” x 38”, 2012
Photo Credit: Phil Wendt
An improvisational quilt inspired by a view of the Pacific Ocean from Christine’s California studio, this quilt was featured on the cover of CREATE! Magazine, which featured an article and photos of her studio.
Seaweed: An Unstill Life
32” x 36”, 2007
African fabric, hand-dyes,
pieces made earlier
in a Velda Neuman
workshop, and
odds and ends
Inspired by her own photos of seaweed, Christine started this quilt in a Rosalie Dace workshop. She loves the symbolism of an ever-changing arrangement of seaweed on the beach, and how that relates to our lives.
Simply the Best
Approx. 50” x 60”, 2007
French and American
Cottons, Computer Prints
on Cotton
Made to celebrate the 50th
Birthday of a close friend who loves to cook and shared her life story as it relates to food, this quilt was juried into the Huron Valley, Michigan, “Stories of Our Lives” exhibit, where it won Viewers’ Choice.
Vintage Wheels of Fortune a.k.a. What Goes Around Comes Around
36” x 56”, 2013
Vintage blocks and fabrics
The Wheel of Fortune blocks were purchased at a quilt show, as were all the other fabrics except the muslin, and then Christine designed, pieced, and handquilted this quilt.
Celebrating Love and Joy
40" x 36" - 2022
Commercial Cottons
This improvisationally pieced quilt emerged from playful times of flowing creativity. The colors were uplifting, as was the piece’s whimsical nature. The X’s and O’s simplistically represent loving relationships. Flowers and bright colors represent joy. The organic pink-on-blue reverse appliqué represents nature. The roadrunner represents New Mexico and how fun it is to see these little creatures; they must have made God laugh when he designed them! Christine sends love, joy, and laughter to everyone who sees this quilt, which hangs in her dining room.
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