Well, I just finished watching myself speak at Quilt National. I knew the video was on YOUTUBE, but I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it.
I am always very nervous when I speak about something that is dear to me–and well, quilting is pretty much my life’s work, so that sends the voice quivering and the hand gesturing to a whole new level.
But I watched it, and I survived. During the middle of the talk, I somehow knocked the mic off of my shirt. AWKWARD. What do you do? Well, I just kept moving. If you watch the video, you can see that at the beginning I am NOT holding the mic, and then some where in the middle, I AM holding the mic.
Well, that’s what that is about.
I was so relieved to have finished speaking that I had actually forgotten that I had dropped the mic until a friend in the audience said to me, “Nice Save.” 
At this point, I realized me fumbling around on the ground for the mic has some how been preserved forever on tape. Fortunately, those clever editors saved me. Thank you dear editors for showing more images of the quilt and not me groping my breasts trying to reattach the mic.
I really didn’t know they would be taping the talks. I would have combed my hair and done a few things to upgrade the presentation. But it is what it is.
And there you have it. Have you ever dropped the mic, knocked over the podium, or fumbled with your papers and lost your train of thought in front of live audience? 
Let’s have a martini and talk about it.
PS- Thank you Alaska State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts for helping me travel to this important event!
All of your photographs are excellent, but the picture of your sip with your quilt in the background is a prizewinner! The essence of quilt celebration.
Thank you Susan. Getting into Quilt National is truly worth celebrating!
You were great! I totally got what you are about. And isn’t that the point!? XO
Thank you Nysha!
Martini? I’m in.
The bartender/education director at the Dairy Barn makes the best martinis!
Great job on your talk! And yes, I have had some of those things happen to me too. Once my cell phone went off in my pocket just as I was being introduced to speak at a large guild. Embarassing!
Doris- Were you telling everyone to turn off their cell phones when it happened? That would be my luck!
Practice makes perfect and you came more close than most. You seemed very relaxed. Butterflies hide inside and usually abate the longer we speak. Just about the time you are finished, you want to say more. Good sign. Your quilt did a lot of taking for you too and it was mighty. Nice to meet you animated. Photos can go just so far. I always pray the technical glitches happen to someone else. I freak when a projector goes down and I have to ad lib but we usually survive and it prepares one for the next experience. There is always the Q and A that can save you.
Thank you Carole! Part of why I posted this was a I figure that people might be curious–what do I actually sound like. There is no hiding behind the written word when you are animated!
Well I’m excited to go and watch it! I so enjoyed your podcast on SAQA. It will be even more fun to see you in action while you are talking!
Thank you Debby! One of the interesting things about the podcast was that I had no way to gauge if the audience was enjoying the talk. It was very strange to speak to my computer monitor and hope that I was making sense!
Well, I was there and I don’t remember you dropping the mic. That’s how calm and collected you appeared!
Thank you Janet! Good to know.
I was lucky enough to attend Quilt National while I was at the Crow Barn in May. What a great exhibit! I loved seeing all the artist talks on YouTube. You were great!
Dianne V.
Thank you Dianne! It really is a lovely show. The venue, the people, the quilts, it is a wonderful thing to be a part of.
It is so hard to feel exposed and vulnerable and when you are putting yourself on show through your work like this, I imagine that is the hardest. But I can’ tell from the video and I think your work is stunning!
Thank you Camilla! It is one thing to speak in front of people about things that are not dear to your heart. Once the heart is involved it is so much harder!
*Typo! That is supposed to read “Can’t tell” not can’ tell!
Have been to Quilt National before but had to go this time to see your piece – it’s great and not in an intimidating way – so thank you.
Thank you Libby. I hope you enjoyed the show. I think it is a really beautiful mixture of what is going on in the quilt world right now.