Color and Pattern in Handmade Quilts
With no formal training in design or color theory, I work intuitively to produce pieces that are both useful and beautiful. As a self-taught artisan, I am drawn to rich saturated colors to create the visual texture that I so enjoy. It is satisfying to take bits and pieces and craft them into usable art that will grace a home and lift a heart. Making one of a kind art craft pieces that are functional, collectible and enduring gives me great satisfaction.
Working with quality fabrics, I draw from traditional quilt designs to create visual texture through the medium of fabric. As a textural storyteller, I explore the balance between the various aspects of color, print size and geometric shape to create pieces that are unique and layered with meaning.
For nearly forty five years I have been manipulating contemporary pieces of fabric to bring traditional quilt patterns into the 21st century as I interpret the world around me through fiber art, much the way women have done for centuries.
Although I start with a basic plan, with art, one is never entirely in control of the final outcome. Part of what appeals to me when creating is surrendering to the process, stepping into the alchemy of the adventure and accepting what comes. In my pieces, there is always a story line I follow. Each piece of fabric is handpicked to support that narrative and flesh out the idea.
The design on the fabric, along with the variations in color, saturation and value of said fabrics work together to create the affect I am after. In this way, I literally piece my work together one block at a time. Making soft quilts engages my mechanical mind as well as my personal aesthetic for color and design.
When I cross the threshold of my studio doorway, I enter a world of magic and splendor. It is a portal to another world where normal routine fades and time becomes weightless and expanded.
Working with color as I do with cloth quilts is sanative and fills me with a unique effervescence. It is my life support system. That deep peace and joy spills over into my life, reuniting me with the essential goodness in the world.
My intention is to share my love of color and design with you in the best way I know how. Quilts are my language of love. Each piece is an heirloom collectable that will endure through generations to come, sharing your story of love and community.
