By the sea...

Whether you live in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, July is a good time to head to a beach (either to cool off or to warm up).  Alternatively, you can enjoy the seashore through the work of one outstanding textile artist: Iris Sonnenschein. Based in Massachusetts, Iris finds her inspiration in nature, music and works of art. She excels in combining textures and colors to evoke a sense of place, as seen in the beautiful sand and sea quilts in her nature gallery.

Made in the Shade, 26.5 x 39.5, by Iris Sonnenschein, at Iris Quilts

We love these colorful striped umbrellas and the wavy sand. Tiny sailboats dot the horizon, adding to this peaceful scene. Iris says: "The idea of creating a piece of art that can be touched, and can reflect a mood or a moment, feeds my creative energies; working with clients to create art that speaks uniquely to them, feeds my spirit."

Solitude, 27 x 23.5", by Iris Sonnenschein, at Iris Quilts

After creating "Surf Sound" for the Yawkey Family Inn (see her Public Art gallery), Iris Sonnenschein created this larger quilt with a red Adirondack chair at the ocean's edge. Small areas of the quilt have overlays of organza to create patches of shimmering sand.

While you are browsing the Iris Quilts website, don't miss her absolutely delightful Goddesses (you'll see "Nature Goddesses" and "Wild Women") and her magical Figures.  You'll see couples who float and fly over the land in a manner reminiscent of Chagall.

Image credits: Images are shown with the generous permission of Iris Sonnenschein.  You can also see her work at the Homegrown-Studios in the seaside community of Rockport, Massachusetts.

Re-purposing neckties, by Nancy Gamon

~It's Day 12 of our 12-part series on quilts made from neckties!~
From her studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, Nancy Gamon transforms vintage neckties, clothing, and remnants into a whole range of decor and apparel items. One of the most creative textile artists we've seen, Nancy Gamon's work has been featured in Altered Couture; 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse; and in a recent exhibit at NVISION.  Here are two examples of her ingenious creations.

Catch, 26.5 x 20.5, by Nancy Gamon, at Nancy Gamon

"Catch", shown above, was made with vintage neckties, thread, and interfacing, and backed with artists canvas.

Necktie Hanging, 16 x 20", by Nancy Gamon, as seen at Nancy Gamon on Flickr

We love the improvisational appearance of this colorful wall hanging, which was made with about a dozen vintage neckties. At her online boutique at nancygamon.etsy.com you can find ruffled scarves, jewelry (check out her recycled-necktie cuff bracelets), fiber bowls, and other amazing creations. At her photostream, you can also see a photo of Nancy Gamon with her fabric stash (click here) !

Silk ties and textile art, by Nancy Goodman

When we came across this vibrant quilt we were struck by the colors. Although the quilt is made entirely from men's neckties, the warm golden yellows, oranges, and reds, combined with teal and royal blue, remind us of brightly colored silks from India or southeast Asia. The quilt was created by Nancy Goodman, a textile artist who has lived in Colorado, California, Gabon (Africa), New Mexico, and for the past 16 years in Alabama.

Silk Tie Quilt, 36 x 59", by Nancy W. Goodman

To make this quilt, Nancy Goodman started with a collection of neckties that were mostly dark red and navy blue, which were used to construct the kaleidoscope blocks. The pieced cross and borders were constructed with ties that were stripped and redyed with red, yellow and blue. Nancy explains: "For me, color drives a quilt. My primary task in designing a quilt is to figure out a way to distribute color over the two dimensions in a way that is pleasing and makes sense. I’ve found that as I move around the world, my sense of color changes dramatically, so that quilts I made while living in New Mexico, for example, are strikingly different from those produced in Alabama."

Nancy's interest in art quilts developed gradually, but took flight when she began dyeing her own fabric and abandoned traditional, templated patterns. Over time her interests have expanded to include many areas of fiber art: installations, public art, machine stitched embroidery, paper structures and books. She has exhibited throughout Alabama and in national quilt shows.

Image credits and links: For more information, visit Nancy Goodman's blog. The image is shown with the generous permission of the artist. Her statement on the use of color was published in Southern Artistry.

Exotic flower quilts (we're dreaming of paradise)

Here are the stunning flower quilts we've been writing about for the last week.   As you can see, each quilter has her own unique style.  These exotic flowers bring to mind Hawaii and other tropical climes.  We wish we were there (but this is the next best thing !)  We hope you've enjoyed the show too.

Image credits and links: Row 1, Sylvia Pippen, Sylvia Pippen Designs; Row 2, Eileen Sullivan, The Designer's Workshop; Row 3, Brenda Yirsa, at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company; Row 4, Ellen Lindner, Adventure Quilter; Row 5, Vyvyan Emery, Rosewood Quilts.

Gardens of Dreams: the art quilts of Vyvyan Emery

It's Day 5 - and the finale - of our exotic flower quilts series, and we wanted to share with you the inspiring original art quilts of Vyvyan Emery.

It's a Marvelous Night for a Fern Dance, 43.5 x 31", by Vyvyan Emery, at Rosewood Quilts

Vyvyan lives in the mountains of western North Carolina, an area noted for its many cultural opportunities and its abundance of  fine arts, textile arts, and music.  Surrounded with so much natural beauty, she takes great pride in corporating the joys of nature into her quilts which she both sells and enters into quilt shows. We love these appliqued ferns, whose leaves gently undulate as if they are listening to music. Notice how the jewels tones really "pop" against the deep black background. This quilt won first place in the small professional category at the Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Garden of Dreams, 47 x 58", by Vyvyan Emery, at Rosewood Quilts

On her Rosewood Quilts blog, Vyvyan notes that the placement of the main caladium leaves in this quilt were done from a photo of her garden,  then she filled in the rest of the details with her imagination. Notice the careful juxtaposition of   patchwork monochromatic blue tints and shades which provide the contrast between the night sky and the day sky in the background.

Native to the Amazon River region of South America, the vibrantly colorful tropical caladium is grown from a bulb and makes a stunning addition to a window box, border, or patio. It can be planted in a container and grown indoors during the winter, then moved to a patio or terrace for the summer. The brilliant reds and pinks with the contrasting green make this exotic plant a perfect and original subject for a quilt.

Lotus Garden, 30 x 30", by Vyvyan Emery, at Rosewood Quilts

"Lotus Garden" is a landscape quilt which uses the traditional Far East inspired color of indigo blue to provide a rounded portal to a scene so serene and ephemeral, that we feel rested and refreshed each time that we view it. Giant lotus flowers float in languorous splendor while in the mist, a large rock rises protectively from the water. Note the use of the split-complimentary colors of blue-red, spring green, blue-green, aqua green, and aqua blue, which really bring the lotus flowers to the forefront of the quilt. A strand of reeds helps bridge the gap between the timeless beauty of the scene and the stately inner and outer border of the quilt. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow: We'll wrap up this exotic flowers series.  Later this week we're beginning a special June feature (you won't want to miss it !)

Ellen Lindner, Adventure Quilter

It's day 3 of our Exotic Flower Quilts series ! We've been admiring Ellen Lindner's photo-inspired quilts ever since we featured her Apple Still life (see our 2010 article on harvest quilts). Ellen Lindner's quilts ranges from pictorial still life to modernist abstracts, and she works in a freeform collage style which lends a natural look.  In addition to creating original art quilts for sale, she generously shares her techniques through workshops, videos, e-books, patterns, and online classes at her website, Adventure Quilter.

High Ti, 20 x 25", by Ellen Lindner

The ti plant was introduced to Hawaii and New Zealand by Polynesian settlers, and the tropical plants grow well in warm climates like Florida. High Ti is one of Ellen Lindner's newest photo-inspired quilts.  Her fabrics capture the colors and the variegated textures of the ti leaves. You can see the detail of the raw-edge collage and the machine quilting, below.

High ti, detail, by Ellen Lindner

You can also see the original photo that inspired the quilt at Ellen Lindner's Art & Creativity blog and at her Adventure Quilter Newsletter. Also check out Ellen's award-winning Ti Plants A-Glow -Glow, which was featured in the book 500 Art Quilts, by Lark Press.

Ripening, 51 x 33, by Ellen Lindner

In December, in Florida, the Christmas Palm Tree berries slowly change into the colors that give the palm its name. Ellen Lindner's beautiful quilt, called Ripening, was made with cotton fabrics, using raw edge collage and machine stitching.

For more information on Ellen Lindner, and for tips, classes and other resources, check out her website, blog and newsletter (also note that she has an online Color Class starting this Friday.... May 27 !)

Humorous Quilts: Mad as a March Hare

This humorous homonym quilt, which substitutes Hare for Hair, seems entirely appropriate for today.  Laurie Ceesay created this fantastic piece for a Homonym Quilt Challenge. Note the five-'carrot' necklace.

Mad as a March Hare: I Put My 'Hare' Up to Show Off My 5 'Carrot' Necklace, by Laurie Ceesay, at Artsy Chick Quilts

The carrots in the necklace were made of Scupley molding clay. The necklace was finished with orange rhinestones and some shimmer paint. Fiber artist Laurie Ceesay explains:  "I was feeling like this was very Alice-in-Wonderland like, so the woman's make up was influenced by the Mad Hatter's make up. The woman took on a "mad/crazy" look so it came full circle."

Laurie Ceesay is a contemporary quilter who specializes in portrait quilts. Her work often focuses on hairstyles, make up, replicating the human form in fiber, retro fashion/prints, flowers and fairies. She works with bright colors, batiks and large scale prints, and she embellishes her quilts with rhinestones, beads, baubles, yarn, paint and crayons. Also, Laurie is launching her own business to turn her creations into patterns that anyone can follow.  You can read all about it - and see more marvelous portraits - at her blog,  Artsy Chick Quilts.

Image credits:  The image is shown with the generous permission of Laurie Ceesay.

Humorous Quilts: Don't Piss Off the Fairies, by Ruth Powers

Quilts started out as very utilitarian, practical items for warmth and comfort in daily life. However, one of the most fun aspects of our craft has been the development of quilts to express artistic and cultural themes, such as holidays, celebrations, and humor. Laughter and comedy are part of all cultures, and humorous quilts are a wonderful way of expressing our more lighthearted moments. For the next week we're bringing you one humorous quilt per day.

Don't Piss Off the Fairies,  12 x 12, by Ruth Powers at  Ruth Powers Art Quilts

"Don't Piss Off the Fairies" makes us laugh because the irony of this topic. We usually think of fairies as whimsical, effervescent, creatures of childlike delight.  However, what happens when one of them has a bad day like all of us occasionally do? The result is a very human expression of grumpiness on a non-human being, and that brings a smile to our faces.

This little fairy in her woodland setting is intricately machine-pieced and machine-quilted. Notice how the light falls upon her delicate wings, which brings out the graceful quilting design. The golden skin tones complement the icy lavender shades of the fairies' wings and help to play up the focal point of her facial expression.  Ruth notes that it was a bit of a challenge to find the right fabric for her skin, but she thinks the batik she used worked out perfectly. She says, " I just love searching for the right fabric", and we know that echoes the sentiments of so many quilters.

"Don't Piss Off the Fairies" is a one-of-a-kind art piece that is now privately owned by the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection. However, if you are looking for a really cute (non-pissed-off) fairy pattern, check out Fairies In My Garden at Ruth Powers' patterns page. We really enjoy Ruth's work, as it is so inspired, fresh, and creative. You can see more quilts in progress - and more fairies - at Ruth Powers' Blog.

Image credits:  The image is shown with the generous permission of Ruth Powers.

p.s.  How does Google Translate deal with "Piss Off" ?  Let us know !  In case it doesn't translate, the MacMillan dictionary has these synonyms: To annoy, provoke, anger, bother, frustrate, irritate, infuriate, antagonize. In short form we may just say P.O. as in "I'm PO'd". Undoubtedly there are similar terms in every language.  We'd love to know.

Therese May 's creative heart

Are you in need of a little Monday inspiration, as we are?  Consider the work of Therese May, who makes her art in an exciting way to uplift all who view it. Therese finds inspiration everywhere she looks, but mainly from inside herself. Her work is clearly from the heart.

Birthday Quilt Goddess, 47 x 47, by Therese May

Therese May was trained as a painter, and her quilts begin with drawings that she uses as templates for fabric appliqué shapes. She pins these to muslin and sews them with a satin stitch and hand-quilts the layers, then adds detail with beads, buttons, and other embellishments. In Birthday Quilt Goddess, the beatific Goddess is wearing a big birthday cake with candles on her head, like a crown. She has a serene smile on her face, because she is at peace. She has “Nine Patch Pockets” on her bodice; the pockets are for containing prayers for world peace. For details, see the Birthday Quilt Goddess page.

Bunny Quilt, 37 x 37, by Therese May

In Therese May's quilted portraits gallery you can find this wonderful bunny quilt and other “Quilted Portraits” or “Puzzle Interchange” quilts.   The playful images with interchanging colors bring to mind the works of Andy Warhol. Ah, to be young and innocent again.  Quilted Portraits is also one of Therese May's workshops.

Creative Heart, 96 x 66, by Therese May

Therese May's recent work includes this gorgeous Creative Heart quilt. The images in this quilt are all from her heart—flowers, birds, clouds, hearts, the kimono shape. The hands of the quilting pattern sign “I Love You”. The paint writing covering the entire surface of the piece are the repetitive affirmation of “ONE” for one people, one life. The materials and techniques are fabric, thread, paint, machine appliqué, machine quilting, painted fabric, and paint writing.

Image credits: Images are shown with the generous permission of Therese May. You can find more of her work at Therese May's website. For words of wisdom and affirmation, visit Therese May's blog.

Painting with fabric: the art quilts of Lenore Crawford

As part of our Color Series, we've been focusing on artists who inspire us with their use of color in design.  Lenore Crawford is an amazing artist who blends fabric and paints to create breathtaking pastoral scenes of elegant beauty.  These works are so painterly, we can't believe they're made with fabric!  Even better: many of Lenore's designs are available as patterns.  Join us as we take a virtual journey to the villages and fields of Europe, the setting for much of Lenore's award-winning work.

Window with Shutters pattern, 23 x 18, by Lenore Crawford

Here's a new pattern, a lovely window to the past, which is available for purchase at Lenore Crawfords's website. Since we've been talking about complementary colors, notice the beautiful green-and-red complementary color scheme in the geraniums. Lenore writes, "I have been wanting to create a pattern of architecture, especially with flower pots. This one was created on the lime green background fabric, then the detail and shadows were added with fabric paints." The texture in the fabric and paints gives a wonderful three dimensional quality to this art quilt.

One Poppy pattern, 13 x 18, by Lenore Crawford

With her paints and fabrics,  Lenore expertly creates texture and depth for her flowers to produce very sensory images. As viewers, we find ourselves wanting to reach out and touch this entrancing flower. A pattern for One Poppy is available at Lenore's patterns page.  "One Poppy" is a smaller version of her stunning Grand Poppy, a watercolor-style quilt which won the Viewer's Choice Award at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago in 2007.  You can see Grand Poppy and many other watercolor quilts at Lenore's gallery page.  Also, Lenore sells a CD-ROM on Impressionistic Fabric Blending, which provides a detailed description on how Lenore creates fabric blended art quilts.

Port of Cassis, by Lenore Crawford, winner of Outstanding Art Quilt at the 2011Road to California Show (see Road to California Win)

"Port of Cassis" is one of Lenore Crawford's latest show-stoppers. It's a stunning scene of a small village on the Mediterranean, close to the famous town of Monte Carlo, Monaco. In our opinion, one of the reasons this quilt is so eye-catching is that it is a study in contrasts. The crisp strong geometric lines of the houses and boats are reflected as languid,  shimmering shapes in the water, which are enhanced with quilting (click to see the detail). Also, note the very effective use of complementary colors. Rust tones and cinnamon red unite beautifully with the soft aqua blue sea tones, and the bright blue windows in the houses complement the orange buildings.

This scene is so romantic and intriguing that it is easy to see why it keeps winning awards at national and international shows:  in February 2011, "Port of Cassis" also won third place in the Innovative category at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXII and in November 2010 it won second place in the Art-Pictorial category at the 2010 IQA Festival in Houston.

Dogwood Blossoms pattern, 17 x 22, by Lenore Crawford

These giant flowers have texture that is so lifelike,  that they almost pop right off the quilt ! They remind us of exotic orchids that emerge from lush tropical greenery.This pattern could be seen as a monochromatic color scheme for the blossoms. In places, their neutral white color has been shaded to gray. This gorgeous pattern is formal enough that it could be displayed in any room in your home, with any decor. You can purchase the pattern at Lenore's website.

Also, please see Lenore Crawford's Workshops: Fusing and Fabric Painting to Create Realistic Fabric Art.

Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of Lenore Crawford.

Maria Elkins Art Quilts

Teacup, 42 x 42  by Maria Elkins

At Original Art Quilts by Maria Elkins, this gifted artist explains that more than half her fabric stash is blue and white. We imagine that this is true of many quilters, as there are so many different shades of blue ; and neutral white is such an important component of quilt backgrounds and foregrounds.

We think that teacup quilt patterns are really adorable and so much fun, because they are a chance to get in touch with our "inner child" and hark back to our girlhood days of playing "tea party" with our dolls and stuffed animals clustered around us. The enchanting, highly original, "Teacup" quilt above was created by Maria Elkins in 2002, when her quilt guild challenged its members to create a quilt using only blue or white. In addition, there was one blue and white fabric which everyone had to use; and that is the fabric on the upper right and left hand corners of the quilt.

Maria explains at her website that she machine pieced the curves of the cup and saucer, then she used a print fabric of blue and white plates to cut out, fuse, and machine applique them.  They form a row of fanciful scallops around the perimeter of the plate. On fabric, she  hand painted the hepatica flowers and the water surface of the teacup, then she appliqued them to the cup and saucer, using rayon rattail cording for the centers of the flowers. She stenciled the scrollwork using Setacolor and Lumiere paints. This magnificent work was then quilted with metallic, rayon, and invisible threads.


Evening Star 31 x39  by Maria Elkins

Evening Star looks exactly like a photo, but it is actually a "quilt within a quilt".  An outstanding example of Maria's portraiture quilts,  "Evening Star" was made in 2002 for a quilt show with the theme of  "Night Sky" in Dayton, Ohio. As explained in Maria's blog, it depicts Maria's oldest daughter pointing  out a constellation to her sister, while both are wrapped in a lovely Amish star quilts. Maria created the girls' hair and sweater by using Tsukineko colored inks on commerically printed fabrics. She quilted their hair with rayon and mettalic threads. To create the star quilt, she fused multiple fabrics onto a single piece of fabric, which is the sashing between the stars.  She also quilted the sky with black metallic thread.  As a dazzling finishing touch, Maria attached small rhinestones to create the sparkling stars of the sky. 

In addition to creating her unique, innovative, quilts, Maria also gives lectures and presentations. She is also the author and producer of a wonderful DVD,   Making Faces, available at the Interweave Store.  In this workshop, Maria, teaches how to edit and embellish  your photos with computer software to create fashion portraits with fused applique. She then explains how to use a photo to draw faces on fabric with colored pencils, pens, fabric paints, or inks.

Image credits:  The quilt images are the copyright of Maria Elkins and are shown with the generous permission of the artist.



Janet Cook, Textile Artist

~"I like to break the rules and see what happens."  ~ Janet Cook

We recently met Janet Cook (in cyberspace) and we are thrilled to have a chance to show her work here. Thrilled, and slightly awed, in light of the fact that Janet Cook is a member of the prestigious Society of Designer Craftsmen in the UK. This organization dates back to 1887 and the Arts and Crafts Movement, founded by William Morris and his contemporaries.  Janet Cook's work will be shown in the 2011 major exhibition, which opens this weekend in London*.  Janet has created an amazing range of textile art that includes pieces inspired by landscapes, archaeology, and history. In each area of her interest she has pushed the boundaries of fabric art and craft, exploring new subjects, techniques and visual effects. Her magnificent "Opus Sectile II" is a collage of designs based on one of the greatest treasures of Westminster Abbey: the 700-year-old Great Pavement.

Opus Sectile II, by Janet Cook

'Opus sectile' refers to an art technique popularized in the ancient and medieval Roman world where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern. The Cosmati were a Roman family who specialized in decorative geometric mosaics for church floors. For "Opus Sectile II", Janet Cook matched her colors to the beautifully colored stones chosen by the original Cosmati artists. With characteristic modesty, Janet confides that this stunning quilt was her first "experiment" with paper foundation piecing (!)

~Artists such as Paul Klee have had a great influence on my work, as have the Roman mosaicists in Morocco, Tunisia, Italy and here in England. I put quilts together in ways similar to their floors, building images then joining them to make a whole statement. ~ Janet Cook

Consuo, 2007, by Janet Cook

"Consuo" means "I stitch together" in Latin, and the outstanding Consuo, shown above, was made to celebrate 20 years of quilting. This quilt shows the artist's progression into mosaic forms, using a mosaic technique to create the scene.  Thousands of hand-cut pieces were bonded onto a background, then layered with chiffon before quilting. The 7 pointed star is Janet's logo, and it neatly coincides with the 7 colors of the rainbow. In the distance you can glimpse the bridge that is the subject of her distinctive Bridge Series (see below). The distinctive black-and-white border is an original block called "Crest of the Wave".  The bridges, flower fabrics, and sewing machine are her photos printed on fabric, as is the picture of Janet in the center.  You can see many intriguing mosaic quilts in her Mosaic Series Gallery. 

Before the Storm, 40 x 30, by Janet Cook - in the Bridge Series

"Before the storm" is one of a series of quilts that depict a bridge before, during and after a summer storm.  "Before the storm" evokes the energy, movement, dark clouds and restless waters that accompany a pending storm. The quilting lines remind us of sleeting rain, coming from the side at an angle, while gusts of wind create conflicting patterns and whorls. Do you want to see just how different - and tranquil - the bridge scene looks after the storm?  Visit Janet Cook's bridge series gallery.

~I believe that unless we fully explore the potentials of fabric, stitch, paint and dye we will not be carrying on the traditions of our grandmothers, who in their turn explored the potentials of the materials available to them. ~ Janet Cook

L'Or D'Automne, and Squirls,  by Janet Cook

In "Consuo" you saw a distinctive black-and-white border, which is Janet's original "Crest of the Wave" design. Like a log cabin quilt block, the spirals can be laid out in a variety of ways. Take a peek at the brilliant diagonal Crest of the Wave and the spirals-within-a-spiral in Rock-a-Doodle Doo. Below you can see L'Or D'Automne (left), and Squirls (right), which are two more examples of this clever block. Several patterns are available for purchase on Janet Cook's patterns page.

~The Romans loved this spiral design because it was so adaptable, and so do I. ~ Janet Cook

Celtic Hares, 15 x 15, by Janet Cook

The symbolism of the moon and the hare is deeply entrenched in Celtic lore and history. The circular motif of three hares chasing each other appears in sacred sites from the Middle and Far East to Europe, and it occurs with the greatest frequency on the churches of the West Country of England. The marbled fabric used for the hares reminds us of the original stone carvings.

In "Celtic Hares", Janet has placed the hares against the moon "to bring you good luck". The pattern is available on Janet Cook's patterns page.  If you love this delightful quilt, you should check out her gorgeous Moon Hare art quilt which was shown in 2008 at the premier quilting event in Europe - the Festival of Quilts.

~Inspiration comes also from the English countryside - its colours, moods, textures, history, myths and folklore. ~ Janet Cook

Moon over the Valley, 2004, by Janet Cook

Finally, did we mention how we first 'met' Janet Cook in cyberspace? We discovered her site while we were researching a quilt block called "Moon over the Mountain".  During our quest, we came across the stunning art quilt - and free pattern - which Janet calls "Moon over the Valley." 

~This is my adaptation of the traditional block "Moon over the Mountain". As I cannot see mountains from my home, just a gentle valley, I devised this block to enable me to make a quilt based on my village. ~ Janet Cook

Closing thoughts: By now you can probably tell that Janet Cook inspires us with her life and work as a textile artist, designer, and teacher. In discussing her prize-winning quilts, Janet explains her approach with a dose of humor:

"I am very lucky to have won any prizes at all, because I don't set out to meet a judge's criteria for piecing and quilting. I respond to a stimulus and make my quilts in the way that seems best to suit that stimulus... you can see the problems I present to judges !"  ~ Janet Cook

*SHOW OPENING:  Designer Crafts at the Mall 2011 will be presented by the Society of Designer Craftsmen in January 2011 at The Mall Galleries, The Mall , London SW1 (near Admiralty Arch off Trafalgar Square). Opening January 8, through January 16.  It will be a chance to view and buy works from some of the UK’s most innovative and creative designer makers.

Thoughts on Christmas

For today we looked for a quilt to share that would embody the Christmas message: "Peace on Earth".  We found what we were looking for in the work of Carol Bridges.

Can we sew peace by morning?, 53 x 60, by Carol Bridges, at Carol Bridges Art Quilts

In this evocative piece, the world is a quilt. The women quilters express their hopes and dreams for peace by working to hand-stitch the quilt together. Carol Bridges notes that the loving kindness represented by this vision is seen in women quilters everywhere. In fact, it is a common bond we all share as quilters.

You can read about "Can we sew peace by morning?" at Carol Bridges' online gallery, where you will find many art quilts that speak to your innermost desires and dreams. Her artist's statement reads: "Each of my quilts is designed to invite the viewer into a deeper relationship with the Self. If you meditate and visualize yourself entering the scene depicted in the quilt, you will find spiritual treasures waiting there."

Image credits and links:  The image is shown with the generous permission of Carol Bridges.  She creates original works of fabric art in her woodland studio in beautiful Brown County, Indiana. You can also read about quiltaway retreats at the Wild Grace classroom.

Dances With Nature: The Quilts of Frieda Anderson

Frieda Anderson is a renowned author, teacher, artist, and quilt designer whose custom-dyed fabrics form the basis for her dazzling quilts,  which celebrate the vibrancy of the natural world. Educated as a professional artist and fashion designer, Frieda decided in 1992 that she wanted to devote  her career to her full time fascination with quilts. The results have been a highly successful collection of fabrics, classes, patterns, books... and magnificent quilts!

Spring Greetings, 38 x 50, 2008

"Spring Greetings" is an award-winning quilt, constructed with Frieda's own hand dyed silks and cottons. The quilt displays one of Frieda's "signatures":  her resplendent cerulean blue and aqua fabric, which vibrantly captures the tones of sky and water. The golden yellow daffodils create a stunning contrast. Spring Greetings recently (April 2010) won the second place award for wall quilts at an American Quilters Society show. The subtle highlights in the sky and green grass create a lovely glow, which would really brighten up any wall by bringing the outdoors inside. For more information see the Spring Greetings webpage.


Duluth Trees, 26 x 35, 2007

Green triangles depict the foliage of these graceful pine trees, as their gently curved trunks sway in the breeze.  The horizontal quilting lines at the base of the tree trunks provides a perfect balance to the vertical focal points provided by the tree trunks. We love this sparkling, contemporary quilt which draws the eye into a serene and enchanted forest. For more information see the Duluth Trees webpage.


Walks In the Woods

Frieda writes that each day, she takes a walk in the woods with her dog, George. Her quilts almost always reflect her fascination with nature, and what she sees on her walks. This quilt celebrates the trees in the woods, with golden sunlight shining through the leaves. By depicting tall slender tree trunks and showing a cut away section of the roots, Frieda has emphasized the vertical lines she sees on her walks. The quilt is in a permanent collection; see the details, here.


Illinois Landscape, 42 x 24, 2007

"Illinois Landscape" depicts the gently rolling hills of the northern prairies. Frieda shows the gradations of the beautiful purple sky with streaks of lavender and magenta in her vibrant hand-dyed fabric. She carries the use of stripes and streaks through to the green, brown, and orange fields, where the stripes suggest freshly plowed earth, ready for planting. For details, click here.

Woodland Treasures II

"Woodland Treasures II" is a fabulous example of Frieda's quilting skills. This lovely piece was quilted with rayon and silk thread, on cotton and silk fabric. During the first week of November 2010, Frieda will be teaching her much acclaimed and attended workshop on machine quilting at the  International Quilt Festival 2010 in Houston, TX.  Frieda writes about her teaching experiences at major quilt festivals on her blog, Walks In the Woods.


Dancing Trees, 16 x 20, and Autumn Mums, 30 x 20

Frieda sells patterns for some of her spectacular quilts on her patterns page.    Above, we're showing two of our favorites: "Dancing Trees" and  "Autumn Mums".  In Dancing Trees, trees with brilliantly colored leaves seem to embrace each other.   We also love Autumn Mums... the joyful flowers seem to jump right off the quilt!  In addition to the instructions, this pattern comes with its own step-by-step demonstration on DVD, so that you can easily follow the quilt-making process.  You can bring the outdoors in by creating these radiant art quilts.  Finally, wouldn't it be great to have fabric in just exactly the shade that you need?  Frieda's brand new book, Fabric to Dye For, contains complete instructions for creating your own fabulous fabric; and Fun Fast Fusies provides detailed, easy-to-follow instructions on creating these beautiful images by using fusible applique.  The books are available at the Friestyle shop.

Image credits: Images are shown with the generous permission of Frieda Anderson.

"Loss", by Claire Crocker

The work of textile art entitled "Loss", above, captured our attention from the moment we saw it. The visual and emotional impact of the artwork is immediate, and it conveys a sense of poignancy commensurate with its name. Claire Crocker confirms that the piece was inspired by the experience of bereavement: "I wanted to capture the sense of being folded in on your self when you are very sad."

The red fabrics are hand-dyed and hand-painted. A special technique called furrowing was used to create the deep texture (please click on the image to bring up a larger view, showing the precise furrowing and other details). We were astonished to learn that this powerful piece measures only 24 x 34cm - about 9 x 13 inches, or the size of an A4 piece of paper. Regardless of size, the method takes a huge amount of fabric, which is manipulated, folded and stitched.

Claire explains that she has had a life-long fascination with sheen and luster. After this piece, she has gone on to explore further the wonderful effects that can be achieved with this technique on shot silk.

Claire Crocker lives and works in the UK. To read about Claire and her work, visit her web page at ColourFx Textile Art.

Image credit and links: The image is shown with permission of the artist. Claire also referred us to Colette Wolff's masterwork 'The Art of Manipulating Fabric' for additional information.

Fire and Energy : The Art Quilts of Barbara Olson

An award-winning artist, teacher, and quilter from the Pacific Northwest, Barbara Olson creates captivating quilts that are famous for their high-chroma color combinations and dynamic sense of movement. Next month (May 2010) Barbara will be a featured artist and teacher at the Denver National Quilt Festival. We're pleased to be able to show a few of Barbara’s dynamic works of art, below.

City of Midnight Sun,101 x 101

City of the Midnight Sun won the Best of Show award at the Pacific International Quilt Festival in California in 2007. Barbara machine-pieced, appliquéd, quilted, and embellished it. She shows us a city in the distance, surrounded by a circular pathway, which draws our eye to the the center of the quilt. Because the buildings seem so far away, they have almost a mythical, allegorical quality to them, as if they exist in another time and space.

The sunburst, flaming aura, and blue border- comprised of thousands of tiny appliqued pieces - leads us to imagine that we are viewing this scene from a vantage point in deep space, as we travel through space. Barbara has used the complementary colors of medium blue and golden yellow to provide maximum contrast, as well as juxtaposing the circular, flickering halo next to the straight lines of what might very well be trails of comets or stardust.

Peacock Flower, 36 x 36

Peacock Flower is one of Barbara’s recent works. This quilt’s stunning beauty is due in part to the contrasts which immediately capture the viewer’s eye. Vividly cool monochromatic blues, turquoises, and aquas are displayed against a blazing sunset of yellow, orange, and pink. The fabric is cut into many curves and wave-like shapes to give the impression of a gigantic blossom undulating languidly in the wind. However the center of the flower is embellished by a beautiful pointed, embroidered, red and pink star, which is a form of thread painting.

Atlantis: An Ancient Message, 78 x 78



In this quilt, the viewer peers through an imaginary looking glass or keyhole to behold an enchanted city, rising from the mist. Tall buildings contrast with gentle curves of the surrounding pieces. They seem like swirling veils which drift apart to allow us to view a scene from another era. Barbara has used striped and streaked borders to give us a sense of moving through time and dimension, as passing objects fly past. Atlantis was the winner of the Visions of Tomorrow category of the Millennium Contest A Quilt for the Year 2000, sponsored by E.E. Schenck/Maywood Studios.

In addition to her inspirational workshops, Barbara is the author of Journey of an Art Quilter, a colorful motivational book that provides cutting edge techniques. In her new DVD, Jumpstart Your Creativity, Barbara shares her methods for creating breathtaking quilts. The DVD is available on her website, here.



Image credits: Images are courtesy of Barbara Olson.

A perception of depth: the art of Dianne Vottero Dockery

Today we're privileged to be able to share with you the work of an artist who truly inspires us. Dianne Vottero Dockery received the Master of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communication from Syracuse University, has owned and managed a graphic design firm, taught as a tenured university professor at Kutztown University, and now enjoys her life as a studio collage artist. Dianne's focus is on fiber (cloth and paper) collage. Her work has been displayed in exhibits, galleries and museums across the country, including the nationally renowned Amazing Art Quilts exhibit. We're so pleased to show you four of her amazing works of art, below.

Tipsy Tabletop, 47" x 35"


"Tipsy Tabletop", above, is a classic still life with the look of an oil painting, but is actually a work of fabric art. The tipsy tabletop provides a dynamic perspective which draws the viewer into the scene, bringing to mind the works of Cézanne and Matisse. The objects on the table - orange poppies in a cobalt blue vase, fruit, and a glass of wine - are arrayed against a blue (batik) tablecloth. We love the idea that the tablecloth, which would be made of fabric in real life, is rendered in fabric here. Dianne used commercial batiks and hand-dyed cotton sateen; the materials were free-cut, fused, hand-appliqued, machine quilted, and painted with oil sticks and colored pencils. Be sure to click on the image to see the detail.

Pair of Paphiodilum, 44" x 33"



The sense of depth is apparent in "Pair of Paphiodilum", above, with its exquisite hothouse blooms. The large orchid in the foreground, with its luminous green and violet hues and velvety texture, appears close enough to touch; the much smaller plant pot recedes by comparison. The deep blue colors and leafy textures of the batik background add to the mysterious feeling of the piece. "Pair of Paphiodilum" was created with commercial batiks and hand-dyed sateens, which were free-cut, hand-appliqued, machine quilted, and painted with acrylics.

Beyond I, 32" x 22"



What lies beyond? In "Beyond I", above, a sense of depth is created through the layering, shading, and shadowing of the textiles, which include commercial cottons, hand-dyed cotton sateens, and silk organza. The brilliant blue organza, which provides a focal point, contrasts sharply with the intense orange shades of the sateens. The sateen pieces are machine stitched to emphasize their shapes, and their jagged white edges are outlined with dark shadows to provide depth. This piece was not painted. The beauty of "Beyond I" lies in the artful and harmonious arrangement of the contrasting colors, values, shapes, and textures of the materials.

Barn Art I, 40" x 33"



In "Barn Art I", above, Dianne has captured perfectly the appearance of a barn, with its rough wood boards, which have weathered to a silvery gray color, and its dark interior. One bright red plank leans at an angle, reminding us of the original "barn red" color. The rough texture of wood was created by collaging narrow strips of fabric in different shades and textures, and by painting with oil sticks (please click on the image to see the intricate detail). In creating the collage, Dianne used commercial cottons and tulle; the fabrics were free-cut, fused, raw-edge appliqued, and machine-stitched.

Image Credits and Links

All images are courtesy of Dianne Vottero Dockery.

The pieces displayed here reflect Dianne's painterly style; examples of her more graphic style can be viewed on Dianne's website.

We previously wrote about one of Dianne's galleried mini collages, entitled "Pear of Hearts". To see that post, click here.