Art Quilts

Quilters, like all artists, draw upon elements from many sources and fuse them in unexpected and exciting ways. My quilting is reflective of the many artists and influences, and I found my own way of creating new works. The following quilts express my own voice as it is evolving.

Forget Me Not

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2018. 74 x 71 inches

This quilt was made in memory of my dear friend Mary Allen. The five-sided blocks represent her five children, and the flowers, butterflies, and birds were some of her favorite things. I first saw the five-sided blocks in the work of Karen Loprete, an inspirational quilter friend from SAQA.

Woodland Avenue

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2013. 20 x 26 inches

The Good Food Store

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2014. 40 x 42 inches

Ghost Town Interior

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2014. 62 x 59 inches

Outside the Block is a small group of friends who meet periodically for critique, encouragement, challenge, and friendship. Diane Francini, Judy Prohaska, Robin Schofield, my sister-in-law Rita Stark, and I exchanged liberated doll blocks, resulting in this quilt. The others have each created their own quilts with the blocks they received.

Doll Friends

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2011. 45 x 30 inches

Challenge

Quilt using silk, cotton, wool, raw-edge appliqué, and block printing

Circa 2010. 32 x 32 inches

Chop Sticks

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2013. 24 x 28 inches

Green and Orange

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2013. 19 x 19 inches

Oh! I Love What You Are Wearing

Quilt of cotton, silk, upholstery fabric, and buttons, machine and hand quilted

2017. 25 x 25 inches

I was inspired to make this quilt by a fashion show of Dyllis Braithwraite’s creations. She designed and sewed these clothes as advertisements for selling fabric in her fabric shop.

Stream of Consciousness

Cotton quilt, machine and hand quilted 2018. 17 x 26 inches

I created this piece with Japanese fabrics using the Boro technique, which reflects the history of the piece and is reminiscent of the impermanence and imperfection in our world. As the piece wears out, more and more patches are sewn over the rips, tears, and worn-out areas using long and decorative stitches, creating something new and different to use and enjoy.

Crystallization

Cotton quilt, machine quilted

2019. 25 x 33 inches

Kusama’s Polka Dots

Cotton quilt, machine quilted 2019. 25 x 28 inches

I love the imaginative work of Yayoi Kusama and share her love of polka dots.

“OUR EARTH IS ONLY ONE POLKA DOT AMONG A MILLION STARS IN THE COSMOS.”—Yayoi Kusama, 1968

12” by 12” Challenge Quilts

Cotton quilts, machine quilted

2011–2013. 12 x 12 inches

In my art quilting group (Women Against the Grain) we challenged ourselves with various topics for twelve-inch square quilts. Here are some of my results. The challenge, title, and year are listed below each column of quilts.