Catherine Timm

catherinetimm.com

I draw my inspiration from my great love of nature and my ever growing library of drawings, photographs, and designs.  I use fibres, materials, and colour to build unique collages.  This very creative process allows me to explore the use of textiles, fibres, paint, embellishments and stitching.  The purpose of my art is to create beauty and express my feeling and experiences with colour relationships, shapes, and linear movement.  I also enjoy engaging and sharing my passion with the people who collect my work.  

JoAnne Gauci Gallery in Beachburg, Ontario, Canada, carries my work.

Artist's statement:  I am a passionate fibre/mixed media artist who employs surface design techniques and incorporates unusual hand painted, hand dyed fabrics, paper, found objects, hand and machine quilting to depict landscapes and abstract art.  I share my enthusiasm by teaching techniques to others in workshops and seminars.  I  also take every opportunity to learn new techniques from others and employ them in my designs.

Location:  Westmeath, Ontario, Canada

Social Media:  LinkedIn

Memberships:

   SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates

   Ontario Craft Counil

   Canadian Artists Representation

Languages spoken:  English

"Quiet Winter Forest", Art Quilt by Catherine Timm

"Icy Grass on a Winter's Day" Art Quilt by Catherine Timm

Morna Crites-Moore * Wicked Waif

http://www.mornacrites-moore.com

There is a soft spot in my soul for old and worn items, especially textiles. I find great pleasure in recycling abandoned articles of clothing into new works of art. I have a special kinship with old woolens, particularly old sweaters, which I turn into felted wool through a fulling process of repeated agitation in hot, soapy water. The resulting wool felt is thick, luxurious, and available in all the  rich colors which seem to find their way to me via thrift stores, yard sales and caring friends.

My household motto, passed down from my grandmother, through my mother, and now from me to my daughter, is waste not, want not.  I find it very difficult to throw anything away because I can imagine a potential use for almost any object. My studio overflows with stuff waiting, ever so patiently, to be used. It can be overwhelming at times to have so much in the way of raw materials. I actually work best when I have a limited amount of materials to work with. Nonetheless, when I handle my many vintage textiles - velvet, silk, lace, wool - often incorporating found objects, metals, jewels, and antique buttons into the creative process, I am quite happily in my element.

The making becomes a meditation and I become lost in the process.

The outcome runs the gamut from small art quilts, to penny rugs, garlands, ornaments, flags, purses, pincushions, scarves, cuffs, small samples of sewn folk art, dolls, and so on. I never know what direction I’ll head for . . . it’s a mystery.

Artist's statement:  I'd like to set dreams free - yours or mine. I'd like to create things which are so meaningful they may just break my heart, or speak to your soul. Through my work, I hope to know us both better ..... to become closer to my core truth, to meet you (and you, and you), to learn about and honor this earth we all share.

I like it when my work speaks as well as when it listens.


Location:  Redding, Connecticut, USA
Online shop:  Wicked Waif Fiber
Blogs:  
   mornacrites-moore
   mornacrites-moore (tumblr)
Social Media:  LinkedIn
Memberships:
   SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates 
Languages spoken:  English

FLYING GEESE - recycled wool sweaters 

and vintage buttons, 16” x 16.5”

Tags:  "recycled sweaters" "felted wool" "vintage textiles" "buttons" "flags" "dolls" "little quilts" "penny rugs" "make do" "wicked waif"

Peggy Brown

"The Landscape Within", Art Quilt by Peggy Brown

www.peggybrownart.com

Even though I paint and quilt for myself - for the challenge and joy of it - I know that visual art must be seen to be heard and true fulfillment comes when someone else unites with my vision and becomes a part of my marks on paper or fabric.

What began as a hobby around 40 years ago soon became an obsession and then a profession as my work began receiving recognition in Juried Exhibitions.  This led to gallery representation  and purchase by many public and private collectors.  Cheered on by my husband, Jim, and our three sons, I participated and sold in quite a few of the major Art Fairs and Festivals.  I have been asked  to demonstrate and  teach many workshops in the United States and Canada. I no longer travel to exhibit and sell, but my work is shown in several galleries, museums and on my web site:  www.peggybrownart.com.

Artist's statement:  My studio time is divided between "paintings on paper" and my newer obsession, "paintings on fabric."  I approach my art quilts from the viewpoint of a watercolor artist and use the same media and methods I used for years when painting on paper.  

To begin, I wet the substrate, then freely brush on paint letting the pigments mingle and follow their personal paths as they dry.  This process is repeated several times for more depth and richness.  After drying the marks on the paper or fabric inspire and help me choose a way to continue and complete the image.  

My goal is to take a free-flowing start; and using collage, overlays of more pigment and drawing, compose a well-designed finish.   At times, using treated fabric, I make inkjet transfers from my original paintings, then reconstruct the transfers into a new design. I try to express images that are on, above and below the surface.  By keeping each painted layer transparent, I invite the viewer to follow as I work and perceive the process from tentative beginnings to the final touch.  Some of my beginnings become non-objective abstracts, some become landscapes or still life.

Location:  Nashville, Indiana, USA

Memberships: 

   Studio Art Quilt Associates
   Surface Design Association
   International Quilting Association

Languages spoken:  English

"Another Form", Art Quilt by Peggy Brown

Tags:  painting, quilting, fiber art, surface design, abstract, landscapes

Mary Pal Designs

www.MaryPalDesigns.com

My passion for fiber art and my love of texture has led me to creating portraits using cheesecloth.  It brings me such pleasure to meet people who want to collect my work, to enjoy it in their homes.  I also enjoy teaching fiber art students how to use my technique to create their own pieces.

Artist's statement:  Sculpting a portrait in wet cheesecloth is a slow process, and in the act of creation, I develop a relationship to the figure as I work on the features and contemplate the line of a mouth, a raised eyebrow, creases around the eyes. The positive and negative space created by light and shadow, and how these can be depicted through the contrast of cheesecloth over a dark background, intrigue me. 

Location:  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Memberships:  

   Board member, Studio Art Quilt Associates
   Member, Surface Design Association
Social Media:  LinkedIn

Languages spoken:  Canuck  (English) 

"Memories of Gombe", Jane Goodall Art Quilt by Mary Pal

"Nereids", Textile by Mary Pal Designs

"Homeless Love"  Cheesecloth Textile by Mary Pal

Tags:  cheesecloth, portraits, fiber art, art quilts, textile art

Eileen Doughty / Doughty Designs

"Tree Tea", Sculptural Threadwork by Doughty Designs

http://www.DoughtyDesigns.com

Studio fiber artist.  I create free-standing three-dimensional fiber art made of thread (once I realized I loved thread so much, I figured out how to drop out the fabric).   I also create landscape art quilts (with lots of threadwork). 

I founded Doughty Designs in 1991 and have been creating commissioned work in the textile medium ever since.  From 2002-06 I was a regional co-representative for Studio Art Quilts Associates and am now the Website Coordinator. I have taught and lectured on various aspects of art quilts in several states.  My work is in private, public, and corporate collections, and has been exhibited on five continents. 

My work is available at Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery  (Alexandria, Virginia), Mobilia Gallery  (Cambridge, Massachusetts), and at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia's Museum Shop (Virginia Beach, Virginia).

Artist's statement:  I love the concept of ""place"" and so my preferred subject matter is the landscape.  Often my inspiration (and sometimes even my materials) comes from the trees I know so well, in my own yard and neighborhood. Currently my work focuses on exploring what makes fiber art so unique: texture, freedom of shape of the ""canvas,"" and employing three rather than two dimensions.

After creating art quilts for many years, particularly utilizing thread-sketching techniques to ""draw"" on the surface, I came to realize that I love thread even more than I love fabric.  This led to my exploration of machine-stitching sculptural objects made only of thread.

Location:  Vienna, Virginia, USA

Memberships:  

   Studio Art Quilt Associates

   Surface Design Association

Languages:  English, American Sign Language

"Maple Basket", Sculptural Threadwork by Doughty Designs

Tags:  fiber art, thread sculpture, three-dimensional fiber, teapot, teapot set, bowl, vessel, stitched cotton thread, fine art, Doughty Designs

Dreamscapes Studio

"Emerald Westcoast", Framed Art Quilt by Donna-Fay Digance of Dreamscapes Studio

www.donnafaydigance.com

I create one of a kind, original art fabric hangings using hand-dyed silk and a variety of fabrics. Some of my images are quilted fabric collages while others are quilted silk paintings. I am inspired by the pristine beauty of Saturna Island with it’s vistas of shore, mountains and forests. I see the arbutus, fir and cedar trees swaying in the wind as akin to my dance and fantasy images as everything is in motion striving for freedom from gravity.  My hangings are richly machine embroidered.  The artwork can be displayed in my own open box frames, hung with a custom made hanger, doweling and picture hooks or framed with museum archival matting.   

Artist statement:   Hi, my name is Donna-Fay Digance. My background is in painting and printmaking.  When I moved to this pristine west coast island, I wanted to work with more eco-friendly materials. I’ve always loved the colour, textures and patterns of fabric so now I use a variety of commercial fabrics combined with my own hand dyed and painted silk and cottons. The intricate cutting of the shapes, arranged in many layers and quilted, combined with drawing, painting and machine embroidery, helps me create this uniquely individual collection of work. Living on Saturna Island inspires me to try and capture the beauty and serenity of nature that surrounds me in this pristine, tranquil oasis.

I’m lucky enough to have my own beautiful studio, in which to experiment and create.  I enjoy working on commissions of any size. You can see the triptych I did for Parks Canada and some my other work at my website; www.donnafaydigance.com.

Location:  Saturna Island, British Columbia, Canada

Online shops:

   website

   dreamscapes123 (Etsy)

Memberships:

   Surface Design Association
   Surface Design Association of BC
   SAQA- Studio Art Quilt Associates
   Saturna Island Tourism Association

Languages spoken:  English

"Ocean Perch", Framed Art Quilt by Donna-Fay Digance of Dreamscapes Studio

Tags: home decor, art, fabric art ,island landscapes, fabric hangings, fantasy, dancers, seashore, mountains, forest

Therese May

http://www.theresemay.com

I work with interior designers, art consultants, art collectors, and art lovers wanting to create an uplifting and colorful living area or work space that reflects their personality and inspires them to make their dreams come true. My art quilts add color and vibrancy to your home and office.

I also teach workshops for quilt lovers who love to make quilts and expand their creativity.

Artist statement:  The walls are covered with art, and everywhere you look, there is some sign that art quilts are being made. I love the idea that "Home is where the Heart is" and I also feel that "Home is where the Art is". My Art is from my Heart, most definitely. I also believe that art is for healing. Each and every one of us is creative. Each child is born with creativity. This is part of who we are. Each person is unique and capable of expressing something which reflects his/her own individual quality. There is a Creative Spiritual Energy which flows through us all, and which connects us all together. I believe that we can use this energy to create whatever we want to experience in life. Some of the tools that I use for my creative expression are meditation, prayer, and journaling, drawing, and painting, quilt making, and working with clay. I truly believe that I am fed by Spirit when I do these things, and that over the years, my life has been transformed because of my creative and Spiritual practice.

Location:  San Jose, California, USA

Online shops:

   theresemay  (Etsy)
   theresemay/bumperstickers  (Zazzle)
   Inspiration Quilts
   Recent Work
   Abundance Quilts
   E-Books
   Little Bags of Affirmations
   Artful Home

Brick and Mortar:

   Therese May Art Shop
   1068 The Alameda
   Suite 4
   San Jose, CA 95126
   Open by Appointment

Blog:  theresemay
Social Media:   
   YouTube Channel
   Twitter 

Memberships:

   SAQA
   CQFA
   Alliance for American Quilts

Languages spoken:  English

"Boy and Girl Elves", Art Quilt by Therese May

Tags:  quilts, art quilts, embellished quilts, painted quilts, quilted portraits, textile artist, quilt workshops, quilting classes, wall quilts, fabric, machine quiilting

PKL Designs

www.pkldesigns.com

Transplanted from Jamaica to the prairies of Wyoming, I dye paint silk and create bright, flowing contemporary fiber art pieces ...wall hangings, banners, paintings, table runners, garments to order, small purses. I'm looking for folks who like to enhance their homes and offices with color. Custom commissions are always welcome.

- Phillippa K. Lack

Artist statement:  To beautify the world with my art.

The fluid surface of the silk dares me to play with its shifting textures. The fibers hold and release the tropical colors of my childhood in their own quixotic alchemy. From the sheer transparency of silk chiffon to the deeply-plied silk charmeuse, each fabric takes the precious French dyes from my brush like a willful child.

Once you’ve touched your brush to the silk, you are committed. Whether it is wall décor or clothing, there is no changing your mind, no backtracking. Brush, dye, silk … the path is unforgiving. But this immediacy allows me to flow with the moment, be completely present. An error becomes another choice, a different commitment, another path to walk. An initial vision, which at first seems to be mine, becomes its own master.


Location:   Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
Memberships: 
   Silk Painters International (SPIN) master silk painter
   Surface Design Association
   Studio Art Quilt Associates
Languages spoken:  English

Silk Painting by PKL Designs

Referrals:

“Gorgeous colors and exquisite craftsmanship are hallmarks of PKL Designs.  Phillipa's creativity and artistic curiosity continually expand her work so that each beautiful textile is truly a one-of-a-kind treasure.”
July 16, 2011    Deborah Davis  Owner, Davis Textile Restoration


“Phillippa creates superb, and beautiful silk paintings.  She created a piece for me that is not only absolutely lovely and eye-catching, but also garners many compliments to any who view it in my home.  I highly recommend her.”
July 22, 2011   Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Expert
Nancy Fowler,  hired Phillippa as an Artist in 2006
 

“Phillippa's work is exquisite as well as impeccably crafted. Her aesthetic vision is clear. She is very disciplined in her work. I knew her while I was on the staff of the Wyoming Arts Council many years ago and continue to consider her a fine colleague in the arts.”
July 31, 2011     Jennie Kiessling, Communications Coordinator, Wyoming Arts C

Tags:  silkpainting, fiberart, handpainted silk, silk purses, wall hangings, silk scarves

Ruby Wings Designs, Peggy Wright

www.rubywings.com

My name is Peggy Wright. I am passionate about fibers, beads, and color in whatever form, and I love both hand and machine work. I now focus on art quilting, incorporating hand beadwork and thread embroidery, hand and machine appliqué, and machine piecing, free motion quilting, thread sketching, and thread painting. I often create dimensional work using beads, thread, and any other material that seems to fit the piece. I also have started painting on fabric, using the painted fabric as background or applique.

In my current business, I sell beading kits for jewelry. I have beaded for over 20 years and have taught nationally at conferences. Currently, I teach a beading class through the Embroiderer’s Guild of America (EGA). My shift to quilting and two-dimensional art occurred only a few years ago, and I hope to sell my art quilts in the future.

Artist statement:  Color and texture drive my art. I paint with fabric, beads, and thread to create a distinctive visual and tactile experience for the viewer.

Location:  St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Online shops:

   Ruby Wings Designs (website)
   Ruby Wings Designs (Etsy)
Social Media:  Connectedthreadz

Memberships:

   SAQA
   Minnesota Contemporary Quilters
   Evergreen Quilters

Languages spoken:  English

Art Quilts by Ruby Wings Designs

Tags:   Art, Fiber Art, Fiberart, Art Quilt, Wall Hanging, Wall Quilt, Fabric Art, Textile Art, Bead Embroidery, Beading on Quilts

Wendy Mamattah Braid and Stitch

http://braidandstitch.com

We love to create African Inspired innovative Quilt and Fiber Art as well as contemporary western pieces in the mix.  That is what braidandstitch is all about!

I'm Wendy Mamattah and the owner and CEO of Braid and Stitch and an award winning quilt and fiber artist living in Portland, Oregon. Originally a Journalist from Ghana in West Africa, I have always loved working with fabrics.  As a child in primary school , as early as age five, I often received prizes for needlework instead of English or Geography which made me realize that there was a part inside of me that loved to create.

My work continues to evolve in both subject and technique. Recurring throughout in strong, clear color, texture, visual impact, and meticulous detail. I love the colors of the world as it is. I love the colors that can be imposed on the real world to see it in a new way. The world is enlivened not only by color but also by its textures. I want to get in close and observe the nearly hidden textures of all of the creations of nature. I want to climb up high and see the equally hidden textures of the world as a bird might see it. I want to examine the faces and postures of the people who share the world with me.

My current works which display on this website depict a lot of Africa. I love the vibrant colors of African fabrics and the way they pop to the eye when one looks at them.  Most of my quilts tell a story, and a lot of my stories represent my African heritage which I carry with me everywhere I go.

My quilts have lots of character and dimension as well as a very unique look which are the differences my choices of fabric make.  Beading and painting accentuate my work.

I recently started a pincushion line which I have on my Etsy page, they are called 'Deceptively Yummy Cup Cake Pincushions', a huge 'must have' for sewers, quilters, and hat wearers.  Soon I will have a wearable art line which will also be in ethnic vein.

Artist statement:  The freedom to express what the mind sees as beautiful, whether constructed in fabric or any other art medium, is an amazing gift.  Here at Braid and Stitch we do just that!

Location:  Portland, Oregon, USA

Online shops:  braidandstitch,  braidandstitch (etsy)

Blog:  quiltednonsense

Social Media:   Twitter,  LinkedIn   

Memberships:

   American Quilters Society
   Northwest Quilters Guild  (Portland, OR)
   SAQA
   Columbia Fiber Arts Guild  (Portland, OR)

Languages spoken:  English

"Beautiful Nonsense" by Wendy Mamattah of Braid and Stitch

Tags:  African inspired, Pincushions, Cupcake pincushions, braidandstitch, needle art, handmade, handcrafted, art quilts, fiber art, art,

Kathie Briggs

www.kathiebriggs.com

My love of fabrics began when I made my own dress for a 7th grade party. Over the years I’ve enjoyed sewing fashion and home dec projects and designing fiber art dolls but my passion is creating textile artwork inspired by the flora and fauna of northern Michigan where every season bring new wonders.

I am fascinated by the interplay of color, form and texture.  My artwork sometimes includes tactile elements like beading and layering as well as dimensional components such as wired leaves.  I enjoy combining my own hand-dyed and painted fabric with a wide variety of commercial fabrics. 

My work has been exhibited in galleries, art centers and at national and international quilt shows; and has been featured in books and magazines. I am a member of, the Charlevoix Circle of Arts, the Crooked Tree Art Center, and the Jordan River Arts Center, and a professional artist member of the Studio Art Quilt Associates.

In addition to my artwork I offer a variety of art workshops including "Creating Strong Compositions" and "Capturing the Muse," as well as several art doll workshops.

Artist's statement:   It's the visual and tactile texture of fabric enhanced by the impression made by the stitch that induces me to create art with fiber.

 

Location:  Charlevoix, Michigan, USA

Blog:  kathiebriggs
Other social media:  LinkedIn 

Memberships:  

   Studio Art Quilt Associates
   Fiber Artists Coalition

Languages spoken:  English

"Polyphemus Moth", 40" x 28", by Kathie Briggs

"Heron on a Stump",  28"x 40", by Kathie Briggs

Tags:  Textile Art, Fiber Art, Art Quilts, Art Dolls, Nature, Layers, Seasons, Wildlife, Michigan

Linda A. Miller

www.lindamillerdesigns.com

I am a fiber artist with a love of cloth, color, movement, texture…and the desire to share beauty with others.  I also have an ongoing community project:  The Bhavana Project, based on Tibetan prayer flags. Please visit!  The third set of flags is currently in progress.

Artist statement:  I came to quilt making in the 1990’s with a varied background in fine arts and textiles.  A love of fabric made the fiber arts medium an easy choice once I realized that drawing, painting or printmaking skills could be added to quilting.  The desire to slow down and feel the cloth beneath my fingers continually nudges me back to my roots in hand work, especially embroidery, which I incorporate into my pieces.  I thrive on the unpredictability of the art making process, and find manipulating the fabric surface with paint, water, heat or thread a wonderful way to play.  This layering technique stretches not only the cloth’s textural potential, but my creative visualization.   

My imagery is inspired by flowing water, the power of the sun, or the interplay between dynamic movement and stillness.  Inspiration is linked to being present in the moment.  For me, creative practice and meditation practice go hand in hand.  Both ground and nourish my journey of discovery.  In turn, I delight in sharing what I have learned with others so that they can also open to their unique creative voice.

Location:  Culver City, CA,  USA

Blog:  lindamillerdesigns

Other social media:  LinkedIn

Memberships:  

   Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA)
   Surface Design Association
   Quilts on the Wall

Languages spoken:  English, some German

Fluid Fissure 2 by Linda A. Miller

Tags:  water, flow, sun, embroidered, paint, energy, hand work, prayer flags

Wen Redmond

www.wenredmond.com

Fiber/Digital/ Mixed Media Artist. Explore Possibilities. What if factors. Stretch!

"Wen Redmond has worked in the fiber field since 1973, when she made her first intuitive pieced art quilt. Her work merges digital processes, photography, collage and surface design; an unusual use of fiber. She delights in creating dialogue, changing perspectives and perceptions of fiber."

Artist's statement:   I am quite passionate about my work. I continue to explore my chosen medium, fabric, to see what it can do, to stretch its perception as art medium.

When I work, I encourage a collaborative process with spirit or my higher self, that mind-boggling principle of the universe. This process can also be called ‘flow’. When you are in this state of mind, the intuitive is tapped and the work can become more than the sum of it’s parts. I work out insights, inspirations, feelings and reactions to the outer world. Allowing time for these inspirations to percolate up from my unconscious is a vital part of my process.

Each piece is wrought individually and is one of a kind. These include original photographs, artistically manipulated, printed on prepared fabrics and various textile substrates. The works can include painting, dying, stamping screen-printing, mono printing and other means of surface design. Among a variety of presentations, I created an innovative technique, Holographic Images, employing photographs on silk organza to create a unique 3-D effect.

Layers peeled back reveal the source, the inspiration, and my mad desire to capture thoughts, dreams and the beauty of nature.

Location:  Strafford, New Hampshire, USA
Online shops:  artfulhome
   Antiques on Etsy
Blog:  fiberartgoddess
Facebook:  Personal page
Twitter:  wenredmond 
Youtube:   wenredmond
Memberships:  
   Studio Art Quilt Association NH/ME/VT Co Rep
   fiberrevolution
   League of New Hampshire Craftsmen
   Surface Design Association
Languages spoken:  English

"Whispers of the Positive" by Wen Redmond

Tags:  Digital, Photography, surface design, mixed media, collage, holographic, fiber, workshops, stitching, creative, book making, journels

Anni Hunt

"Copper Pot", Detail, by Anni Hunt

www.annihunt.com

Stitching and fabric have been an important part of Anni’s life since childhood. As so many people do she started making clothes, then  moved on to quilting and now is making stitched, dyed and painted 3d pieces and wall hangings.  All art making gives its creator certain freedoms and creating work in 3D has given her a new view of what she wants to and can do.

Having had a career in “grayscale” imaging she has necessarily become acutely aware of subtle changes in shade.  In many ways this has pushed her towards a love of, and perhaps a need for, the rich and colourful, but at the same time kept her very aware of changes in hue and tone.  As an artist she has found this very helpful. 

The sleek and elegant lines of Japanese design concepts has also been a strong influence on Anni.  She finds its strength and simplicity inspiring and in a way comforting.

With her containers she wants to create the contradictory feeling of containment and freedom, a contradiction which is something that everyone finds in their lives.

Artist's statment:  I have always had a very good ""eye"" for subtle changes in colour . I think my thirty years in ""grayscale"" imaging in medicine has definitely honed those skills to a finer degree than most. So it is wonderful to be able to apply that in stitch with the use of fibre and threads to create a rich and colourful texture reflecting nature in my work.

I tend to use my surroundings from the west coast and nature to influence and inspire me.
My design sense has definitely been influenced by sleek, elegant Japanese lines and the Art Deco clothing styles of Erte` to which I apply to my wearable art creations.

My work is available at Crafthouse, a gallery run by the Craft Council of British Columbia.

"Family Connections" by Anni Hunt

Location:  West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Memberships:  

   SDA, Surface Design Assoc.
   SAQA, Studio Art Quilts Assoc.
   Gail Harker Creative Studies

   Workshop on the Web

Languages spoken:  English, Norwegian

"Dream Twigs" by Anni Hunt

 

Tags:  Mixed Media, Textiles, Machine Embroidery, Collage, Encaustics, Abstracts in Nature.

Denise Labadie - Labadie Fiber Art

"Poulnabrone Dolmen", Art Quilt by Denise Labadie

The Burren, Co. Clare, Ireland

32" High x 63" Wide

www.LabadieFiberArt.com

I am a contemporary fiber artist, art quilter, and teacher. My art emphasizes  “Irish Stonescapes” – both the country's landscapes and many ancient stones and ruins. I discovered the stones in 1994 and I can't get enough of them, and visit every few years and look for new sites as well as visit some of my favorite ones as often as I can. I love commissions of other people's sacred sites.

My work is available at Shaw Cramer Gallery.

Artist's statement:  I have always been drawn to Ireland. My great grandmother came to the U.S. from Ireland in 1888, and my initial visit in 1991 affirmed a deep connection.

It was while planning a second visit that I first saw a picture of the Piper Stones, a stone circle in Co. Wicklow, that sent shivers through me. I sought them out immediately upon my return. These stones – and later, many others – “talk to me”, and I’ve focused ever since on finding new stones and using my art to convey the essence of these continuing communications. I have since come to similarly revere the country’s more recent monastic ruins.Whenever I work on a new piece, I research its “documented” story only after the work has been completed. The stones themselves – even their photographs – tell me how they want to be portrayed. I’ve met numerous similarly afflicted people.

I use a wide variety of colors, fabrics, threads, and yarns in my work. I hand paint my own fabric and then – for all my quilts other than my stone megaliths – work the same way as a stone mason works, individually cutting out, piecing, and appliquéing each stone, one by one, working from the bottom up.

The realistic appearance and textures of my stone fabric is achieved through the application of multiple layers of sun-reactive transparent Seta color paints, along with the aggressive use of sand, salt, sugar, dirt, etc., during drying cycles.

In contrast to the realism of the stones, any skies and landscapes – which are central to the context of Irish place and timelessness – are far more abstract. I use a relatively unique stripping technique for my landscapes, integrating thin horizontal pieces of fabric, trims, and yarns into a story-telling abstract of colors and textures.

Completed fabric tops are then heavily machine stitched to add even more texture and shadowing.

Location:  Longmont, Colorado,  USA

Memberships: 

   Studio Art Quilt Association
   Front Range Contemporary Quilters
   TheQuiltShow.com - Quest Artist #106

Languages spoken:  English

Monastic Ruin at Glendalough

Inspired by one of seven churches at St. Kevin's Monastery City, Co. Wicklow

Art Quilt by Denise Labadie

78" High x 60"Wide

Tags:  Megalithic, Ruins, Celtic, Dolmens, fiber artist, portals, Dun Aengus, Inishmore