Textile Art

Moose                                                             2000
106 X 122”                                                      Purchased fabric

$6000

This very large wall hanging quilt depicts a life-size moose. Animals are a very important theme in American Folk Art and true to his heritage I have placed this moose in a flat, side-on aspect. In addition, I have used a traditional American pattern of geometric leaves in the background, although the angle and placement of the design are varied to achieve a more dynamic border effect. The body of the moose is built up of 3 inch squares of fall holiday motif cotton fabric to achieve a realistic shading and expressiveness within the traditional composition. The background includes fall and foliage printed cotton cut into squares and triangles. The middle layer of the quilt is cotton flannel with a printed cotton backing. Extensive quilt stitching in a free motion leaf pattern hold the three layers of the quilt together. The binding is machine and hand stitched and a hanging sleeve is included.

Moose
Detail

Roosevelt Elk                                                   2002
94 X 107”                                                          Purchased fabric

$6000

This life-size image of a Roosevelt Elk is made from 2 1/2 inch squares and triangles of cotton fabric with floral and nature prints. The temperate rain forest habitat of the elk is depicted by variations on a traditional patchwork quilt leaf pattern. An extensive stitched overlay also depicts a foliage motif. This quilt has cotton batting inside with a printed cotton backing. The binding is machine and hand stitched and a hanging sleeve is included.

Roosevelt Elk
Detail

Rain Falls in a Distant Galaxy                2002
65 X 51”                                                    Hand dyed muslin

$500

This wall hanging quilt is pieced from rags left over from children’s tie-dye projects. As a docent at Terrace Park Elementary School , I designed and supervised a project where the children dyed T-shirts. Layers of white muslin were placed on the table to catch the drips. These pieces of fabric displayed bright and accidental colors, which I have exploited in this quilt. The squares and triangles that make up this quilt range in size from 2 to 8 inches. The variegated stitching offers a differing contrast as the eye moves across the piece. The fabric pieces are relatively large, and the geometric design simple to display the accidental dye effects to maximum advantage. The block design is a traditional American quilt pattern. This quilt has cotton batting inside with a green cotton backing. The binding is machine and hand stitched and a hanging sleeve is included.

Orange : Music Playing in a Sunlit Room            2002
67 X 51”                                                                 Purchased and hand dyed fabric

$1000

This wall hanging quilt is an exploration of color and shape. The intent is to evoke the music of several instruments playing together; some of them bold and loud, others much more delicate. I have used two traditional American quilt patterns, both of a different scale. I have used a smaller, rectangular area within a larger one. I was intrigued by an antique quilt where the maker had, by design or accident, made a small, more decorated area, and then placed it off-center on a larger background. The cotton squares and triangles that make up this quilt range in size from 2 to 8 inches. The stitched designs on this quilt are two-fold; colored yarns are couched to the fabric with metallic thread, and a pattern of five pointed stars is stitched with very fine gold thread. The name of the piece is stitched onto the bottom border. This quilt has cotton batting inside with a white pieced cotton backing. The binding is machine and hand stitched and a hanging sleeve is included.

Winter Sky Cold Sea                                        2002
59 X 43”                                                             Purchased fabrics

$500

The color in this piece reflects a careful observation of the colors of water and night. The patterns used are two traditional American quilt block patterns. I started working on a series of quilts with this theme when I lived in Alaska. The subtle and clear colors of the Alaska sea and sky are reflected in this abstract piece. The fabric is purchased and the patterns used are two traditional American quilt block patterns. Blue, green and black squares of cotton fabric are cut into squares and triangles. The larger squares are 4 inches, the smaller are 2 inches. This quilt has cotton batting inside with a blue cotton fabric backing. The quilt stitches that hold the layers together cross the quilt in a linear, diagonal pattern. The binding is machine and hand stitched. A hanging sleeve is included. This quilt can be easily washed and is suitable for bedding. It is crib sized.

Children's Tie-Dye Quilt                                      2001
64 X 51"                                                                 Hand dyed cotton muslin

Collection Barbara Courtney

This wall hanging quilt is pieced from rags left over from children’s tie-dye projects. As a docent at Terrace Park Elementary School , I designed and supervised a project where the children dyed T-shirts. Layers of white muslin were placed on the table to catch the drips. These pieces of fabric displayed bright and accidental colors, which I have exploited in this quilt. The squares and triangles that make up this quilt range in size from 2 to 8 inches.

Migration: The Movement of Fishes                  2001
60 X 51”                                                                Purchased fabric

$2000

This wall hanging quilt is pieced from a collection of brightly colored purchased fabrics cut into 1 1/2 inch squares and triangles. The geometric pattern is not a traditional patchwork pattern but one I devised after an exploration of tessellating shapes. The small scale also allowed me to gradate the color carefully and achieve a greater degree of luminosity. In contrast to the geometric fish shape, I finished the piece with lines of stitching that represent a much more naturalistic fish image. This stitching does not contrast strongly with the other color and is intended to reward the viewer’s closer inspection. This quilt has cotton batting inside with a green cotton backing. The binding is machine and hand stitched and a hanging sleeve is included.
Migration: The Movement of Fishes
Detail