As I grow and emerge as a person, so does my art. Each new chapter in my life inspires new stories. My quilts give these experiences color, movement and shape. The process begins long before the cutting and stitching occur. Interpreting my visions often times takes months. Once the construction begins though, the quilt takes on its own personality. For me, the real excitement is in creating. I take great joy in the details. Each quilt is unique and fulfills a need for me at that time in my life.
There are three stages leading up to the completion of each piece: design, construction and surface details. My design process is purely intuitive. I don’t use templates or layout diagrams. All of the shapes are cut freehand and stabilized with interfacing so they can be moved and arranged until the idea becomes cohesive. I use a variety of textiles and fibers in different textures, colors and patterns. Many of the fabrics have been hand dyed or painted.
During the construction, all of the sewing is done by machine. Sometimes the design stage bleeds into the construction phase as pieces begin to interact with one another. As the quilt comes together, lines and shapes may need to shift or colors may need to change.
I most look forward to the surface details. Once the quilt top is sewn together, I layer it with batting and a backing material. Hours of intense machine quilting, decorative stitching, hand beading and textural embellishments are represented in each quilt. These details are what gives an otherwise flat canvas the texture and dimensionality that is unique to my work. It’s a therapeutic and contemplative time as I prepare to send my “child” off into the world.