Contemporary Quilting

I have dabbled with quilting decades ago but set it aside when I started weaving on a floor loom. I have collected fabrics over the years from local quilt shops in the USA and internationally. They have been brought out of hiding.

The possibilities are endless between the printed fabrics’ colors and graphics, shapes being combined, and added embellishments. Most fabric companies only have limited runs of their designs so one is challenged to work well with the fabric, since there are no second chances. I like to create a series of pieces that relate to my exploration of various quilting techniques.

Dimensional wall pieces, mandalas, kaleidoscope effects, puzzle pieces, Celtic themes, whimsical, and mixed-media collections are among the many themes I enjoy exploring.

Copper Wire Weaving

Working with wire has intrigued me for years. There are so many ways to manipulate the wire to hold a shape, adding dimensionality to a piece. Sometimes I thread a loom to weave just with the wire. Other times I thread the loom with strips of fabric and thread, and then weave across with the wire.

I also crochet and knit with wire, playing around with hook or needle size and adding beads and objects.

Besides working with copper wire, I also like to experiment with copper mesh, sheets, and tubing. When I am lucky enough to come across copper that is being recycled, that opens a whole new avenue of exploration.

SHIFTING COLORS

These are examples of my “Ikat Style” hand woven cloth. This collection is inspired by my exploration of textiles from around the world. The original influence was from Japan, then quickly followed by African and Guatemalan hand dyed and hand woven cloth. 

In those earlier years I specialized in natural dyes with a focus on Indigo. The process involved wrapping areas of thread to resist the dye. After the dye process was complete, I would then thread my loom one thread at a time, shifting groups of these threads to make the colors dance.

Eventually I found dye artists whose safe dye kitchens and expertise opened up a new world of color for me. The dance movements in color expanded along with the hand woven graphic of the weave structure. This play between color, pattern, and texture of the materials has developed over five decades of my weaving. 

WALL SCULPTURES

The challenge of creating a fabric sculpture that stands away from the wall adds a whole new level of dimensionality, allowing the light to play with the shadows around the piece. This provides a wonderful design opportunity to explore many creative techniques.

I often include accents such as copper, wood, and exotic beads to add further interest. The possibilities are endless.