Artist's Statement

Fabric and colors are delicious, exciting, tactile and energizing. I create stories using these wonders of color and fabric with my art quilts. Color and fabric come together to create harmony and tension yet always complementing each other as they draw the viewer in. Craftsmanship brings the work together but emotions make it work!

I arrange artist dyed fabrics (mostly cottons with some lames, burnout silks and satins) into freeform organic and geometric shapes on whole cloth or pieced backgrounds to affect a mood or statement. While I might have some loose idea of what my piece will be, I generally work intuitively without a plan. I act and respond to the fabric, textures and colors as they are pinned on the wall. Many changes are made throughout the process of each piece as it develops its own path and direction. To frustrate that path and direction results in chaos and confusion for both the piece and for me.

The quilts are made in three layers - top, batting and backing - as in traditional quilts but art quilts are not bed quilts. They are meant as art to be hung on walls in homes, offices and corporate headquarters. I finish them with hand and machine embroidery and quilting; sometimes I add embellishments such as beading.

I want the viewer to play with the images in the wall quilts and find their own story or interpretation; therefore, the titles are open-ended and free.