Pippa's Blog

Send us your Stitching Questions

pippapatchwork — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:35:00 GMT

Here at Quilting Arts, we’ve been thinking quite a bit about stitching, a natural component of nearly all art quilters’ work. Whether you’re a machine quilter, hand stitcher, or both, you've probably stumbled upon a few needle-and-thread quandaries at some point during your art making process.

Do you have any stitch-related questions that you’d like to ask your fellow art quilters? They could be about technique, materials, design—you name out. If so, leave a comment. We’d love to help you out!

Become our Fan on Facebook!

pippapatchwork — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:28:00 GMT

I have a confession: I was one of very few individuals to survive their four years as a college undergraduate without having a Facebook account. There’s really no good reason for this other than the fact that I simply never got around to making one. However, when Pokey used ‘to Facebook’ as a verb on my second day at work—and when my parents and grandmother got Facebook accounts before I did—I decided it was probably time to hop on the bandwagon.

Admittedly, I’m still getting my Facebook sea legs, but its many benefits are quickly becoming apparent. The biggest perk is that it is another fantastic way to connect with the Quilting Arts community. As a Facebook fan of Quilting Arts, you have the opportunity to connect with your fellow quilt artists, ask questions, view other’s work, stay up-to-date on the latest QA news, and check out behind-the-scenes videos and photos from some of our photo shoots and TV tapings.

So, if you aren’t one already, become a fan of Quilting Arts by visiting our Facebook page. It’s yet another fabulous way to connect with the QA community. I hope to see you there!

Nancy Crow: Three Decades of Art Quilting

pippapatchwork — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:29:00 GMT

There is no doubt that Nancy Crow is one of the most influential individuals in the history of art quilting. From her intricate geometric pieced to quilts to her well-known teaching workshops and her co-founding of Quilt National in the 1970s, Nancy has been pivotal in advocating for an defining the art quilt. Having made over 300 quilts, she is still a prolific artist and currently has an exhibit, “Nancy Crow: Crossroads, New and Recent Quilts,” at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA, which will be on display until May 9^th. A couple of weeks later, her largest solo exhibition to date, “Nancy Crow: Recent and New Work,” will open at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn, NY, where it will be on display from May 29^th to August 15^th. Here, Nancy discusses the techniques, influences, and adventures that have shaped her 34 years of experience as an art quilter.

You began creating art quilts in 1976. How has your approach changed, or has it?

My early work was very much grounded in traditional quilt making, using templates which then fit together into huge compositions. I made very big works at the beginning of my career, and I worked that way until to the mid-to-late 80s. In 1990, I realized I had to go about this a different way. Templates were really restricting, and I felt like I couldn’t truly create art that way.

Then I realized that any kind of cutting, whether with scissors or a rotary cutter, is drawing. When that finally latched into my brain, it released me and I started working more improvisationally. That’s now what I teach in my advanced classes: you have to start thinking of cutting as drawing. It’s the closest thing quilters have to a pen or a pencil. The big difference for us, of course, is that the result is either good to go or we’ve ruined a piece of fabric. Very serious quilt makers have not been given their due for how technically difficult their work is.

Cutting and machine piecing is clearly a very important part of the process to you. What role does surface design play in the creation of your quilts?

I started dying my own fabrics a long time ago so I could achieve very saturated colors. But I didn’t start doing true surface design with patterning and printing until about five years ago—though I played around with it many times over the last 25 years. It’s an area where I’m still developing my abilities and I will continue to pursue it. I’m mainly interested in screen printing, making my own motifs improvisationally or actually having a screen burned, and in deconstructing the fabric.

Your quilts are known for their exceptional use of line and color. What inspires your designs? Do you get your ideas from concrete visuals or abstract ideas and emotions?

I live on a farm and I am a very keen observer, so I keep going back to the same patterns that I love. For instance, a critic once said my work looks like pickup sticks, which I think is a very interesting idea. I certainly have a few piles of lumber laying around that are chaotic looking and one of our fields is covered in wild flowers that deteriorate every spring and fall down into piles of lines—clearly, these images are influencing my pieces.

But there are always two things happening in my art: the visual influences and an emotional underlay. All my work has a very strong emotional underlay which I don’t necessarily write up or let people know about.

You work in a 2,400 square foot barn that is attached to your house. Is this space very important to your creativity?

I always feel like I am walking into my environment, somewhere that enables me to create. I have put the most wonderful things on my walls, things that are visually stimulating to me. I actually have three studios, but the biggest one is just chock-a-block of visual stimuli. I love it that way and I actually have a hard time letting anyone else into this space because it’s so private. I have textiles from all over the world, some really phenomenal baskets that I’ve collected, and my husband has found all sorts of odds and ends from the farm, like parts of old tractors. I love the shapes and configurations from these objects.

You have stated that quilting is a very personal, private activity for you, but also do a lot of teaching and are well-known for your retreats and workshops. How is your teaching important to your identity as an artist?

I come from a family of teachers so it’s something that’s highly regarded in my family. I think teaching done well is one of the hardest things someone can do in their life, but it’s also incredibly creative and fulfilling. As a teacher, I do things a little differently. There are very few who are teaching composition and critiquing it, and this has to be done if quilting is going to be regarded as art. Because I’m willing to do critiques, I put myself out on a line and to try to help people see their work in a more honest light so they can improve it.

Teaching also helps me clarify my own ideas. I always learn a lot from students. I think there’s a misconception out there that I teach people to make what I make, to make work that looks like mine. I teach techniques and design exercises with the intention of having my students go home and work hard for a year or two to develop their own ideas.

Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming exhibit at the Schweinfurth Art Center this summer? How were the quilts selected?

First of all, the museum’s director, Donna Lamb, is outstanding in her absolute support of quilt making. She was brought up with it since her mother was a quilt maker. It’s a huge plus to work with someone who believes in quilting and has done it themselves; she is a very positive person.

Between 50 and 60 pieces will be in the galleries. I decided to include some very early pieces from when I still worked with commercial and printed fabrics. Some of these pieces haven’t been out of my studio in 20 years and will enable people can see where I came from. The exhibition isn’t a retrospective per se, but each gallery will have a theme. One will have the older pieces; another will have a sketch and the major piece that went with the sketch. Another gallery will have more narrow/vertical pieces, and the main gallery will have all the new and recent work.

You travel quite a bit and just returned from a trip to Vietnam. How does this influence your work?

Travel was introduced to me very young because my father and mother love to do it. When I was 19, I went to Mexico City and studied there. My mother took me around the world when I was a Junior in college. Years later, my husband and I went off to live in Ecuador and Brazil. Travel is an opportunity to observe and see what I can see.

Because I was introduced to Mexico so young, I love graphic imagery; that’s why my work is so colorful and vibrant. I go back there often and have a plan to go to Chiapas in August with some friends and search the villages for textiles.

Are there any artistic techniques, concepts, or ideas that you still hope to explore?

I’m 66 and I have made a decision and promise to myself that my work is going to keep growing and changing. I’m not interested in plateauing and doing the same thing. As long as I’m physically able, that’s my promise to myself. Perhaps this will mean exploring certain techniques in depth, perhaps not. I’m open to anything.

To learn more about Nancy, visit her website.

Images: From Top to Bottom

All quilt photos by J. Kevin Fitzsimons

Nancy in her studio; photo by Nathaniel Stitzlein
“CONSTRUCTIONS #83: Anxiety!” • 2006-2007© Nancy Crow 81½" x 79¼" • 100% cottons hand-dyed and machine-pieced by Nancy Crow; hand-quilted by Marla Hattabaugh with pattern denoted by Nancy Crow
“CONSTRUCTIONS #90” • 2007© Nancy Crow • 42" x 29¼" • 100% cottons hand-dyed and machine-pieced by Nancy Crow; machine-quilted by Kathy Loomis with pattern denoted by Nancy Crow
“CONSTRUCTIONS #84: No!” • 2007© Nancy Crow • 70" x 75" • 100% cottons hand-dyed and machine-pieced by Nancy Crow; hand-quilted by Marla Hattabaugh with pattern denoted by Nancy Crow
“STRUCTURES #5” • 2006-2009© Nancy Crow • 67½" x 84¼" • Screen-printed by Nancy Crow with help from Emma Reese; machine-pieced by Nancy Crow; hand-quilted by Marla Hattabaugh with pattern denoted by Nancy Crow

BodyQuilting: How Kari Souders expresses the female body through quilt making

pippapatchwork — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:04:00 GMT

I’ve always been intrigued by the link between contemporary and historical quilting, and the ways in which this traditional craft lives on in the work of modern day artists. Therefore, I was thrilled to have the chance to ask artist Kari Souders a few questions about her quilt paintings, which explore the intrinsic ties between quilt making and the experiences of women of the past and present. Through the construction of her pieces and the materials that she selects, Kari draws analogies between her art and the rituals of the female body. Her latest exhibit, “BodyQuilting” is currently on display at George School in Newtown, PA until March 4^th. For those who are unable to attend, Kari’s insights offer a glimpse into the nuanced symbolism of her work.

Your current exhibition features quilt paintings that explore the parallels between quilt making and women’s bodies. How do you make this connection in your work?

The obsessive process of hand sewing, cutting, patching, ripping, and layering textures and patterns to make a quilt is rooted in ritual. Quilt making is a very physical process. Some women have crossed over from the quilting bee to the Botox party; nevertheless, I wonder if our fundamental desires have remained the same. Like my work, these contemporary body rituals are rooted in physicality; the breaking down by cutting, ripping, and tearing in order to stitch, patch, and layer something new and more beautiful. Although sometimes painful, the physical aspect of these processes is an outlet and opportunity for women to embrace their bodies.

You mention the obsessive, repetitive quality of quilt making. How is this symbolically important in your work?

The obsessive process and all-consuming ritual gives women a chance for their minds to escape the confines of life and to be self-possessed and anticipatory for their new creation. In a society where consumerism has become our realm of worship, I want to infuse art with its original spiritual and ritual function. My paintings are intensely worked until the surface has crevices and areas that appear both destructive and regenerative. My work attempts to ignite the ritualistic flame that transcends time by creating works that are structurally iconic, and whose process is based on obsessive detail and endless repetition. The intensity and obsessive process allows me to interweave my collective unconscious and life experiences.

Many of your pieces incorporate writing. What is the role of text in your art?

Not only text, but also images, surround us and deliver fragments of meanings. Currently, I have been interweaving both new and old quilts with text related to our modern day obsession with body transformations. Words such as augmentations, plucking, lasers, peels, dying, rhinoplasty, face lift, transplants, liposuction, durmabrasions, lasik surgeries, botox injections, restyline filler, juvedurm, filler, dermal fillers, prollenium, and ayaluronic acid represent the rewriting on the surface of our bodies that has become our modern-day ritual. The text fragments in the work juxtapose the bits of unwritten language that the quilts embody.

Quilts are also composed of bits of cloths and fabrics that elicit the body. We see our flesh as compartmentalized fragments that can be resurfaced, patched, and transformed into new canvases piece by piece. In essence, we are quilting our bodies with the evolving text of culture and the visual standards of desire. It is the continuation of the unspoken need for women to exhibit and perfect their aesthetic desires out of something seen as flawed or broken which stems from the traditions of women being regarded as objects.

You clearly have an interest in the history of women. Do you feel that quilting enables you to tap into this history more effectively than other mediums?

Representing the creative traditions of women and acknowledging their voice is of utmost importance. I have always had an interest in history, women’s issues, and the culture we live in. Although I am a painter, my work is fundamentally and intrinsically connected to quilting and I can’t think of any other transformative woman’s craft that would be more effective on so many poignant levels. Quilting, a practical and meaningful aesthetic practice, has offered and still provides women with a chance to gather and communicate with each other. Quilts tell unwritten stories that are deeply ingrained in American culture and traditions, as well as express personal aesthetics. They are bits and pieces of women’s lives and ways of living that span over generations and stem from all socioeconomic circumstances.

How do you construct your quilt paintings?

I use strips of quilted fabric, oil paint, beeswax, lace, and fragments of text layered on canvas and wallpaper. Thick, white curved shapes made with oil paint are applied by my fingers and appear in areas of the paintings, while a coating of beeswax gives the quilted fabrics a rippled, shiny texture. My paintings are intensely worked until the surface has crevices and areas that appear both destructive and regenerative.

My work elaborates on one of the fundamental traditions in quilting: reusing, blending, and interlacing bits of fabric to form a new aesthetic object. I hand-stitch some quilts with new fabrics whose colors and textures derive from the rich beauty passed down through centuries of textile design. Other quilts are directly borrowed from history by deconstructing antique quilts. The recycling of old quilts is meant to create something outside of the original object and show that objects change as society evolves. With empathy, I want to give these old quilts an opportunity to be revaluated in new contexts that reflect and intertwine passed traditions, standards, and relationships with modern issues.

You use a wide variety of non-fabric materials in your work, including oil paint and beeswax. What role do these materials play in terms of both technique and symbolic significance?

I have a master’s degree in painting so paint has always been a part of my visual vocabulary. I paint with my fingers in a weaving and layering manner; this is my own painting language which appears in all of my work. Expanding one’s perception of things and altering context has been the goal of my using paint, beeswax, and other materials in my work. For instance, beeswax symbolizes healing, and is applied in its natural, flesh-like color to give the work layers of protective skin.

Images of Quilts (from top to bottom)

“Body Lore 4” • 24" x 18" • oil, quilted fabric, transparency and beeswax on canvas
“Fran’s Quilt” • 42½" x 59½" • oil, quilted fabric, transparency and beeswax on canvas
“Lacing” • 22" x 22" • oil, quilted fabric, transparency and beeswax on canvas
“Minuet II” • 20" x 24" • oil, quilted fabric, beeswax and wallpaper on canvas

To learn more about Kari and her work, visit her website.

Art Quilting Over the Years: An interview with M. Joan Lintault

pippapatchwork — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:12:00 GMT

I knew I had a difficult task ahead of me when my undergraduate thesis advisor informed me that my research on the history of the art quilting movement should focus on only a few innovative quilt artists. There were so many to choose from and narrowing my focus wasn’t easy, but selecting M. Joan Lintault was a no brainer. Joan has been making art quilts for over three decades and their web-like construction, large scale, and often rich colors are awe-inspiring and utterly original. While recently visiting the exhibition “Masters: Art Quilts: Major works by leading artists” (which is featured in our February/March 2010 issue), at its current venue, the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA, I saw one of Joan’s pieces and was immediately reminded of what intrigued me about her work the first time around. Fortunately, she had the chance to catch up with me yet again to discuss her distinctive working method and long involvement in the history of the art quilting movement.

Your work has such an unusual construction. How did you arrive at this style?

In the mid-1980s, I received a Fulbright grant to research dyes in Japan. I needed something to do with the dyes so I started cutting stencils and I realized that I loved the negative spaces that they create. I wanted to do something that would give the same feeling.

But I had started making quilts even earlier; I made my first in 1969. At the time, there were a few of us that were doing this; the term ‘art quilting’ wasn’t even around—it was just called fiber art. I also have a background in ceramics which influenced some of my earlier work. When I first started, I did these all-white, highly quilted wall hangings. That was my way of transitioning from ceramics to quilting. I was afraid of color—but that didn’t last.

It must have been amazing to be a part of this movement in its earlier stages.

Yes, but it was also hard. Back then, it was much more difficult to find materials. There weren’t even dyes that you could easily use at home. I had to go on a quest to track down fiber-reactive dyes, and finally found them at the first Surface Design Association Conference in 1976. Now, I always print and dye my own fabrics since I have to have my own colors. I can’t be dependent on changing styles and patterns, or whatever is in fashion. I try to make my fabric reflect whatever the concept of my quilt is. I also don’t want to be too dependent on outside sources for my materials since these can disappear or availability can change, so I mix my own paints.

Could you briefly take us through the steps of your quilt construction?

I dye my fabrics several times to get real depth of color, and then screen print on top. Then I cut out the individual elements, sit down on my comfy sofa, and hand paint each one. I create little sandwiches with batting and backing, sew around the edges with a sewing machine, and cut out the shape again. Then I zigzag stitch the edges so I have all these little pillow-like shapes. I pin them to my design wall—which is huge; I need a ladder to reach the top—and start gradually sewing them together by machine.

Naturally, each piece is a little different and I work with several techniques. Sometimes I create sewing machine lace and use this to connect and suspend the different elements. A long time ago, I found a book that was printed in the early 1900s about how to create all kinds of lace on the sewing machine, and I decided to try it. Of course, it was far too difficult so I came up with my own way of doing it. I love the effect of laciness.

You work on a very large scale. Is there a particular reason for this?

Often, I have something I want to say and I simply can’t do it in a small piece. On the other hand, I have started to make things smaller as I get older since it’s hard to climb the ladder that I keep by my design wall—and I’m finding more and more that what I have to say can be accomplished in a smaller size. It’s very, very hard to go up and down the ladder, and pin all the little pieces on the wall. I had one quilt on the wall for two years because I got sick, and I just didn’t have the energy required to complete it. I plan on finishing it up soon—once I’ve finished my taxes. Right now, I feel like I have a whole bunch of things flying around in the air, waiting to land.

The larger pieces can take quite a toll on me. “Four Rivers” consists of four individual quilts which are each 18 feet long by 11 feet wide. They took me four years to complete. They were just so huge and the physical strength required to push them through my machine was too much at times. I have a semi-industrial Bernina on a power table, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.

The subject matter of your quilts varies quite a bit, from abstract to representations of nature, and even the human body. What inspires your subjects?

I like to base my work on some kind of historical trend so I spend a lot of time looking at old fabrics and textiles. Sometimes I’ll have an idea that I won’t even execute until 30 years later.

“Uncoiling Snakes” was inspired by a lecture I attended at an art museum in India in early 1979, but I didn’t make this quilt until 20 years later. The lecture was about palampores, which are textiles that contain elaborate representations of trees and flowers. I was so blown away by what the lecturer was saying that I decided to make my own. In 1996, I finally finished this quilt.

I’ve also been inspired by subjects that surround me. “The Garden of Milk” represents a fence in my sister’s garden. When I visited her in Illinois, I slept in a back room with a window looking out over her vegetable garden where there was a fence with all different kinds of wires, branches, and leaves. I kept thinking: I have to make a quilt of that.

You’ve been quilting for many years; how has your style and process evolved over time?

It changes in little ways that no one can tell. I don’t concentrate on style, but I do concentrate on themes; I change the subject matters of pieces. Generally, I use the same way of putting things together, but the images and colors evolve. One of my themes is lacey, another is natural like “Uncoiling Snakes.” I’m currently working on a quilt of a broken mirror. This one is also constructed with the tiny pillow shapes, but the way it’s put together at the end stages may change. Often, the final construction is like an engineering problem; making the pieces lay flat can be very, very difficult.

Also, when I first started, I felt like I was fighting with techniques. It was really difficult—the inks that were available for screen printing were so toxic that they gave me a huge headache. When people started selling water-based inks, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Digital imagery was so much more difficult to achieve. You had to go into a dark room to process photo transparencies. Then computers came along! I no longer feel like I’m fighting with techniques, and I will never do it again. We’ve come quite a long way.

Images of Quilts (from top to bottom)

“Heavenly Bodies” • 81" x 84"
“Four Rivers” (instalation) • four pieces, each 11' x 18'
“Uncoiling Snakes” • 81.5" x 81.5"
“Garden of Milk” • 81.5" x 74.5"

To see more of Joan's work, visit her website.

The New and Improved QA Index!

pippapatchwork — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:51:00 GMT

Quilters tend to be savers. We save fabrics (no scrap is too tiny), embellishments, threads, tool, and even ideas. This is a good thing—we find inspiration all around us and build a collection of resources that allows us to act on it whenever our hearts desire. Which is why I’m pleased to announce that our reorganized and updated Quilting Arts Cumulative Index has just been posted.

This means that the next time you want to try out a certain surface design or stitching technique, you won’t have to search through all your old copies for that perfect article—just find the appropriate category under the “Techniques” heading and you’ll see a list of related articles.

Or maybe you want to peruse through past exhibition galleries or reader challenges? In the mood to re-read some advice on design considerations or the business of art quilting? All this and more is now at your fingerprints—and if you don’t have one of our past issues, most are available on the Interweave Store.

Especially if you’re having weather like we are at the QA headquarters and the snow is falling yet again (or even if it isn’t), this is the perfect excuse to cozy up inside with your old issues of Quilting Arts.

The Winner of Lyric's Fabric Quiz

pippapatchwork — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:06:00 GMT

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a fabric quiz based on Lyric Kinard's article on page 28 of the February/March 2010 Issue of Quilting Arts, "From Disappointment to Diva." The quiz tested your ability to recognize Lyric's clever techniques for transforming dye disasters into masterpieces--and judging by all of your comments, it was a challenge! Everyone who left a comment was eligible to win three jars of Lumiere textile paint and a bag of Pokey's screen printed fabrics.

And the winner is: Samantha76.

Congratulations! Please send me an email at peccles@interweave.com with your name and address so I can send you your prize. If I don't hear from you by 12 noon EST on Wednesday, February 17th, I will pick a new winner.

Thank you to everyone who took the quiz. I hope you have a fun, fabric-filled weekend!

Tell Me About Your Latest Art Quilting Endeavor!

pippapatchwork — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:55:00 GMT

I was supposed to spend this past weekend at a friend’s wedding in Baltimore, but thanks to some bad weather forecasts, my flights were canceled and I found myself with an unexpectedly free Saturday afternoon. Naturally, I decided there was no better way to take advantage of the situation than with a little fiber art.

We’re fortunate to spend lots of time reading about new projects and techniques at the QA office, so it’s always a pleasure to move from the page to the studio and actually try out some of the wonderful ideas that artists share with us. Since I happened to have some luscious wool roving lying around, begging to be put to good use, I decided to try making Rose Hughes’ “Beaded Wool Gems,” from p. 70 of Quilting Arts February/March 2010 issue. This was a fun, quick, and easy project.

I got some strange looks when I put a bunch of knotted knee high stockings into the public washing machines in my apartment building, but it was worth it! I decided to embellish mine with buttons, though Rose did some very interesting embellishing with lots of different beads. I’m not yet sure what I will do them, but they’re a great little addition to my embellishment stash.

So what’s the latest QA article project or technique that you’ve tried out? Or what are you dying to try next but haven’t yet had the time to do? Did anything catch your eye in our latest issue? Send me an email at peccles@interweave.com. I would love to hear about what our readers are up to!

Last Chance to Enter the Fabric Quiz Giveaway!

pippapatchwork — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:38:00 GMT

Since the February/March 2010 issue of Quilting Arts has now been on the newsstand for a couple of weeks, I’ll be announcing the winners of Lyric Kinard’s fabric quiz this Friday (February 12^th) at 12 pm EST. So if you still haven’t read Lyric’s inspirational article, “From Disappointment to Diva,” and tested your ability to recognize her clever techniques for transforming ugly fabrics, now is the time!

If the chance to win some of Pokey’s screen printed fabrics and three jars of Lumiere textile paint isn’t enough motivation, Lyric’s heartening advice is in and of itself worth the read. We all have those less-than-perfect dyed fabrics that could use a little sprucing up and Lyric has some great tips for how to go about doing this. Personally, many of my earlier fabric dyeing attempts resulted in some pretty mediocre prints. In an act of optimism, I framed a few of them.

Believe it or not, these were some of the prettier ones of the bunch, and I have a whole lot more hidden away somewhere in my apartment. I’m too sentimental to throw them out, but they’re not attractive enough to work with. Fortunately, Lyric has given me hope that these rather dismal fabrics can one day be transformed into beauties.

Do you have any dye disasters of your own? Then check out Lyric’s article, fine tune your knowledge by taking the fabric quiz, and do some fabric makeovers of your own!

From Television to Textiles: An interview with artist and actress Lalla Ward

pippapatchwork — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:31:00 GMT

There isn’t normally a great deal of crossover between acting and art quilting, but textile artist Lalla Ward has crossed this unusual divide. Well-known for her role as alien Romana in the BBC television series Dr. Who, Lalla now devotes the majority of her time to fiber rather than film. And though she played an extraterrestrial on TV, Lalla’s art is very much focused on Earth—specifically, on its animal inhabitants. Her thread-painted pieces are currently on display at the National Theatre in London until February 14^th, but for those of you who can’t make the overseas trek, Lalla took a break from her many artistic pursuits to chat about her unique background in fiber arts and her fondness for the animals that she depicts.

How did you make the transition from acting to textile art?

I’ve always wanted to do art—actually, I don’t know why I went to drama school instead of art school. I think it was a test to myself; I was a very solitary person and hated doing things in front of others.

I’ve always drawn animals (and have illustrated books for my husband Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist) but since I’m self-taught, I’m always looking for new ways to do things. About a year and a half ago, I read that you can draw with a sewing machine. The book said something about lowering your feed dogs—and I had no idea what these were. I had done some hand embroidery but I actually didn’t own a sewing machine.

I bought a secondhand machine which I loved because I didn’t need all those fancy stitches. First, I learned what zigzag stitch was and what feed dogs were, and then I started scribbling—and doing an awful job of it. I decided I needed to learn what I was doing so I went to a class that taught all the rules…but I realized that I’m so bad at the things that proper quilters can do: beautiful seams, geometric piecing, etc.

I realized this wasn’t for me so I got more and more into just scribbling with a sewing machine needle as you would a pen. I have found that very liberating. I just spend hours stitching shifting different bits of fabrics around. I listen to an awful lot of music, endless rock and roll—there’s often Pink Floyd in the background.

Do you think of your lack of technical training as a barrier or an advantage?

Most sewing books spend hours telling you what subjects you could do—that’s never been my problem. I always have a million ideas but, yes, I have to get better at the technique.

At the same time, I think it gives people hope that I am so self-taught. At my exhibit, I’ve left a seven-page outline of how I work and I included my email address. I told people to email me with questions—but to understand I’m a total amateur. I got so many emails, you wouldn’t believe it. I think that’s what encourages people; if I can do it, they can do it.

I go to quilt fairs a lot and I have one or two suppliers of fabrics that I particularly love—and all those people have been so nice to me; they all come to my exhibitions. I’ve found this to be a very nice and encouraging world.

Do you feel that you have established an identity as an artist, rather than an actress?

People always refer back to my acting. Dr. Who has a huge cult following—that was 30 years ago, but you never really lose that identity, which is fine; I don’t mind a bit. But I hope I’ve established myself a bit as an artist. I probably haven't as much with my fabric pictures, but having two exhibitions on that has certainly helped. My first exhibit was held last year, only three months after I got my sewing machine. It was to raise money for an endangered bird in Madagascar. I said I would do it, so I had to! It was a massive learning curve.

So all of your pieces now are thread painted?

Yes, I thread paint on a fabric sandwich: soluble stabilizer, a couple layers of organza, and then another layer of stabilizer. Sometimes I draw my drawing on the top layer of the stabilizer, but sometimes I draw directly with the sewing machine—I’m a bit foolhardy. I sew the entire animal with stitch, then soak out the stabilizer and trim around the edges. Then I appliqué the animal onto a background.

The subjects of your pieces are primarily endangered or rare animals and reflect a real interest in biology and evolution. Has this always been an interest of yours?

Yes, always—long before I met my husband. I read Charles Darwin when I was about 14 and I’ve always loved animals. My parents both worked in BBC radio, and people in broadcasting like to drink. They discovered that the one place you could drink on a Sunday and take your children was the bar at the London Zoo. So my brother and I used to fill our pockets with peanuts and maraschino cherries from the bar and go out into the zoo with no one else there. We knew the zookeepers so we would get the animals out and hold them—I have a picture of myself holding an enormous python. That’s where my love of animals started and now I love drawing animals, watching their movements, seeing how they live; they are endlessly different, beautiful, and interesting.

Your current exhibit is called “Stranded.” What does this title represent?

It represents both the strands of thread and the fact that all the animals are from islands. Island evolution is utterly fascinating because, by default, these creatures are isolated from other communities. You do get some very strange animals. I’ve traveled to Madagascar and the Galapagos islands (mostly tagging along with my husband) where the animals will just come up and sit in your lap while you sketch—they’re so tame.

Can you tell us about some of the other media that you work with?

I also paint ceramics. I have thrown pots but I’m not very good but I’ve discovered you can buy bisque-fired pottery and then paint it yourself. I have a kiln and do the second firing on my own. Again, this is another way of making pictures.

I have done some knitwear design and have two knitting books—sweaters with animals on them, mostly—but I didn’t make the actual sweaters. I prefer jumbling about and crochet is better for that.

Now, I’m keen to combine ceramics and free-motion embroidery to create an embroidered mat and a glazed bowl that would correspond. For instance, a blue glaze on the bottom of a bowl and then footprints embroidered on the mat. I have
another exhibit coming up next year, and right now that’s what I would like to explore for it.

When you try lots of different media, you hone in on the ones you’re happiest with: for me, it’s painting, ceramics, and drawing with my sewing machine.

Titles of the artwork (from top to bottom):

Hawaiin Honeyeater (extinct) Moho noblis Hawaii
Red and White Moth (unidentified) Borneo
Ring-Tailed Lemurs Lemur catta Madagascar
Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa Borneo

Send Me Your Letters

pippapatchwork — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:23:00 GMT

This new month also means a new issue of Quilting Arts hits the newsstands! If you don't already have your copy of the February/March 2010 Quilting Arts, don't waste too much more time. This issue features an array of art quilting techniques, ideas, events, and more. From machine stitching to surface design, business advice, and artist profiles, there's a little something for everyone. You'd be amazed by what Kathy York can do with a simple satin stitch, or how Robbi Joy Eklow manages to keep herself organized when entering multiple quilt shows.

Of course, we're always eager to hear your feedback so, once you've had a little quality time with your latest Quilting Arts, email me at peccles@interweave.com and let me know what you think. Which articles did you love and which ones just didn't do it for you? Why? Do you have any overall thoughts or impressions about the content and direction of our magazine? We truly value your feedback and keep it in mind when putting together future issues. And we want to hear it all!

Introducing the Quilting Arts Community Spotlight: Janice Paine-Dawes

pippapatchwork — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:07:00 GMT

We’re kicking off the new month with a new online feature: the Quilting Arts Community Spotlight. These spotlights will give us the opportunity to focus in on the work of some of our talented QA Community members, to share the stories behind their pieces, as well as their experiences as art quilters.

Our first Community Spotlight features Janice Paine-Dawes and her vibrantly colored quilt, “Oda Pagoda.”

How did you become interested in art quilting? Do you have a background in the arts or traditional quilting?

I was a traditional quilter for many years, working on historically accurate quilts. In 1996, I got started on the road to commissions and selling work. I worked traditionally until I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2003. I threw away all my quilting supplies and went back to painting, thinking I would never be able to quilt again.

Then, about two and a half years ago, I discovered art quilting. It allows me to meld two-dimensional art and quilting on a manageable, smaller scale without stressing about matched seams and perfect stitches. I used to be able to crank out large quilts for commissions and art shows. Now, it takes me ten times as long to complete a piece due to my RA. Working on smaller art quilts allows me to complete a piece in a reasonable time frame.

Tell us a bit more about “Oda Pagoda.” What was the inspiration for this piece?

I belong to an online challenge group called Fast Friday Fabric Challenge. This piece started for Challenge #32, which was to use a grid or frame, an analogous, and a complement. I was not used to doing anything abstract, but thought I would give it a go with this challenge. The piece didn’t get its name until later.

How did this piece evolve as you were working on it? Did it go as planned or take you by surprise?

This wasn't intended to be as freely formed as it turned out. I began cutting hunks of fabric to fuse and then I was to go back and square them up for my design. As they fell on the background fabric, they started to look like something interesting, so I just went with it. I posted it to the challenge and everyone was nice with their critiques; it’s a wonderful group of artists.

But as this piece hung on my design wall, I kept thinking I could do more with it. I thought it had some good bones but was still pretty ho-hum. I started adding embroidery stitches and then beads, just to see if I could improve it. The more I worked on it, the more I liked it. Then it reached a point where the original square design just wasn’t working. Since it was experimental, I took a deep breath and cut the background abstract edges, somewhat following the design of the raw-edged appliqué pieces.

I love how you hung the quilt on chopsticks. What gave you the idea for this?

I am a collector of interesting objects and I love all things oriental. I had purchased a box of these mother of pearl inlaid chopsticks at a garage sale for a quarter. My daughter and daughter-in-laws have long hair and I thought they could use them as hair accessories. I decided that the quilt looked oriental after I had cut its edges; the box of chopsticks happened to be on my cutting table and I realized that they would emphasize this quality. The key was figuring out how to wrap the chopsticks to make the hanger and how to hang the quilt from them. It was only after this that the quilt got its name of “Oda Pagoda,” which came from my strange thinking that the piece was a visual ode to a pagoda.

It looks like you do quite a bit of hand stitching and embellishing. Do you have any favorite techniques?

If you had asked me this question a year ago, I would have answered differently. I used to try every new trick or technique that came along. But I feel my work has been evolving; I work very free-form but have scaled back to only a few techniques that work for me.

I do like the added texture of hand stitching and beading, but I still want whatever I add to leave no doubt that the finished piece is a textile. I try to let each piece speak its mind and go where it wants to go, rather than being forced into a square box. If it needs paint or embroidery, buttons, beads, or even chopsticks, that’s what it gets. It might live on the design wall for months before it’s completed.

Is there anything else about your work that you would like to share?

I am a huge fan of recycling found textiles. Some of the most interesting fabrics are found in thrift shops and at garage sales. Part of what I love about art quilting is that I can use pretty much anything I find without the quilt police telling me it isn’t all cotton or won’t hold up. That special fabric in a $2 blouse can be the perfect inspiration for a knock-your-socks-off piece. It’s fun to search for these things and makes art quilting affordable on a limited budget.

To learn more about Janice and her work, visit her blog.

Let the Entertainment Begin! Our Latest QA Reader Challenge

pippapatchwork — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:18:00 GMT

My Monday mornings recently became a bit less painful. You see, my three favorite TV shows held their season finales at the end of last year, which means I no longer stay up late on Sunday nights absorbed in the antics of: a serial killer, a womanizer, and a pathological jerk.

Yes, I have slightly odd taste in TV. Then again, we all have our kirky entertainment obsessions, which is why we decided that the latest Quilting Arts Reader Challenge, “How Entertaining!” should be an opportunity to celebrate whatever it is that entertains you: a favorite movie, TV show, or song. I know you have one—probably many, in fact—and I hope you’ll take on the challenge of translating one of them into fabric, thread, and whatever other material you see fit!

Naturally, I’ve been pondering how I would transform my own entertainment obsessions into quilts, and the possibilities are quite intriguing...

I always kicked off Sunday night with Dexter: a nice, normal guy by day and a serial killer by night. Brilliant. If you’ve never watched this show, I highly recommend it. Just check out the creepy intro scene:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

I’m not entirely sure what kind of quilt this would translate to, though I’d most likely have to find some kind of material for realistic fake blood (Dexter’s daytime job is as a blood splatter analyst, in case you were wondering). A blood-splattered quilt? I may have to take a stab at that (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

My Sunday nights then continued with a little comic relief from Curb Your Enthusiasm. Essentially, this show involves watching real-life Seinfeld writer Larry David act abhorrently and wind up in painfully awkward situations as a result. This is the least of his social slip-ups:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

I guess I could make a quilt of a skinny bald man… And, incidentally, doesn’t Larry’s wife, Cheryl, look like Pokey?

I ended my Sundays with Californication, which features the hunky David Duchovny as a charming but unfaithful ladies man who can't quite get his libido under control. Sorry, there’s no appropriate clip for this one—which means I probably shouldn’t use it as inspiration for my entertainment quilt either!

What are you favorite TV shows? Movies? Songs? I know you have them and I know you want to quilt ‘em out! Here are the details…

“How Entertaining” Reader Challenge

Has anyone ever said to you (with a straight face) that you should try out for “American Idol”? Perhaps you harbor a secret fantasy of strutting your stuff on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Or maybe you have a certain fondness (your friends might term it an obsession) for various movies, TV shows, or songs—so much so that you can recite entire scenes or verses? Well then it’s time for you to participate in our “How Entertaining!” Reader Challenge! We will show some of our favorite entries in future issues of Quilting Arts Magazine and even exhibit some at upcoming national quilt shows in 2010.

here’s how to enter

Make an 81⁄2" × 11" art quilt of vertical orientation that celebrates anything entertaining.
The entire quilt, including binding, must measure 81⁄2" × 11". It must be three layers and quilted, either by hand or machine or both; it must be bound or zigzag stitched closed and have a sleeve on the back.
Any embellishments must not protrude more than 1⁄2" from the quilt.
The entire quilt must weigh no more than 1 lb.
The quilt may be made of alternative fibers (such as paper), but it must be quilted, consist of three layers, and be either bound or closed along the edges.
Your entry must be free of any text or images that are protected by copyright, unless you have the expressed written permission from the person or institution that holds the copyright and you provide that written permission with your submission. It’s a good idea to steer clear of commercial imagery.
To be considered for the challenge, send two low-res (each less than 1MB) images of your entry (one of the entire piece and one of a detail) via email by Monday, May 3, 2010, to challenges@interweave.com, with the words “How Entertaining Challenge” in the subject line.Please include your name, email address, phone number, and a brief explanation of your piece.
Note: Please do not “zip” your files and be sure to send jpegs.
On Wednesday, May 5, 2010, Pokey will post the finalists on her blog at quiltingarts.com and they will also be notified via email.
If accepted as a finalist, your artwork must be in our offices no later than Friday, May 21, 2010, along with a flat shipping and handling fee of $15 (U.S. and Canada) or $25 (all otherinternational). This fee, which must be paid in U.S. dollars, covers the shipping costs, packing materials, and handling for the return of your entry.
The entire piece and all of its packaging must weigh less than 5 lbs. and fit into a standard shipping/mailing box (no larger than 12" × 4" × 14") or padded envelope.

Finalists should mail their entries to:

Quilting Arts Magazine
Attn: How Entertaining
Reader Challenge
P.O. Box 685
23 Gleasondale Rd.
Stow, MA 01775

Note: By submitting your reader challenge entry, you are authorizing Interweave Press LLC to publish your project in upcoming publications and promotional materials, on our website,and in other Interweave e-media, as well as to display it at shows. Interweave Press LLC will not be held responsible for loss or damage due to circumstances beyond our control. We reserve the right to keep and display your “How Entertaining!” art quilt until the week of November 15, 2010. We will be shipping the quilts back during the month of November.

Contact Pippa Eccles at peccles@interweave.com if you have questions about the “How Entertaining!” Reader Challenge.

We look forward to being entertained by your quilts!

Introducing the Minding Your Business Forum: An interview with Jane Dávila

pippapatchwork — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:30:00 GMT

At some point, many artists must confront the successes and struggles that come with balancing between the creative and practical aspects of their process. By now, most of you are probably familiar with Jane Dávila's regular Quilting Arts business column, which addresses the considerations that one must keep in mind when taking a career-oriented approach to art quilting, and the competencies and know-hows that this requires.

Given the wide variety of issues that arise when dealing with this topic--Jane discusses everything from establishing art resolutions to working with a gallery--we're excited to announce a new addition to the Quilting Arts community: a Minding Your Business forum (found under Art Quilting Topics) where you can discuss how you approach your art from a career-minded perspective and get advice from fellow artists. This is a great resource for those of you interested in the professional life of an art quilter; any topic is fair game, so go ahead and post any of your questions, advice, or thoughts on the subject.

And who better to kick off the discussion than Jane herself? Here, she talks about her experiences as a professional artist, and her thoughts on the business of making art.

Was there a particular moment when you started thinking of your art as a “business”?

Pretty much from day one! I married an artist, who comes from a family of artists, so it was natural to think of art as the way you earned your living. As such, it's a “business” with all of the promoting, paperwork, marketing, and more that goes along with that label. The examples I had in my husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law were excellent in terms of having a pragmatic approach to art as a career. Being business-like about your profession affords you the opportunity to pay the rent or mortgage and put food on the table on a regular basis. The model of the starving artist toiling away in a lonely garret is romantic on paper, but is a terrible way to live!

How do you balance taking a business-minded and creative approach to your work?

Finding that balance is hard. I struggle with it every day. Both the business and creative aspects must be well tended to for your career to flourish. Sometimes the business side wins out and sometimes the creative wins out. If you neglect one or the other for too long, everything suffers. I try to set aside one to two days a week just for working in the studio and then fit in random hours in the studio the rest of the week, in and around business stuff. If you don't make the time to be creative and produce work, you won't have anything to promote or sell. If you produce wonderful work but don't market it, you won't be able to support yourself or even buy more supplies. It's a definitely a double-edged sword!

What tips do you have for portraying yourself as a professional artist?

Be consistent! Don't change prices according to venue. Create a signature look or style for all of your presentation materials (business cards, blog, website, postcards, etc). Remember that the people you deal with on the business side of art--publishers, gallery owners, or curators for example--are there to make a living too. Profit is not a dirty word, it's what allows all of us to prosper and to continue doing what we do.

What promotional mediums do you think are most important (websites, blogs, galleries, etc.)?

I think they all have their uses. As an artist, you have to decide where best to spend your time and resources. That said, if you don't at least have a website or blog, you are at a serious disadvantage compared to other artists. I use a combination of website, blog, direct mail, e-newsletters and social media (Quilting Arts forums, Facebook and Twitter) to promote myself and my work. Knowing what your ultimate goals are as an artist will help you direct your marketing efforts. For example, if you're interested in getting corporate art commissions, then working with a gallery that sells to corporations will be helpful. If you want to write a book, proposing articles to magazines and writing tutorials on your blog can get you there. Stepping back every few months to assess your goals and how and where you're promoting yourself can help you decide if you are getting closer to those goals, and if your promotional outlets are helping or if you need to re-direct or re-focus.

If you could give an artist one tip for establishing a successful career, what would it be?

I think the most important tip is to be true to yourself. Don't worry about what's "sellable". Don't try to change what you do to fit some idea of what the market will want. Create your own market. If you concentrate on what makes you and your work unique and special, you will be successful. When you are first getting started you have to experiment and try out a lot of different things--media, subjects, techniques, etc.--to find what makes your heart sing, where your passion is, and what works for you. Once you've found it, focus on sharpening your skills, building up a body of work, and presenting yourself in a consistent, professional way. That old saw by Thomas Edison that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration is absolutely true.

What would you consider to be the definition of a “successful” artist?

That definition will be different for everyone. If your goal as an artist is purely to communicate with an audience while making a living at it is irrelevant, then your definition will be different from someone who has to pay the rent with sales of their art. Both are valid definitions, no better or worse than the other. For me, a successful artist is one who creates work that fulfills the need to express oneself in as true and real a way as possible while earning an income to help support one's family.

Do you have thoughts or opinions on any of these questions, or other business-related subjects? Go to the Minding Your Business forum and let us know!

Show us your UFOs!

pippapatchwork — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:33:00 GMT

In the spirit of the New Year, I think it’s time for all of us to engage in a cathartic, quilt-related confessional. For the most part, we all start our quilts with the best of intentions. No one wants to waste materials, time, or precious quilting energy. But sometimes your inspiration slips away mid-project or another too-tempting distraction comes along, and before you know it, you’ve got a UFO.

Yes, we all have them—and for many of us, UFOs are guilt-inducing objects that make us feel like noncommittal and unproductive artists. But it has recently occurred to me that perhaps they're not really anything to be ashamed of after all. When I moved into my new apartment a few months ago, I left many of my UFOs behind, but soon realized that a studio without a few half-complete projects tucked in its corners is just a tad lifeless. It’s as if these unfinished endeavors continue to emit their creative juices, as if they’re in some transient state of becoming that makes them even more alive than those pieces which we have declared complete.

On that note, it’s time for all of you to share your UFOs with the Quilting Arts Community in the UFO Gallery! Just go to Photo Galleries, select Quilting Arts Challenges, and post a picture with the tag "UFO Gallery." You can share one, two, or several of your UFOs and tell us your thoughts on them. Do they make you feel ashamed—or do you proudly consider them badges of past quilting adventures? To view others' UFOs, click on the "UFO Gallery" tag on the right hand side of the page (in the "Tags" box) or underneath the photo of your own UFO.

Don’t be shy. To get the ball rolling, I’ll share one of my weirdest UFOs with all of you. It sits in this large tin on the floor of my studio:

A few months ago, my boyfriend cleaned out his closets and ended up with a large pile of Polo shirts that he no longer wears. I’m too much of a fabric junky to let anything fiber-related go to waste so I insisted on keeping them all. I washed them, ironed them, carefully cut them up into rectangles, and made big plans for some kind of funky Polo shirt collage (in retrospect, I don’t know what I was thinking). Here’s how far I got:

So my UFO is basically a pile of cut up fabrics—but I’ve grown to love it. I’m comforted by the thought that if I ever run out of projects (not that this has ever happened), it’s there for me to turn to—or, more likely, it won’t ever evolve beyond this point and that’s just fine too; a little reminder that we can’t win them all.