... fabric, or confetti captured under tulle with freemotion quilting. This is what gives it the painterly look. The featured subject is cut from eight to twenty colors of fabric. The detailed work in my pieces, such as bird wings or fur comes from heavy thread sketching over appliqué. The colors of thread are pure and unmixed, and the layering of stitches gives shade variation. This layering of thread and fabric allows the piece to become more detailed and tactile.

My recent artistic endeavors have taken me on a journey of discovery through fabrics and quilting. I use many design and construction methods in my quilting, but all are constructed of at least three layers. This is followed with free motion stitching, thread painting and quilting. Each piece starts with a small idea that ignites my creativity, such as a social issue, or a biblical passage, or maybe a memory. Next I do research on the subject and sketch some general ideas. My favorite part is laying out all the fabrics and trying to choose just the right ones. Sometimes the computer is used to help me see how a fabric would look in my design. I never give up on my ideas, but some quilt pieces may smolder on my design wall for up to a year, before I find just the right fabric to flame it to fruition.

Spontaneity and happy accidents influence many of my pieces. I strive to create fluidity in my pieces and incorporate dimension with trapunto and free flowing objects. Working intuitively, I try to incorporate color, line and texture in my work. Materials such as upholstery scraps, mesh bags, dryer sheets, soft plastic, and repurposed clothing often find their way into my work. I like to use my own hand dyed, rust dyed or painted material as well. My latest experiments have been using natural materials for dyeing fabric.

When working with colorful scraps my studio space is often filled with a creative disarray of enthusiasm. My current work is intermingled with my love for Haiku and poetry. Many pieces are a visual interpretation of my one of my poems. This is only the start of my artistic journey as I continue to experiment with new sewing techniques.