Adrift, 2007
23 x 28"
$750
I have always wanted to make a quilt depicting an underwater kelp garden. The colours (turquoise, teal, aquamarine, dark blues with a contrast of yellow-greens) produce in me a feeling of calm. The kelp stalks seem to twist and turn and drift effortlessly in their underwater world. Sometimes events in our lives (both good and bad) can leave us feeling adrift. Sometimes excited, sometimes frightened. Like the kelp we need to go with the flow, remain open to new changes, while accepting the things we cannot change.
This piece was created in a class with Vikki Pignatelli. I used her method of piecing curves and designed this piece using a flex ruler..
Sweetlips, 2005
21-1/2" x 25"
$640
Hand-dyed fabrics by artist. Fusible applique, chalk pastels, thread-painted and heavily free-motion machine quilted.
Inspired by a trip to the Mayan Riviera and Cozumel, Mexico in Winter 2005.
Betta Spendens II, 2004
24-1/2" x 32-1/2"
$750
Honourable Mention, Ontario Juried Quilt Show, 2005
Background fabric hand-dyed by artist. Fish made of commercial batiks. Fusible applique, Lumiere textile paints, free-motion thread painted and free-motion quilted.
"Betta Splendens" is the latin classification for the Betta Fish. Because of its stunning colour and magnificent flowing fins, the male Betta fish is a popular pet. Sadly, its beauty has also led to its exploitation. These fish are commonly housed in small bowls, and sometimes in containers so small that the fish has less than a cup of water to swim in. These conditions would be the equivalent of a human being living in a small closet. After purchasing one of these fish and watching it swim vigorously and boldly across the 10-gallon aquarium that is now its home, I am more convinced than ever of the cruelty of housing Bettas in tiny containers. This quilt is an original design, in which I have tried to capture the play of light and dark on the Betta's fins as they ripple with the movement of the fish.
Betta Spendens I, 2004
24-1/2" x 32-1/2"
$700
Background fabric dyed by artist. Fish made of commercial fabrics. Fusible applique, Lumiere textile paints, free-motion machine quilted. I created this origiinal pattern in a class with Esterita Austin in 2004. I am indebted to Esterita for teaching me the importance of value contrasts.
One Fish, Two Fish, Striped Fish, Blue Fish, 2004
16" x 19-1/2"
Not for Sale
Johnny is a petite, orange, feral tabby cat who literally came in from the cold. My husband fed him during the Winter of 1994/95 while he lived outdoors in our neighbourhood. By Victoria Day of 1995 he had moved into our house. He now spends his senior years counting the fish in my aquariums.
Jumpin' Jeremiah! 2004
36" x 45"
$900
Inspired by a whimsical greeting card by Elliot Bay, Challis & Roos. Fusible appliqué, spirals appliquéd using organza, hand-dyed fabrics by artist.
The Mermaid's Purse, 2003
4-1/2" x 7" plus strap
The pattern for the "Sea Garden Pouch" by Judith Baker Montano appeared in the Autumn 2002 issue of Belle Armoire magazine. Bethany Garner inspired me to try it as a second project in a Wearables class at the St. Lawrence College's Summer School of the Arts in 2003. It was a great opportunity to dip into the vast stash of beads I have been collecting. It hangs on the bulletin board in my sewing room.
Emerald Dream, 2002
22" x 18-1/2"
SOLD
I have had a fascination for underwater life and aquariums long before underwater themes became popular in home décor. After learning how to do free-motion thread painting on a stabilizer in a hoop, I knew I wanted to try my hand at thread painting some fish. I designed this quilt during a one-week course with Bethany Garner at the St. Lawrence College's Summer School of the Arts (Brockville) in 2002. Bethany inspired me to try dimensional work, and I added beads to the design.