Moon Time, 2008

Close-up View

22" x 40"

$1,350

Moons, trees and women share seasons and cycles in common. Like the moon, women have a monthly cycle. "Moon Time" is an aboriginal (Ojibway) expression that refers to a woman's menstrual cycle, and the female energy known as "Grandmother Moon" is said to govern a woman's cycle.

This quilt started with a gnarled fantasy tree that I sketched, then traced onto fabric and painted using thickened dyes. The tree was cut out and fused on top of a dramtic piece of hand-dyed fabric (by artist). I added a moon (Angelina fibres) and then was stumped for a while until i heard the expression "Moon Time". This is when I decided that the quilt needed the specter of a woman's face. I used a close-up photograph of my profile as my guide for creating the face, which is stitched with an opalescent thread.

Femmes Fatales II, 2005

28" x 15-1/2"

$600

Juried into the Ontario Juried Quilt Show 2005

Sketch was traced onto a muslin foundation, cut apart, and the parts became the base for using the sew and flip technique. Fusible applique. Free-motion machine quilted by artist using hand-dyed threads by artist. Hand-beaded fringe.

This quilt is the second in a series that celebrates the curves of women of ample proportions. I consider it a fun, bright and funky quilt, that was inspired in large part by the black and white polka dot beads that I fell in love with and paid more than I should have to own!

Substan-shell Woman, 2003

Close-up View

28-1/2" x 39"

$1,050

Fusible applique, rtist pencils for shading for features and shading.

I bought the border fabric in Prince Edward Island in 2002, planning to make a beach-themed quilt. Eventually I stumbled across a greeting card, by Carlos Vega, that featured a picture of Aphrodite sitting on a seashell. It inspired me to sketch a plus-sized woman sitting on a shell instead. I then combed the beaches of Vancouver Island on a trip in 2003, looking for the perfect shells to cover her bosom. I ended up finding them in a bead shop in Victoria.

Femmes FAT-ales, 2003

21" x 30"

$600

Third Prize winner in the Art Quilt category at the 2004 Common Thread Quilt Show, Ottawa.

Hand-dyed fabrics by artist aand commercial, batiks. Fusible aplique, beaded, free-motion machine quilted.

In Western society, women are constantly bombarded by a very narrow definition of beauty: thin, tall and usually white. This quilt celebrates women of all shapes, sizes and colours. I hope it inspires women to break out of the box of negative body image.