Roses Creativity
Fabric Arts
I’ve been making artworks from fabrics with stories stitched into them since 1987 when my nephew was born. For years I just made baby quilts. Then I stumbled into a real quilt store in 1996 and started taking classes. 90 plus quilts later, these quilts have been exhibited and collected coast to coast.
Each quilt has a story. Each one emerges from a dream
process and is created as a unique expression for a person, place or situation. Typically I machine quilt, stitching in images and poetry. Sometimes I embellish by hand using embroidery thread and adding buttons.
The following is a sample tour of the range of fabric arts I have created, from baby quilts, ones from clothes, spiritually inspired quilts, those made for loved ones to window panes. A few of them are available for sale and I am always available for commission. Online store is available at http:www.etsy.com/shop/rosescreativity
Baby quilts. They began in 1987 as intuitive, scrappy 4-inch squares assembled into a 2 by 3 foot cloth. This was before I understood about cutting straight and ironing seems or how to bind the edges. They were organic. I have few photos of my precious love offerings. Over 30 baby quilts later, here is my latest one, with the precious child for whom I made it.
I dreamed about making this baby a quilt for months. Then one day I knew it was time. I saw the colors and the theme. This quilt features fruits and vegetables and warm tones.
Quilts from clothes and unusual fabrics are another art form. Nothing quite squares up, but there is nothing like these quilts. The next three quilts were made from clothes and odd fabrics.
Lauri’s Quilt
was made from a family member’s clothes to create a memory piece for Lauri. After several meetings, we came up with a design echoing a Tree of Life images by Gustav Klimpt.
The Heart of My Community
is a wild and large swamp
inspired quilt made with input from a group of friends over a 4-year process. In the center are people dancing around the world painting on old curtains. Water and a swamp scene emerges around the dancers with gators, snakes, birds and plant life. The quilting includes hand stitching of water drops and machine quilting. There is poetry stamped on it, acrylic painting and buttons and labels. This quilt is on public display and is available for sale.
Marks Door
was made for my nephew Mark from old clothes and with lots of love for his 18th birthday. The machine quilting includes crop circles, whales and eagles.
Spiritually Inspired. Many of my quilts emerge from a deeper inspiration about the mysteries of our world and the unseen energies protecting us. The following is my attempt to capture and express these wonderful mysteries.
First I show this wall hanging I made for Vessels of Peace as a contribution to a larger project called Tapestries of Peace
. Inspired by Linda Terry when we were working together in the Visioning Circle planting the seeds of the Sacred Feminine. The 11 flowers emerging from the vessel represent the 11 intentions in our path to merge the feminine presence with the masculine.
Between Heaven and Earth
emerged from a creativity class in 2003 and then took another year to embellish with hidden images. Exploring the variations of the log cabin block design in golds and blues, this quilt is of a large mandala exploring how spirit reaches through to us on earth. This quilt is available for sale.
Our Lady of Blessings
is focused on Our Lady of Guadalupe and surrounded with fabrics with fruits and flowers. She is showering us with her blessings. This quilt is available for sale.
Five Elements of Chinese Medicine
was made in 1999 while interning in an acupuncturist’s office in the north coast of California, where it now resides with earth, air, water, wood and metal hidden in the stitching as mandalas.
A close up of the Five Elements of Chinese Medicine
quilt above, this stitching shows hands holding up the flame of light.
Celtic Heart Knots
captures my fascination with how we are all connected. This Celtic Knot design was derived from my own belief that quilt piecing is the process of assembling blocks from the inside out.
For the Ones I Love. Amongst my quilting history are many quilts made for my loved ones. These often brew over some period as I envision what size and design would suit them.
This Bear Paw Protection Quilt
has flying geese and pinwheel stars and was made for my father in 1998.
Mother and Daughter Goddesses
has stitching of a mother and daughter embracing with the goddess image emerging from our hearts and was made for my mother in 1999.
Sister’s Birthday Quilt
was made for my school teaching sister who loves lighthouses and the beach. So I pulled together these quilt squares that bring forth those images and the feeling of love between us. I added the apple fabric to be cheeky. The machine quilting includes two mermaids dancing together around the lighthouse.
In the Garden of our Hearts
, all is warm and beautiful. This quilt protects a friend who is also like a godmother and at one time was my music teacher.
Our Lady of Friendship
is a wall hanging embellished with love for a friend and fellow gardener. Hidden in the stitching is a tree of life, bluebirds of happiness, blooming lotus flowers and poetry about the joys of enduring friendship.
Window Panes. For a while, I was capturing scenes on canvas and framing them in fabric and embellishing with intentional stitching. The following are a sample of that genre of my quilting.
Redbuds Blooming in Capay Valley
was captured one day while driving in northern California from Sacramento to the north coast. I passed through the Capay Valley where my college friend, Melanie, who once lived. I stopped to paint the view of redbuds blooming by the river. I made up this window quilt remembering her and our friendship; two years later my car broke down in Gainesville, Florida and I found Melanie.
Mendocino Magic
was captured one morning after seaweed harvesting off the north coast in California in 1999.
