My name is Helene Hein: French with a British mother, a Danish husband, and with two grown children born and raised in Germany where we have been living for 30 years, I feel very European! I first started sewing garments as a teenager but only turned to patchwork as a young mother, wanting to make a baby quilt for our first child. 20 years of traditional quilting followed as a creative outlet to balance my electrical engineer day job.
I just finished a 2-year distance training offered by the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles to become a judge. I sure didn´t see myself as having the skills to judge anybody else’s work having never competed myself but the course is a brilliant way to boost one´s knowledge and turned out to be a life-changer. Not only did I make great friends on the way but discovered exciting worlds that were completely new to me such as origami, lots of materials and techniques, art quilts, and dyeing!
This in turn brought me to SAQA. I joined last year and have been an enthusiastic member in the Europe and Middle East and NoCA/NoNV regions, participating in various SIG groups. The last virtual conference and color seminar were wonderful opportunities to get to know more overseas members. The virtual exhibitions motivated my very first attempts at entering exhibitions with the nice surprise of having a piece selected in both Plurality of Voices and Structures. I am now trying to figure out where I want to go with my work with colour and perhaps photography. Early Days!
I am looking forward to meeting more of you on the way and making new members feel welcome to SAQA.
For the Love of Trees
32.3 in x 21.6 in
2018
