I sewed my first quilt while I was in the USA in 1990: a double bed quilt, without a template, based on my own design. Since then, I have been making quilts and wall hangings at regular intervals, always based on my own designs covering the entire surface. I have never sewn a traditional pattern nor a quilt made from blocks.
I am a piecer who values precision in my work, and since the early 2000s, I have mostly dyed or painted my fabrics myself in strong colors, often shades of red. My shapes are often organic, round, and more recently, often inlaid into the background.
As a self-taught person, I learned through trial and error, and thanks to tips and tricks from my seamstress and dyer friends. More recently, I have taken online courses and two in-person courses with quilt artists.
I am interested in structures and color combinations in nature. My designs are based on (macro) photographs that I have taken myself, which I then simplify and stylize in my drawings. They are not meant to be realistic, but rather intentionally graphically simplified and visually appealing. My tools are a camera, a sketchbook, a pencil, an iPad with Procreate, pattern paper, my Bernina sewing machine, and lots of fabrics.
Since becoming a member of SAQA in 2021, I have sewn several quilts that I consider "small" (e.g., 31.5 x 31.5 inches) as wall hangings, but I am currently moving back toward large quilts that could also be used as bedspreads.
Red poppy (Papaver rhoeas), 31.3 x 31.3 inches, 2022
