Thinking Outside the Block

"I strive to push the quilt form into new territory both honoring tradition and seeking innovation. With an art and design background and a firm foundation in traditional textiles, I am inspired to use my technical skills and creative drive to invent new ways to express my ideas in cloth. In many ways, I have pushed myself to ‘think outside the block’ with both concept and technique.

I am passionate about the use of improvisational design, color, value, shape, pattern, and line to express my ideas. As compositions evolve on the design wall, I analyze the work in progress, thinking about color relationships, developing a focal point, balancing an arrangement or creating a sense of movement. This intuitive designing is the most engaging part of the process for me.

After years of building compositions using intricate piecing techniques, I searched for a less restrictive way of working and experimented with raw edge appliqué. This inspired an unbounded creative process that led to making this recent body of work which was constructed using a combination of techniques. This spontaneous and experimental approach to working revealed endless possibilities for expressing my ideas. My intent is to create engaging abstract compositions that uplift the spirit and inspire the viewer’s imagination."

Diane Melms

Diane Melms - Frolic

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