Susan Shie uses fabric paint and fabric markers to first paint her narrative pictures on cotton and then quilts these. Her life, her family and friends, world events - all are used as inspiration for her amazing quilts. Susan often uses written words to help tell the stories. Many of her works take nontraditional quilted forms - these images are from a quilted book she created on her daughter's life. Be sure to check out this link to her blog where she talks about how and why she created it.
Susan teaches five day workshops at her studio in Ohio. See here for more information.
I first found the work of Dr. Joan Gaither when I ran across this quote of hers and tracked down more information on who she is:
“I am not a traditional quilt-maker, in that I break the rules. I use anything and everything that is necessary to tell the story that needs telling.” —Dr. Joan Gaither
In my own art, I like to take traditional art forms/techniques and put them together in unusual ways. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Hers definitely work!
In this very inspirational video from her website, Dr. Gaither talks about her inspiration and process in making Journey to the White House, a narrative quilt that tells of Barack Obama's election to the US presidency. I especially like the way she linked this work to the community by bringing the quilt to different venues and allowing people to add to it with small beads or stitching, making it also theirs and part of their experience.
The School 33 Art Center website has images of six of her quilts that were included in an exhibit last year.
And here's my January square finished - probably, possibly finished. I'm looking at this as evolving art and may still work on it during the year if I'm inspired to do so! Maybe a few beads, fabric pieces, .....
Happy Creating! Deborah
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteI humbly thank you for showcasing my work. What a surprise to know that you tracked me down following a quote that I say all too often, but does informs my work and interaction in the community. I started designing monumental size quilts in 2000 that featured stories about my personal family, moved to my spiritual family and then to my extended community. It is my pleasure and honor to be able to facilitate and inspire multiple voices in my every growing communities to tell those stories that need telling, ones that only they can tell. Again,thank you.J.Gaither