Fiber Arts 2024-25

Fiber is an ideal medium that I use to capture the textures and colors of the ever-changing landscape of my Cape Cod home. My process begins by first sketching an image on canvas board and then roughly painting it using the predominate colors of the fibers that I plan to use. Then I cut the various fibers (traditional yarn, art yarn and embroidery thread) and affix them to the canvas with glue, using a toothpick to push each length as close together as possible. The result is a fiber “painting” that is an expression of my deep appreciation for this unique landscape and the wildlife and plant life it nurtures.

Knots, knots, knots! The process of creating a macramé hanging like this involves hand tying (and sometimes untying) different types of knots over and over again. I enjoy the physicality of busy hands, and also find it to be very meditative. My inspiration for the form comes in the moment, as the string hangs and relates to the shape of the wood, and different knots start to create shapes and patterns.

This past year I became a painter. The tapestry artist in me, however, just can’t help herself. Once I discovered these colors and shapes in the plein air painting I made one sunlit morning in July, I found myself saying, inevitably, “I could weave that”. And so I did.

The piece titled “Jelly” features appliqué using Angelina fiber on a background that is machine quilted by a mid arm sewing machine. As a Cancer, my connections to the water is significant, and this piece beautifully reflects the bonds alongside my creative spirit. It was also my first experience working with Angelina fiber, a luminescent synthetic fiber that has added a unique touch to the artwork.

I have been crocheting for more than 5 years. I am inspired by Native American textiles and prefer working with natural fibers. This throw was made using 100% cotton and the mosaic crochet technique.

I am inspired by the beauty and textures of vintage fabrics. My creations are constructed with repurposed materials, and are made by hand with love. I call this muy “I Dream of Jeannie” bag. It is made of 100% cotton vintage barkcloth and opens like a tulip!

These were made while I was living aboard our home-built schooner in the Caribbean many years ago! We had very little space so this small work suited me perfectly. Perhaps it's time to begin again.... I love the way the waxed linen feels as it is being knotted, how it settles just so, no matter how the waves roll us about!

This hat was a gift for someone who has been supportive of my learning to knit. He likes blue, green, and red. I tried to create a warm hat that fit with lots of contrast

This piece combines my love of the natural world with my love of pre-used textiles and hand stitching. Each square represents a human and a natural history. I work small and then piece together because I really have no idea what I will get coming out of the steamer!

This lap quilt was designed to complement an oriental carpet inherited from family members. The colors and fabrics chosen for the quilt replicate and mirror the patterning, vibrancy and Asian esthetic of the rug that inspired this creative work. The quilt is completely done by hand-sewing; both the piecework of each square, rectangle, triangle to one another as well as the quilting that binds together the three layers of quilt top, batting and backing. Quiltmaking combines my love of color, the value of handmade craft and the practicality of creating a usable work of art.