Consternation

Consternation  14"x20"   $500.00

 Another of my more serious portraits.  Notice the rounded corners.  This is now my favorite way to finish this type of quilt.

The color of this individual accents his intensity and state of mind.  Quite the serious fellow.

I Went Shopping for a New Purse....

I Went Shopping for a New Purse...   22"x30"   Not for Sale

This quilt started as a postcard.   I make quilted postcards using bits of paper and layers just like a quilt.  They are 4"x6" and can be mailed without any envelope just like a normal postcard.

Well I liked the design for this postcard so much that I made it into a quilt.  The original title was "I Went Shopping for a New Purse but All I Ended Up with Was a Fish in a Box".  But that was rather long.

The purse is free swinging and can move around.

Woof!

Woof  20"x22"   $75.00

In one class I had to make 25 quick drawings of a dog.  This one turned into a quilt.

Wild Warrior Woman

There is a story behind this quilt.  This is one of the quilts in the Elizabeth Series.  When I made the face I had many ideas for shapes to surround her head.  And then this just sort of happened.

Wild Warrior Woman  26" x 33"   $500.00

I learned how to knit last year and have been bravely leaping into knitting projects.  Well I knit a cowl and it was complicated and challenging.  And when it was finished it was SO huge that it looked like it was going to swallow my head.  Not a good thing.

So - admitting that some projects are just a failure, I unraveled the whole thing.  Or at least I tried to.  But part of it would not unravel because of the sequence of stitches.

Being a frugal person, I saved the crazy part that refused to unravel because it was sort of strange and lumpy.  And then I started on this quilt.  And then - the strange lumpy unraveled cowl landed on this quilted person's head.

It just proves that things happen for a reason.  Or maybe it proves you should never throw anything away!  Uh oh.  That could become a dangerous habit.

Alice Has Something to Say

Alice Has Something to Say  17"x23"  SOLD

And whatever she has to say, it must be IMPORTANT!  You can just tell by looking at her.

I think Alice is a feisty little woman person.  I strive to be more like her every day.

Feeling blue

Feeling blue  20"x26"   $100.00

Does the shape of this quilt look a little strange?  I was experimenting with making the quilt non-rectangular.  I like the way it works with this particular face.

Fiona Featherly

Fiona Featherly  17"x19"   $75.00

Fiona is a teacher who lives on Farkleberry Road.  Her striped sweater is one of her distinguishing features.  She wears it everywhere!

Survivor

Survivor  17"x26"   $500.00

I never know how my quilts will actually turn out when I start.  I always have lots of ideas - but often times, the quilts just become what they want.  I feel like I am along for the journey.

This was one of those quilts.  Since the last couple of quilts had interesting things sprouting from the figures head - I expected this one would too.  But she had a mind of her own.

Her entire face is constructed from a single piece of fabric cut into many small pieces and then fit back together like a puzzle.  I selected this fabric because I knew it would be a challenge.  There were a lot of angular shapes in the fabric and I accented these lines with paint.

This is the second of my Elizabeth Series.  People react strongly to this image.  What is your reaction?

Aunt Mary

Aunt Mary 20"x24"   $150.00

My Aunt Mary was a beautiful and fashionable young woman.  She was never able to see this quilt but I think she would have liked it.

This quilt was included in the Great Arkansas Quilt Show II.  I was dazzled by being included.  I still remember posing with the quilt for pictures.  It was nice to have my attempts at art recognized.

It was also on exhibit for a year in the Little Rock office of Senator Mark Pryor.  Some of our local politicians do a great deal to support art in Arkansas.

Presents for Me?

Presents for Me?  32"x26"   $150.00

Once again two happy drawings came together to chat.  The bird like creature on the right was also featured in The Sky is Falling.  She seems to be everywhere!!

Emma

Emma  24"x34"   Not for Sale

Another of my initial efforts to bring faces to life in fabric.  Emma is quite intense and thoughtful.  She seems to be able to see to the heart of issues.

Hand painted fabrics and an upholstery background.

Ida Mae and Emma Jean

Ida Mae and Emma Jean  17"x29"   $100.00

Two very lovely ladies from Farkleberry Road.  They are different but they are very good friends.  Between them they can do most anything.

The circles on the right side of the quilt are free standing (or free hanging) and are different on each side.

Andrew

Andrew  32"x38"   Not for Sale

Andrew is large.  In fact VERY large for the way that I work.  You can't be in the same room and not notice Andrew.

Done with my hand-painted fabric.  Do you recognize him?

Bob and Chloe Fishing

Bob and Chloe Fishing  23"x27"   Not for Sale

A very different style for me.  But I loved this photo so much - it just had to be a quilt.  My husband was teaching our precious granddaughter to fish on Piney Creek.

You can't see it unless you are standing in front of the quilt, but can you spot that tiny red thing in the water?  Chloe's fishing line is attached to that "bobber" and if you flip the quilt over, you would see that she has caught a fish!

Everybody Counts

Everybody Counts  25"x20"   SOLD

Another Farkleberry character.  The numbers floating around his head are actually those little jellie bracelets that little girls wear.

Woman with a Fur Collar

Woman with a Fur Collar  19"x20"   $150.00

Yup.  It is real fake fur.  Quite a nice dimensional element.

Norman

Norman  18"x15"   $75.00

Another Resident of Farkleberry Road.  Do you notice that when I talk about my little quilts that I say Farkleberry as often as possible?  Such a lovely word.

Well.  Meet Norman.  He is just so sweet.  I've never been certain if he is coming or going or thinking about sitting down..... but I am always charmed by him.

There are zillions (well OK maybe not quite that many...) of beads in the border of this quilt.

Also did you notice the fabric around Norman?  It is the same one that was in that other quilt......  Remember?  Go look at  Alyssa.

The Sky IS Falling!

The Sky IS Falling!   27"x32"   $150.00

When I was making the Farkleberry Quilts a while ago, each of the characters was on their own quilt.

But recently my little drawings have felt a need to be with another character - having a "conversation".  Of course I cannot be certain that I know what they are saying..... but maybe I guessed correctly.

Renegade

Renegade      26"x36"   Not for Sale

This is one of my larger art quilts.  And he is truly an awesome presence in a room.  You know he is there because his eyes seem to look at you.

The background is a velvety upholstery fabric.

Big Al

Big Al 16"x20"   $75.00

Big Al.  One of the Residents of Farkleberry Road.  And a real charmer.

He likes to play jokes on people and is very sneaky.  Or at least that is what I have heard......

Orange Sparkle

Orange Sparkle  13"x13"   $40.00

When I am looking to just have a bit of fun - I make little whimsical face quilts like this one.  They get my creative impulses in gear and pretty soon I am zooming around the studio to my favorite music and adding sparkly bits to a new creation.

This is also the type of small project that I teach in a lot of my classes for quilters and non quilters alike.  And all ages.  Great fun - guaranteed success.  How can you lose with that combination?

Sending Signals

Sending Signals 17"x26" Part of the UWW permanent collection

Another of the faces made with small pieces of fabric glued to a background and then stitched.  This particular piece has a silk face.  And LOTS of hand stitched details.

Gustave Posing as a Vampire

Gustave Posing as a Vampire 16"x18"   $125.00

What would Grandpa Gustave have thought of THIS quilt??  He probably would have been horrified because of the strange colors.  This quilt was my first experiment in using non-sepia tones for a face.  Quite a leap for me - and for Gus!

It is the exact same pattern that I used for the Gustave quilt - but compare the two to see how the facial features changed just a bit.  Part of the fun!

Gustave

Gustave  17"x17"   $125.00

Grandpa Gustave.  My husband's grandpa when he was a young man.  One of the quilts that I made very early on.  My handpainted fabric.

Also check out Gustave Posing as a Vampire.  Which one do you like more?

E-I-E-I-O

E-I-E-I-O  29"x24"   $300.00

Inspiration comes from the strangest places.  And this quilt is an excellent example of how random (and fun) that can be.

I was teaching a small paper collage class for a group of friends and while they were working on their projects, I cut out some pieces from a catalog.  I was just sort of plunking along and wanting to appear occupied so I didn't make the ladies in the class feel like I was "watching" them.

They did a wonderful job on their creations (they always do) and after the class was over I took my piece of paper home - intending to just toss it.  But I liked the way the shapes fit together.  So it ended up on my design wall - and eventually became this strange and colorful quilt.  It is one of my favorites.

Lola Has a Secret

Lola Has a Secret  18"x16"   $75.00

And I wonder what her secret is.  Another of the Residents of Farkleberry Road creations.

Child Pondering the Future

Child Pondering the Future  22"x26"   $150.00

Such a precious child.  What is he seeing in his future?

Again this quilt is made with my hand painted fabric.  This particular quilt makes me feel so tender and protective.

Luna

Luna  21"x35"  SOLD

Oh my.  Luna!  Another one of those quilts made with bits and pieces of fabric put in place with tiny bits of glue and then sewn down with great gusto.

I especially like the quilting lines on Luna.  They make her seem to vibrate with energy. 

Each quilt of this style starts with the exact same pattern for the facial shape - but ends up SO different.  The amazing process that happens as each quilt communicates what IT wants.

(Compare to Alyssa and Sending Signals - see the similarities and the differences)

Can a Fly Fisherman Catch Flying Fish?

Can a Fly Fishermen Catch Flying Fish?  32"x26"   $150.00

If you look very closely on the left side of the quilt you will see a little man fishing.  But the really big and colorful (and, frankly, magical!) fish are flying up above.  And they are beautiful and covered with beads and sparkles.

Can't you just imagine on a sunny day looking up into the sky and seeing a flock of fish?  Wait - flock is a bird word - school is for fish.  Oh well - I bet you know what I mean.

Flying Fish Detail

Arnold Makes a Wish

Arnold Makes a Wish  15"x20"   $75.00

So what is he wishing for?  Actually Arnold was not originally standing in water - but then he seemed to require a puddle for his ruby red magic crystals.

Arnold is one of the Residents of Farkleberry Road.  Did you know that there is a real bush called Farkleberry?  I collect interesting words and Farkleberry is definitely on the list.  It sounds sort of like a Dr. Seuss word.

Anyway.  Here is a little story for you....something about how some of my whimsical critters were born.  For most of my life I was not able to ever draw little pictures from my imagination.  It really did seem like there was a disconnect at my elbow that would not allow them to travel from my brain to my fingers.

Then I found a book by Carla Sonheim (Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists) and learned how to FIND those little critters and let them come out to play.  Arnold is one of them.  A charming fellow for sure.

Emerging Woman

Emerging Woman 15" x 20"   Not for Sale

One of my personal favorites.

This is one of the portrait quilts that uses my hand painted fabrics.  The background is a velvety upholstery fabric to contrast with the cotton face.  She was featured in a SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) regional show in Little Rock, AR in 2011. 

Mystical Solanna

The Mystical Solanna 15" x 20"   $75.00

Do you doodle?  I do!  All the time.  But especially at meetings.  Some folks think I am bored and that is why I am drawing little designs and pictures (well sometimes they are right....) but frequently it is to help me focus on what is being said at the meeting.  It used to drive my teachers crazy.

Solanna is the fabric recreation of one of my meeting doodles.  I think she looks like she is part of a Circus Parade.  The beading on this quilt adds a lot of sparkle and personality.

The quilting design with open circles was a new experiment for me but I like the way it compliments the border.