The Best of Digital Quilts (2)

Digital printing technology has changed every industry it has touched, including quilting. Anything you can view or design on a computer can be printed onto fabric, then quilted ! We're featuring award-winning fabric artists who have inspired us with their creative works.

P.S.Check out our E-Bay shop for great deals on quilt patterns, fabric, and books ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

A Shared Destiny by Patricia Kennedy-Zafred, Pennslvania,  photo by Quilt Inspiration

Patricia notes, "The dramatic faces of these Native American chiefs inspired the bold colors and patterns of the hand-dyed fabric and mandated the bold, impressive size; yet, the softness in their eyes seems perfectly suited to the quilt medium. (The original images are by Edward S. Curtis, courtesy of the Library of Congress).

Close-up, A Shared Destiny

Patricia did an outstanding job of creating a multi-colored quilt which displays the dignity, intensity, and purposeness of these chiefs. Her techniques include machine piecing, fused applique, hand-dyeing, and silk screening. For materials, she used cotton fabric, Procion dyes, textile inks, fusible web, and rayon and cotton threads.

Blossoming by Diane Rusin Doran,  Maryland,  photo by Quilt Inspiration

Second place winner in the Surface Design Category at the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival, Diane explains, "This is an interpretation of what I see when standing underneath one of our cherry blossom trees in full bloom, backlit by the afternoon sun. I created the image using digital surface design techniques and digital collage, enhancing it with free-motion machine quilting."

Close-up,  Blossoming

We love this gorgeous array of sunset colors - peaches, pinks, apricots, and mauves which make it easy to visualize the light shining through the trees. Diane's technique was digital and professional fabric printing on hand-dyed cotton sateen fabric, with cotton threads for machine quilting.

Happy 80th Birthday, Mama, by Sarah Ann Smith
Maine

Sarah Ann notes, "My mother's 80th birthday quilt depicts three generations. My mother worked in Japan in 1946-47 and fell in love with the country, so I selected a Japanese theme. On the top is Mom's family. In the center is my immediate family and Mom's siblings as adults. Finally, the youngest generation, including my sons, is at the bottom."

Close-up, Happy 80th Birthday, Mama

Sarah Ann's wonderful work is machine appliqued and quilted. It will surely be a treasured family heirloom.

New York Windows 1449, by Marilyn Henrion 
New York

The description card reads, "As a lifelong New Yorker, Henrion's work is always deeply rooted in the urban geometry of her surroundings..... This is one of a series of works that focuses on the metaphorical implications of windows....Windows are the visual bridge between inside and out. Though transparent, the window may serve as the barrier or the link between the viewer and the world beyond. To those outside, it may reflect the world or provide one with a glimpse of the inside. To those inside, it may shield them from the reality outside of offer a connection to it.

Close-up,  New York Windows

This quilt depicts Trinity Church in downtown Manhattan surrounded by the megalithic structures of Wall St. commerce. The three concentric circles of the quilting design symbolize the Christian Godhead. Marilyn's techniques included hand quilting with the contemporary technology of digitally manipulated photography, along with pigment printing on silk. We really admire how Marilyn has fused the present and past by using both traditional and contemporary techniques in working with this intriguing subject matter.

Slate Mine Vanadium by Susan Szajer
New Mexico

Susan writes, "In the copper-rich hills of southwest New Mexico, basic shack-like structures house mining shafts and equipment used many years ago. These abandoned structures have outlived their use and are examples of irresponsible industrial practices and abuse of our natural resources."

According to the Live Science website, Vanadium is a medium-hard, steel-blue metal. Although a lesser-known metal, it is quite valuable in the manufacturing industry due to its malleable, ductile and corrosion-resistant qualities. 

Close-up Slate Mine Vanadium

Susan's techniques include hand-embroidery, machine-piecing and quilting, along with photo transferring, hand-dyeing, and dye painting. Her work makes an important statement on a very timely and relevant topic.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2018 Brigham City Art Quilt Invitational (New York Windows) and the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival.

The Best of Digital Quilts (1)

Digital printing technology has changed every industry it has touched, including quilting. Anything you can view or design on a computer can be printed onto fabric, then quilted ! This week and next, we're featuring award-winning fabric artists who have inspired us with their creative works.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great deals on quilt patterns, fabric, and books ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Icons in Blue by Suzan Engler (Texas)

Suzan Engler holds degrees in Computer Science and Business Administration, as well as a Master’s degree in Fine Arts. On her website, Suzan Engler says, "My art is a collaboration of photography, digital painting and manipulation, and contemporary art quilting."

Icons in Blue was based on a commercially licensed photo which was digitally manipulated, printed onto cotton fabric, and then machine quilted by Suzan.  The background of the image features numerous icons, including the word "artist".  For more of her work, please see Suzan Engler's website.

This Land Was My Land by Patricia Kennedy-Zafred (Pennsylvania)

Patricia Kennedy-Zafred says, "The striking image of a young Navajo man in 1906 speaks not only to the forced migration of Native Americans during that historical period, but also to the battle being fought today by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe... Their stories are an essential part of our diverse American fabric."

This original photo was obtained from the Library of Congress.  This piece was hand-silk-screened, transferred, machine pieced, and quilted. Patricia's prize-winning works have been exhibited nationally and internationally; for more of her work, see her gallery page.

My Arizona by Maureen Tollman

Artist Maureen Tollman says,  "As a native of Arizona, I chose to use a few of my own photographs to depict places in the state.  The background fabric is silk and the photos are mounted onto suede and burlap.  Photographs were printed on treated roller shade fabric using an inkjet printer." 

The rustic feeling of this piece  is enhanced by the addition of metal gears, burlap flowers, and other embellishments.

Birds Eye View, 60 x 24", by Wen Redmond (New Hampshire)

Birds Eye View really caught our eye with its ethereal imagery and pieced-image construction.  Wen Redmond says, "Glancing upward while at a stop sign, I spied a bird sitting high on a branch.  This observation took me on a short reverie, thinking about what the bird was thinking, watching all of us scurry and hurry about our day. This moment gave me back perspective, to remember how precious life is, and to remember the fleeting beauty hidden in today."

Birds Eye View was created by melding several photographs and printing onto prepared canvas.  The fiber photograph is mounted onto sections, which were then stitched, and tied together using dyed pearl cotton.  In the closeup photo above you can also see that the edges of the individual sections are embellished and sealed with metallic paint.
To learn more about her techniques, check out Wen Redmond's 2017 book titled Digital Fiber Art: Combine Photos and Fabric - Create Your Own Mixed-Media Masterpiece:

Mudra, 75" x 51", by Melissa Sobotka (Texas)

Melissa Sobotka’s artwork can be found in many private collections and in the National Quilt Museum. Mudra won an Honorable Mention award at the 2018 Road to California quilt show.  This striking, large wall quilt was based on Melissa Sobotka's own photograph.  She says,  "Mudra is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions.  Some mudras involve the entire body but most are performed with the hands and fingers."

The authenticity of this piece is greatly enhanced by the loops of wooden beads that embellish the bottom edge of the quilt, as shown above.  For more of her work (and information about workshops), please visit Melissa Sobotka's website.


Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2018 Road to California show (Mudra), the 2015 Quilt Arizona show (My Arizona), and the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival (Icons in Blue, Birds Eye View, This Land Was My Land).

Highlights of the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival - part 3

The Houston International Quilt Festival is an awe-inspiring event, with more than 1,600 quilts on display, and over 60,000 visitors!! It's hard to describe the scale and visual impact of this event. Here are more highlights of this fantastic show.

Note: We've listed lovely items at very low prices at Quilt Inspiration's E-Bay store !

Somewhere My Love by Kay Donges (Georgia, USA)

Kay Donges says, "In 2016, I was invited to do a trunk show and lecture at the Russian International Quilt Festival in Suzdal, Russia.  The theme of the festival was Love.  There were reenactments of weddings from different areas and periods of history. The title of the quilt is from "Lara's Theme" from the movie, Doctor Zhivago. The subject is a Russian bride dressed in traditional Russian clothing.  The building behind the bride is the dome of the Church of the Nativity, which dates back to 1528.   I have dedicated this quilt to the loving and gracious Russian quilters."

This beautiful piece was created with cotton and synthetic fabrics, lace, ric rac, various trims, buttons. It was embellished with approximately 15,000 hand-sewn beads.

Women of Color: Jewels of Kenya by Patricia Kennedy-Zafred (Pennsylvania, USA)

Part of Patricia Kennedy-Zafred's "Women of Color" series, this piece celebrates the vivid, colorful personalities of young women in Northern Kenya.  The original images were by photographer Dietmar Temps, with permission.  This piece was created with silk screening and hand-dyed fabrics, followed by machine quilting.  

Hurry on Snowy Road, I am Late! by Keiko Morita (Toyama, Japan)

Keiko Morita says, "I tried to express a snowy morning scene in my daily life by using a Japanese traditional painting method n black and white [fabrics].  I concentrated on quilting the trees and created the sense of car speed with the snow crystals blowing toward me.  I hope viewers feel as if they are sitting in the car."  She used machine piece, applique, and embroidery; and hand applique to create this evocative scene.

Family Portrait by Danny Amazonas

Danny Amazonas created this larger-than-life piece "in remembrance of a family of furry friends who are no longer with us." His spectacular fabric collages draw on the beauty of the original textile designs on each piece of fabric used.  This special exhibit was sponsored by sponsored by FreeSpirit Fabrics & Sew Batik.

Annular Eclipse , 67 x 90", by Fumiko Nakayama (Japan)

Fumiko Nakayama is famous for her mola-style hand reverse applique work. This spectacular intricate piece was published in Art Quilts Internatonal: Abstract and Geometric by Martha Sielman and shown in a stunning exhibit called SAQA: Masterworks - Abstract and Geometric.  Fumiko Nakayama says, "I find constant inspiration from the majesty of our universe."

Summer Memory by Yoshiyuki Ishizaki (Hyogo, Japan)

Winner of Honorable Mention in the Innovative Pieced category, this fascinating quilt was pieced with strips of cotton fabric in a broad range of values, creating a watercolor effect.  Yoshikyuki Ishizaki says, "The best of summer memories is the bicycle trip with friends."

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.