I’ve always been drawn to the tactile nature of fibers and the designs that can be created using different materials and techniques. I have fond childhood memories of being drawn to fiber works displayed at historic tourist sites – especially the tea-dyed quilts, richly patterned rugs, meticulously woven comforters, opulently beaded lampshades and handbags, and delicate hair weavings. I sewed my own clothing as a teen, and I enjoyed long talks with my aunt Erma about her sewing and quilting projects.

When I began making traditional patchwork quilts in 1976, I learned that I have great appreciation for the rhythm of grids, the predictability of geometry, the energy of color, the power of lines, and the texture of patterns. These design principles still guide my work. I start each new piece by assembling a pallet of materials – adding and eliminating until the mix seems right. As I work with the materials, considerations of the compositional elements guide my process for assembling them.

Through the years I have developed an appreciation for geometric abstraction and have started to bend some angles and add some organic lines and shapes to my work.

I try to communicate my love for fabrics, fibers, rhythm, line, texture, and color to the viewer. I hope my work makes people think about how the juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary materials and techniques create powerful unexpected synergies.

Artists whose works inspired me are Escher, Josef and Annie Albers, Stella, Kandinsky, Rothko, and Nevelson.