Respiration (34" x 39.5") "We speak of 'inspiration,' and the word should be taken literally. There really is inspiration and expiration of Being. ... The world and I are within one another."

These words from Maurice Merleau-Ponty resonate at the center of my self-portrait. All that has formed my identity, what I have “inhaled” from the world, what becomes my inspiration is garnered from my embodied experience in the world; what I "exhale" in my expression as an artist is my unique way of seeing and responding to that world and my presence in it.

Blue Lava (35.25"x36"). As an artist, I am inspired by the elemental substances and energies of the earth and how they feed human imagination. “Blue Lava” comingles imagery of earth, fire, and water, portraying a moment in flow.

Gaudi Windows in Barcelona (43"x74"). This quilt was inspired by a visit to La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain. The Gaudi-designed stained glass windows glowed against a dark background. Fractured light flooded the floors. Breathtaking and beautiful!

Abstract Irises in Shades of Purple (49"x56"). This quilt was inspired by the wide range of purple tones found in summer blooming irises. The right amount of bright yellow appears as streaked highlights, reminding me of the rich contrasts in nature.

Cat Nap (12"x12") When I received this photo of my granddaughter's kitten, I was inspired to try and capture the innocence it represented. Regardless of what they're like when they are awake, babies of all kinds look innocent when they sleep.

Toby (12”x12”) Toby is a wonderful elderly Plott Hound who enjoys his walks with his nose very close to the ground. I've enjoyed many walks with my son and Toby. I was inspired to try and capture his "view of the world," which is through his sense of smell.

Rising Mist (18”x26”) Nature and it’s varying moods are my inspiration. Rising Mist grew from my fascination with how light plays through the trees to create beautiful patterns in the water and sparkles on the reeds along the water’s edge. As I take morning walks, I am drawn to the light rising and take lots of photos. Using my memory and my photos I created a watercolor which I had printed onto fabric, and then quilted and embellished with textures. $700

Kauai Aloha (26"x24”) Cock-a-doodle-do! The rooster was inspired by the sunshine; I was inspired by his persistence!

Capricious Copper (21" x 23"). Copper has so many shades and textures. Copper wires, copper pennies, copper skies at sunset. From skin tones to metal, bright brassy highlights to deep rust, copper is outside the color spectrum - a rebellious color.

Capricious Copper is an off-beat, improv, almost-plaid that breaks all the rules. A little bit geometric, a little bit ombre, a splash of metallic that glows.

The original inspiration for this piece was a guild-generated challenge to make a monochromatic quilt. I picked a not-really-a-color and a not-so-square layout, grabbed every copper-related fabric from my stash and threaded them together. $150

Rhombus Rumba (28"x26"). If you took a square and twisted it, painted it purple and made it dance a rumba, this is what you'd get.

Rhombus Rumba repeats the same shape in hues of pale grey, lavender, and deep purples, swinging its hips from side to side, inviting you to join in.

The original inspiration for this piece was our PAQA Common Threads group prompt: make a quilt using one shape. I decided to make the shape move with an unconventional layout and distinct directionality. Movement captures the eye and brings the viewer back for another look. $400

I Did It My Way (29”x21"). An art book from the local library that celebrates women artists was the inspiration for this wall hanging. These unstoppable artists gave me ideas and insights into there is no “the wrong way,” it’s simply my way. It is OK to be free to bring my own creativity to each quilted or art project. I did that with this piece and will continue with future projects. Having ideas and philosophy reinforced by other women is very satisfying and freeing. No one will say “she didn’t follow the rules.” $200

Reflections in a Swamp (12"x12") The Francis Beidler Forest is an Audubon wildlife sanctuary in low country South Carolina. The two-mile boardwalk provides photo opportunities in the world’s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest.

Got Fish? (26”x26”) There was a challenge presented to use Matisse's "Cat With the Goldfish" painting to create an art quilt. We could pick a part of the painting or a particular color that would inspire a unique image. I decided to use my Kaleidoscope Kreator software and eventually came up with this design. It depicts the cat's head (yellow) with his paw in the fishbowl trying to catch one of those orange fish. There are 176 individual pieces that make up this image.

Queen of the Prairie (20"x23") Pounding flowers is one of my favorite techniques for creating art quilts because each one is truly an original design. Seeing what develops when I pound those plant materials with my hammer inspires my fabric choices to complement the flower color. The quilting design, which usually ends up being micro-quilting, allows the flower images to "pop," making a more pleasing visual image. "Queen of the Prairie" is the featured flower for this piece. It grows about five feet tall and has massive blooms that look like cotton candy. The ferns add nice contrast to the bright pink. $200

Bloodroot (12"x16"). Seeing the pure white petals of the Bloodroot wildflower in early spring makes my heart sing! I am inspired by its ability to push through the thick leaf matter after a long time underground. Its green leaves and white flowers form a thick carpet over the brown leaves along a hill in our woods. I use a lot of botanicals in my work,so seeing these early wildflowers inspires me to think ahead to nicer weather when I can work outside gardening, photographing my flowers, or working on an art project. $400

Cosmic Party (30.5”x22”) Dreams are a source of inspiration – intentional or by random chance. I had a recurring dream in living color that was noisy and energetic, and unlike most dreams, did not go away when I woke up.
One day in my studio I pulled out colorful fabrics and laid them out without a thought to what would come of it. I usually plan a piece, but this quilt ‘made’ itself from the dream I could not shake. Cosmic Party was born…. and no longer inhabits my dreams. $650

Luminous Inspiration (23.75”x23”) I am often inspired by moments of insight that feel like a gift - like a bright light has just cleared the fog of my present moment. This piece represents the collaborative nature I experience when realizing an idea and when making a piece of art. $575

Multiplication (43”x47”) Newly weaned cottontails: ears just barely poking above the new spring grass. But wait! What happened to my vegetable seedlings, my favorite flowers, my herb garden? Adorable baby bunnies or menacing pariah? Which are they? $800

Rachel’s Blues (50”x51”) In my search for images of inspiring improv quilts, I came across a 16-block log cabin housetop variation by Gee’s Bend quilter Rachel Carey George (1908-2011.) Rachel’s Blues is a tribute to Rachel and her mastery of composition, contrast, spontaneity, and making-do. $800

My Tribe (55”x60”) This quilt was inspired by a group challenge and the fabrics the 11 challengers brought to the project. The fabrics were thrifted -- no new fabric could be purchased -- by the challengers. Fabrics were divided evenly, then taken home for interpretation. In this quilt, the donuts were cut from the 11 challenge fabrics. The background fabrics were my choice. $1,200

Community Garden (60”x60”) I find aerial views of land and cities fascinating. This quilt started as an experiment using a design technique called floating squares. Only scraps were used for the squares. 3/4 of the way along, the design called out for a bit of drama. The green oval provides that. The finished top named itself. $1,200