I am a fiber artist with a degree in graphic design from Minneapolis Business College. I have always been attracted to the tactile nature of fabrics and fibers. As a child, I would used scraps from the clothes my mother and grandmother were making in order to make clothes and tiny quilts for my Barbies.
I began learning traditional quilting in 1995, making simple square piece flannel blankets. While I was earning my degree in graphic design in 2001-2002 I began to make art quilts rather than traditional pieced quilts. I was excited to see how I could apply the design principles I was learning, into fiber form.
The vast majority of my pieces are centered around or inspired by nature. I draw from the flora and fauna I find from trips around the country, as well as in my own backyard. I prefer dyeing my fabrics to mix with batiks in order to attain the desired colors for the most impact in my quilts. Color is the biggest factor in a piece for me, and something I spend a lot of time planning and testing in a piece, as I rely a lot on color play for contrast in my pieces.
I mix contemporary and traditional methods of quilt making, from fused applique to hand quilting in order to achieve the particular look or feel to a piece I am striving to attain. I also incorporate embellishments to give my pieces more depth; needle felted roving, angelina fibers, paint, inks, or anything that will give the visual impact I am striving for. I try to apply mindfulness (complete engagement) to the design and construction of my pieces. It is my desire that the view is left with a deeper appreciation of colors in nature, as well as with a renewed sense of hope and calmness.
I began learning traditional quilting in 1995, making simple square piece flannel blankets. While I was earning my degree in graphic design in 2001-2002 I began to make art quilts rather than traditional pieced quilts. I was excited to see how I could apply the design principles I was learning, into fiber form.
The vast majority of my pieces are centered around or inspired by nature. I draw from the flora and fauna I find from trips around the country, as well as in my own backyard. I prefer dyeing my fabrics to mix with batiks in order to attain the desired colors for the most impact in my quilts. Color is the biggest factor in a piece for me, and something I spend a lot of time planning and testing in a piece, as I rely a lot on color play for contrast in my pieces.
I mix contemporary and traditional methods of quilt making, from fused applique to hand quilting in order to achieve the particular look or feel to a piece I am striving to attain. I also incorporate embellishments to give my pieces more depth; needle felted roving, angelina fibers, paint, inks, or anything that will give the visual impact I am striving for. I try to apply mindfulness (complete engagement) to the design and construction of my pieces. It is my desire that the view is left with a deeper appreciation of colors in nature, as well as with a renewed sense of hope and calmness.
I do open studios in my home studio and take part in art crawls.
Artist's Statement: I experiment with color and contrast, applying the knowledge I gained through graphic design into my artwork. I love pulling colors from nature to use in my work, and most of my work is representational of the natural world in some way or another.
Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA
Online shops:
stephanieforsyth on Etsy
StephanieForsyth on Art Fire
stephanieforsyth direct sales on website
Blogs: thefibernation, stephanieforsyth
Memberships:
Languages spoken: English
"Eden Prairie: Wetlands and Tree 9" by Stephanie Forsyth
Tags: hand dyed, simple, elegant, nature, colorful, zen, contrasting, playful, experimental, fun
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“Drive a nail home and clinch it so faithfully that you can wake up in the night and think of your work with satisfaction,- a work at which you would not be ashamed to invoke the Muse”
-Henry David Thoreau
In our case, it would be the needle or other fiber tool. Drive it home! And, we all thank you for your words, left here to these good folks. Invoke your Muse!