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"Poulnabrone Dolmen", Art Quilt by Denise Labadie The Burren, Co. Clare, Ireland 32" High x 63" Wide |
I am a contemporary fiber artist, art quilter, and teacher. My art emphasizes “Irish Stonescapes” – both the country's landscapes and many ancient stones and ruins. I discovered the stones in 1994 and I can't get enough of them, and visit every few years and look for new sites as well as visit some of my favorite ones as often as I can. I love commissions of other people's sacred sites.
My work is available at Shaw Cramer Gallery.
Artist's statement: I have always been drawn to Ireland. My great grandmother came to the U.S. from Ireland in 1888, and my initial visit in 1991 affirmed a deep connection.
It was while planning a second visit that I first saw a picture of the Piper Stones, a stone circle in Co. Wicklow, that sent shivers through me. I sought them out immediately upon my return. These stones – and later, many others – “talk to me”, and I’ve focused ever since on finding new stones and using my art to convey the essence of these continuing communications. I have since come to similarly revere the country’s more recent monastic ruins.Whenever I work on a new piece, I research its “documented” story only after the work has been completed. The stones themselves – even their photographs – tell me how they want to be portrayed. I’ve met numerous similarly afflicted people.
I use a wide variety of colors, fabrics, threads, and yarns in my work. I hand paint my own fabric and then – for all my quilts other than my stone megaliths – work the same way as a stone mason works, individually cutting out, piecing, and appliquéing each stone, one by one, working from the bottom up.
The realistic appearance and textures of my stone fabric is achieved through the application of multiple layers of sun-reactive transparent Seta color paints, along with the aggressive use of sand, salt, sugar, dirt, etc., during drying cycles.
In contrast to the realism of the stones, any skies and landscapes – which are central to the context of Irish place and timelessness – are far more abstract. I use a relatively unique stripping technique for my landscapes, integrating thin horizontal pieces of fabric, trims, and yarns into a story-telling abstract of colors and textures.
Completed fabric tops are then heavily machine stitched to add even more texture and shadowing.
It was while planning a second visit that I first saw a picture of the Piper Stones, a stone circle in Co. Wicklow, that sent shivers through me. I sought them out immediately upon my return. These stones – and later, many others – “talk to me”, and I’ve focused ever since on finding new stones and using my art to convey the essence of these continuing communications. I have since come to similarly revere the country’s more recent monastic ruins.Whenever I work on a new piece, I research its “documented” story only after the work has been completed. The stones themselves – even their photographs – tell me how they want to be portrayed. I’ve met numerous similarly afflicted people.
I use a wide variety of colors, fabrics, threads, and yarns in my work. I hand paint my own fabric and then – for all my quilts other than my stone megaliths – work the same way as a stone mason works, individually cutting out, piecing, and appliquéing each stone, one by one, working from the bottom up.
The realistic appearance and textures of my stone fabric is achieved through the application of multiple layers of sun-reactive transparent Seta color paints, along with the aggressive use of sand, salt, sugar, dirt, etc., during drying cycles.
In contrast to the realism of the stones, any skies and landscapes – which are central to the context of Irish place and timelessness – are far more abstract. I use a relatively unique stripping technique for my landscapes, integrating thin horizontal pieces of fabric, trims, and yarns into a story-telling abstract of colors and textures.
Completed fabric tops are then heavily machine stitched to add even more texture and shadowing.
Location: Longmont, Colorado, USA
Memberships:
Studio Art Quilt Association
Front Range Contemporary Quilters
TheQuiltShow.com - Quest Artist #106
Front Range Contemporary Quilters
TheQuiltShow.com - Quest Artist #106
Languages spoken: English
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Monastic Ruin at Glendalough Inspired by one of seven churches at St. Kevin's Monastery City, Co. Wicklow Art Quilt by Denise Labadie 78" High x 60"Wide |
Tags: Megalithic, Ruins, Celtic, Dolmens, fiber artist, portals, Dun Aengus, Inishmore
Thank you for showcasing such wonderful fibre artists !
ReplyDeleteDenise Labadie's work is stunning !
I came across this on pinterest. I'm Irish and studied Archaeology. I was sure the piece was of an Irish Monument before I read this. Goes to show how perfectly Denise captured it. beautiful work
ReplyDelete