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
