Circles as a shape and the Nine Patch Pattern are among my favorite patterns to use in my art.
The challenge fabric, beginning and ending with circles made my heart sing. The challenge fabric inspired my interest in bringing circles into or reinforcing circles in the other Guaranteed Wax fabrics that make up the blocks of this modified Nine Patch. My goal on this piece was to create nine quilts held together visually and in actuality by a grid that floats over the composition.
Nothing is supposed to be perfect—rather, multiple levels of fun are presented to delight the eye!
Materials: Guaranteed Wax fabrics from Julius Holland, digital recreation of the challenge fabric, commercial fabrics (backing and facing), cotton threads, mylar discs
Techniques: Spoonflower print of concentric squares that have been digitally altered, machine quilting, faced edges.
Corrupted: To change the original form.
Scraps from my studio: window screen, faux leather from a dress, white glue, used shipping paper, 2-1950’s bark cloth curtain panels, rayon from old obi, cotton batting, backing and thread.
Quilted whole cloth with holes backed, faux leather glued to paper – 1/4” space-varies in lower pieces, machine quilted and appliqued, 3 panels hung from top support.
SAQA Regional Exhibition: “Purpose-Repurpose”, organized by the Maryland/Washington DC/West Virginia Region of SAQA with art by members of SAQA’s North Carolina/Virginia and Pennsylvania Regions; at the Strathmore Mansion, North Bethesda, Maryland - 2022.
Published in Purpose-Repurpose available here.
Juried into Pittsburgh Fiberarts Guild’s “Juried Member Exhibition”, at the Erie Museum of Art, 20 E 5th Street, Erie, PA 16507, April 4, 2024 through January 19, 2025
When water can percolate into the ground and organic matter is broken down—the earth will remain healthy and promote growth.
Consider the earthworms who promote this activity; they process organic matter, moving soil around creating their tunnels. Tunnels that allow water to be absorbed through the layers of earth.
Left to its own devices, nature takes care of itself.
Techniques:
Front Panel: machine pieced and quilted.
Back Panel: front--loose threads woven into screening with crochet hook, back--threads handstitched through front threads, suggesting soil.
Materials: Discontinued commercial upholstery samples, cotton fabrics, men’s ties, window screening, fulled wool, loose threads from torn fabrics, cotton thread, pearl cotton, embroidery floss, wool yarn.
Juried into SAQA Global Exhibition: “sustainABILITY”, at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts from October 5 through December 31, 2022. The exhibition catalog is available through the SAQA store.
“sustainABILITY” continues to the Wingate Museum of Art in Conway, Arkansas from February 3 through March 17, 2023.
Further venues - AQS QuiltWeek shows in 2023:
Grand Rapids, Michigan: September 13-16, 2023
DesMoines, Iowa: September 27-30, 2023
St. George Art Museum, St. George, UT - June 1 - August 31, 2024
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA - January - April, 2025
Flying beasts have been in this world since prehistoric times. If the world were to find itself merging with technology, it is possible that birds would learn to reproduce using a technological bent as well.
Materials: Spoonflower print of altered artist’s photo, metal zippers, bias tape, computer parts, assorted wires, plastic pull tabs, metal coffee filter, glass beads, cotton threads
Techniques: Re-pieced photo sliced; set in zippers, bias tape edge, reshaped metal spiral, unbraided wire shielding lace, and computer wires. Collaged birds-hard drive readers, a circuit board body, filter wings
Space and time feel disconnected in a dream. Parts fit into a sense of reality, others don’t.
In the context of a dream, they all make sense. This dream grows out of leftovers morphing into unconscious manifestations. Unused black and white woven and stitched fabrics compose a world filled with thread clouds and glass button stars. Only in the land of dreams exists an assembly of an odd bird, made from a computer component, pen nibs, earring backs, beads and a button. This world is contained within a zipper that could work if it chose—rather it provides the frame for “Dreamland”.
Will be auctioned in the 2021 SAQA Benefit Auction, September 10 -October 03, 2021
Organized scraps give me permission to feel creative! All the collaged fabric in this piece came from one project (Waste Not Want Not) completed in 2020.
Materials used: pre-quilted; woven scraps, collaged strips and stitched threads, used fabric teabags, old clothing labels, old metal zipper, pearl cotton yarn, hooks and eyes, snap, cotton batting and flannel.
In private collection.
Simple quotes have inspired people: “The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.” Thomas Jefferson
Inherent strength and control are present in Pierre L’Enfant’s plan for Washington DC. Freedom Plaza named to honor Martin Luther King Jr. displays a portion of that design rendered in stone.
“Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear
Out of the Mountain of Despair, A Stone of Hope.” Martin Luther King Jr.
The foundation and strength of our society are present in 3 historic stones quarried in Maryland and Virginia. These stones were used to construct early Washington DC government buildings and are represented on this quilt. 1) Virginia: The Aquia Creek sandstone, popular from 1790 to 1840, quarried in Stafford County, VA. 2) Maryland: Red Seneca sandstone became the stone to use from 1840 to 1880, quarried along the Potomac River in Maryland. 3) Washington DC: Cockeysville marble quarried in Cockeysville, MD.
Touring with Mancuso exhibitions 2023:
2023 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, February 23 – 26, 2023
QuiltFest Greenville, SC – April 20 – 22, 2023
Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza – September 14 – 17, 2023
Pacific International Quilt Festival – October 12 – 15, 2023
SAQA Regional Exhibition: “Simple Lines”, organized by the Delaware/Washington DC/Maryland/West Virginia Region of SAQA, at the Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 South Carroll Street, Frederick, MD 21701, September 7, 2024 through October 27, 2024
Entrée is defined as: a) the act or manner of entering: ENTRANCE, b) freedom of entry or access. How often is permission granted to ‘enter’? From the Statue of Liberty to doors and windows or every garment we wear. The ‘keys’ are literal, physical or emotional—each possessing intention.
Materials: old Obi silk, cotton strips and scraps, tea bags, old keys, buttons, hooks & eyes, cookie fortunes, quilting threads, embroidery threads, beads, assorted findings, tulle
Techniques: Woven & collaged scraps over silk; dark /batting; light, cut holes; stitched air/teabag, fortunes, keys, findings; hand stitched. Pieces connected with button/button holes, hooks/eyes, machine quilted
Juried into SAQA Global Exhibition: “Upcycle”, Premier Exhibition at IQF Museum in Houston, TX, 2019
Published in “Upcycle”.
Our world exists in a precarious balance with nature.
In central Nebraska, we learned that water was precious. Yet, central pivot irrigation has depleted the High Plains aquifer reserves to the point of extinction. Sara McClure, Nature Conservancy stated, “All wars will be about water in the future!”
The Sandhill cranes depend on the wetlands of the Platte River in their migration cycle each year for thousands of years. “All wonderful and rare things in this world carry a significant price tag; otherwise, they would be neither rare nor so highly valued. The price tag on our cranes is simply this: we must be willing to protect from destruction the wonderful river that crosses Nebraska like a beautiful quicksilver necklace, the Platte River." – Paul Johnsgard "Earth, Water and Sky”.
Reassessing our view: what lies beneath the surface of the earth is the ‘Fort Knox’ of our future – the “Precious Reserves”.
Juried into SAQA Global Exhibition: “Connecting our Natural Worlds”, Premier Exhibition at Sonoran Desert Museum in Tuscon, AZ, 2019 - 2020
2021 SAQA Art Quilt Exhibition, Brigham City Museum, UT, June - Sept 2021
Juried into SAQA Global Exhibition: “Connecting our Natural Worlds”, at the Original Quilt and Sewing Expo, Fredericksburg Expo Center, 2371 Carl D. Silver Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA - 2022
In the collection of the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center, Wood River, NE
Published in “Connecting our Natural Worlds”
Created for SAQA Benefit Auction, 2019
In private collection.
Isolated and private this little house clings to the rocks with a view that is just beyond our line of sight.
This piece is an assemblage of pre-quilted scrap fabrics combined with loose threads, glass beads, machine sewing needles hand stitched in place with metallic thread.
In private collection.
The world is waiting as autumn clears the air.
This piece is an assemblage of pre-quilted scrap fabrics with hand-cut mylar circles machine quilted into this piece.
SAQA Spotlight Auction 2019
In private collection.
I love classic clocks and a good cup of tea. This piece combines these passions. Presenting an old fashioned view of a clock at "Tea Time".
Materials used: fabric tea bags pieced Pojagi style, Japanese rayon from a damaged Japanese Obi, old linen cafe curtain, cotton threads, old beads , recycled wooden utensils, quilt is stiffened with a sheet of stenciling plastic.
In private collection.
