ARTIST STATEMENT
My body of work, Paint By Number Quilts, explores stylized animal portraiture, reminiscent of vintage paint by number kits, created using a turned edge process. The process starts with a photograph, and is stylized and simplified, before pairing contemporary fabrics to their closest colour counterpart.
The choice of animal is generally influenced by local wildlife or pets, animals I see and admire, and wish to capture their spirit. My approach is postmodern in essence, and is not meant to convey a deeper meaning, but is more a celebration of the creatures in our world, their intelligence and characters. I use fabric left over from other quilting projects, solids, text prints, reverse sides and more, using contemporary fabrics but not really fitting in with the modern quilt movement, nor traditional applique quilting.
My portraits start off in a way that reminds me of my favorite childhood past time of cutting out pictures from magazines and catalogs with scissors and gluing them to a bigger foundation. They are made by cutting out fabric pieces, turning the edges under and joining to the next with glue, building up an overall collage that is then introduced to stitch at the quilting stage. The stitching is designed to secure all edges whilst giving a natural look of fur, wet noses, scales, vegetation or other realistic texture.
My journey into Paint By Number Quilts began in 2012 with a portrait of my two greyhounds, Penny & Fletcher. My catalogue of animal portraits since has grown to over a dozen full size wall hangings, with a mixture of traditional and irregular shapes, and faced and traditional edge finishings. My book, Paint By Number Quilts was published by Stash Books in September 2018 and is a technique based publication. Potato Hank won a Judge’s Choice ribbon at the MQX show in New Hampshire in 2019.
EDUCATION
Whilst entirely self taught in my field, my educational background has set me up for success in terms of approach and perspective.
2021
Certificate in Graphic Design, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2008
Higher National Certificate in Photography, Leicester College, Leicester, United Kingdom
2007
Bachelor of Arts with honours in Publishing with English, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS
2019
Potato Hank, International Fiber Arts IX, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA, USA
2019
Potato Hank, Judge’s Choice. Machine Quilters’ Exposition, Manchester, NH, USA
2019
Potato Hank, Calgary Stampede Western Showcase, Calgary, AB, Canada
2018
Barley the Mouse, Calgary Stampede Western Showcase, Calgary, AB, Canada
2017
A Horse with No Name, Calgary Stampede Western Showcase, Calgary, AB, Canada
2015
Hank, Frankly, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, United Kingdom
2015
Grizzly, Quilt and Stitch Village, Uttoxeter, West Midlands, United Kingdom
2014
Hoots Mon, Quilt and Stitch Village, Uttoxeter, West Midlands, United Kingdom
2012
Penny & Fletcher, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, United Kingdom
MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS
2019
Guest, American Patchwork and Quilting Podcast (January 21)
2018
Interview feature, Quilter’s Connection Magazine (Issue 36)
2018
Interview feature, British Patchwork and Quilting Magazine (September)
2018
Author, Paint by Number Quilts, Stash Books ISBN: 978-1617455384
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2021
Keynote Speaker, Okanagan Modern Quilt Guild, Kelowna, BC, Canada
2020 -
Online Instructor, CreativeSpark
2019
Keynote Speaker, Central Alberta Quilt Guild, Red Deer, AB, Canada
2019
Keynote Speaker, Heritage Park Quilt Guild, Calgary, AB, Canada
2018
Keynote Speaker, Calgary Modern Quilt Guild, Calgary, AB, Canada
2017 - 2020
Quilting and Sewing Teacher, My Sewing Room, Calgary, AB, Canada