I am extremely fortunate to be a part of Latitude Quilts. This is an international (from a range of global Latitudes) group of 16 women who have come together for camaraderie, creative and technical challenge, quilted and mixed media art work and critique. I can't tell you how talented, adventurous and knowledgeable these women are ... so I will show you! Our first themed challenge will be posted this coming January 31st. You will be able to view this work on the LatitudeQuilt blog page.
...looking forward to a year of friendship and art.
ANN-MARI FRANZEN, Sweden
I have been quilting
since 1985. After many years of traditional quilting, I wanted to push myself further so, from 2007 - 2012, I completed the City
& Guild Level 2 and 3 Certificate
in Patchwork and Quilting.
DEBORAH WIRSU, Australia
All
my life I have loved sewing and craft, having been given my first sewing
machine at the age of 5. However, my passion for playing the viola took me into
the world of opera, ballet and teaching for many years, as a professional
orchestral musician. In 2009 I happened to attend a weekend workshop in art and
landscape quilting, and have been totally hooked ever since! I enjoy exploring
new techniques, dyeing fabrics and exploring the possibilities of appliqué. As
someone who loves to travel I enjoy using photography as inspiration for my
work.
GRETA HUSEBOE, Norway
I
live in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway. I have two girls and two
grandchildren. I've been sewing since I was a little girl and started
quilting in 2000. I also love books, letters, symbols, knitting, crochet
and card-weaving . In the beginning I was mostly self-taught from books
and the internet, later from Linda and Laura Kemshall at Design
Matters. Beside my artwork, I've been working in the Norwegian
Broadcasting with audio- and video recording and editing my whole life,
and lately I also do the graphics for our local daily news. You can find
my blog at : http://buds-of-may.blogspot.no
GURLI GREGERSEN, Denmark
I was born 1952 in Denmark where
I have lived all my life. My mother was a dressmaker so I have been
surrounded with fabrics since my early childhood. I worked in IT until
2012. In my free time, I developed an interest in handwork. I have
always been interested in patchwork, but different courses really got me
hooked on quilting. I use several techniques and am always looking for
new ones. I love challenges and wish to share the love for quilting with
others; that's why you'll find me here.
HEIDI WULFRAAT, Canada
For
as long as I can remember I have been intrigued by plants and animals.
That I should work as an artist, each and every day, using natural
fibres, is as unexpected as inevitable. As a student of Agricultural
sciences I have had the opportunity to examine the natural world from an
academic perspective. Today I explore the world as a fibre artist. Hand
dyed, hand spun textiles, felting, hooked rugs and quilted work all
serve a compulsion to create. Each new piece invites the possibility of
challenge, connection, grounding and intimacy for myself and, perhaps,
for others.
JANICE STEVENS, ThailandDEBORAH WIRSU, Australia
GRETA HUSEBOE, Norway
GURLI GREGERSEN, Denmark
HEIDI WULFRAAT, Canada
All types of needlework have always been my balance between
the demands of family, career and life. I completed a Diploma in Fiber Arts in
1992 and worked for several years in papermaking. Recently I returned to fabric
and quilting and completed the City and Guilds Certificate in Creative
Quilting.
JUDY HAAS, United States
I
live on the South Dakota (USA) prairie on a small ranch with a
large view of the Black Hills. I sewed when I was young, made my
clothes for school, trained as a nurse. I have worked as a nurse, an
artist for the SD Arts Council, in weaving, paper making, printmaking
and now quilting. I am back to sewing again.
My children have inspired me to travel--to Peru and New Zealand--besides the USA. Having family outside the US has really broadened my experiences as I visited them.
I use the images around me to inspire my work. Colors, lines, shapes. The City and Guilds course in Creative Patchwork and Quilting has added to my techniques and patterns of working and has encouraged me to pursue my own style.
JULIA ARDEN, New Zealand
Originally British, I have lived in rural
New Zealand for 23 years. I get immense pleasure from working with fabric, and
developing my own creative voice, in both abstract and realistic quilts. Although
I have experimented with many techniques, I generally prefer to let the fabric
do the work, and use design rather than surface treatments or embellishment as
the vehicle to express my ideas. Through online quilting arts groups I have
made close friends in different parts of the world, and that feeds my other
passion, travel.
JUDY HAAS, United States
My children have inspired me to travel--to Peru and New Zealand--besides the USA. Having family outside the US has really broadened my experiences as I visited them.
I use the images around me to inspire my work. Colors, lines, shapes. The City and Guilds course in Creative Patchwork and Quilting has added to my techniques and patterns of working and has encouraged me to pursue my own style.
JULIA ARDEN, New Zealand
KATIE PIDGEON, Canada
I have always loved the needle, starting with stitchery around age 8, and moving to sewing in high school, and finally falling in love with quilting in 2000. My favourite type of quilting is by hand, with appliqué being my preference. Since taking the City & Guilds course, I’m venturing into new techniques, new materials and new themes, which are all very exciting.
LINDEN LANCASTER, Australia
If you could describe me in one
word, I think it would be ‘creative’.
I love art, music, nature and reading.
I live on a farm in Northern
Victoria, Australia, which provides me with much inspiration. Though I did not like sewing, I
learnt to make traditional quilts when my children were babies. Funnily enough
I have now progressed to ‘art quilts’. I have had my work displayed in various
media and won a number of awards. I have recently conducted workshops and taken
on commissions. At the moment, I
am enjoying working with fabric collage and surface design techniques. My website is lindenlancaster.com.
LYUDMILLA YANCHENKO, Kazakhstan
I was born in and continue to live in Almaty. I
have been sewing since I
was 9 years old, but didn't make my first quilt until I was 30. I have
made mostly bed quilts, but a couple of years ago I fell in love with
art quilts.
Colors in nature and the joy of life inspire me. I like colors and I am drawn to the differing textures of various fabrics. I try to convey joy, happiness, and the beauty
of life in my art. I like to mix fabrics and sewing techniques, and to combine smooth and rough
surfaces. I can’t live a day without sewing. My website is www.quilts.kz .
MARGY JOHNSON, United KingdomLYUDMILLA YANCHENKO, Kazakhstan
PAMELA PRIDAY, Australia
from my hand-dyed fabrics & threads through to incorporating mixed-media. I enjoy dipping into anything inspirational, including the role of tutoring.
SABINE COURTELLEMONT-MAX, Germany
VIVIEN ZEPF, United States
