Artist Profile: Deborah Boschert

Deborah Boschert

Lewisville, Texas

1. What kind of challenges did this theme present to you?

I was excited about the theme from the moment I heard it! I love working with iconography, which I often call personal symbols. The biggest challenge was that part of me wanted to make another bowl quilt -- my last two Dinner at Eight art quilts have included bowls, but I couldn't get the ladder out of my mind, so this year's Dinner at Eight include several ladders, but no bowl. 

2. Describe your studio space? I work in what is designed to be a den or office in our home. It's right off the front entryway behind French doors, which is great for mostly hiding the creative chaos often happening within. I have a small sewing area in one corner. If I'm working on a larger quilt, I move my machine out onto the dining room table. I have two tall shelves with materials, tools and supplies organized in plastic shoe boxes. A counter height table (originally made by my husband's cousin for us as a wedding gift) is my main work surface. There's a red love seat that I often share with my dog, Lincoln.

3. Where can people see your work in the next six months? In addition to my Dinner at Eight quilt, I have two other quilts at Festival in Houston: one in the judged show and one in the special exhibit A Matter of Time Textiles. You can see me and lots of my quilts at Craft Napa in January and I send out a newsletter twice a month that always includes new work. Sign up here. http://eepurl.com/jU1n9

4. Do you ever work in a series?  If so, what benefits or challenges does this present to you as an artist? I suppose you could say I work in a series. I feel more like I work in my own personal style and that my body of work includes many materials, techniques, colors and symbols that make it clear it's all made by me. I've recently been creating pairs of quilts using the positive and negative shapes cut from one piece of fabric. This is a new direction that feels much more like exploring the idea of a series.

5. What other activities do you engage in that “feed” your creative energy? I don't really have other hobbies that are particularly creative, but I have lots of hobbies that generate inspiration that I bring back to the studio. I love to travel and take photographs. I love listening to podcasts about interesting people doing interesting things. I like to explore the children's book section at my local library looking for innovative, humorous and beautiful artwork.