Artist Profile: Gerrie Congdon

Gerrie Congdon
Portland, Oregon

1,  What year did you make your first quilt?    Traditional or art?  In the 70's, I tried my hand at quilting and made a pieced table runner with a traditional motif. The colors were typical of the era — orange, beige and brown calico prints. It had no batting, and it is not quilted. I did not enjoy the process of tracing around templates and cutting with scissors. It was not until the late 90's that I tried quilting again, after the advent of rulers and rotary cutters!

2.  What is the first show, and year, that you ever entered your art quilts?  Venue?  I entered the Marin County Quilt show which was put on by a group that did all sorts of fabric work - embroidery, weaving, etc.  I received an honorable mention on an art quilt and the judge said the minimalist quilting I had done was perfect.

3.  What is your artistic style?  I am not much of a planner. I work intuitively and I prefer doing abstract or non-representational designs.

4.  Have you ever changed your style from when you started making quilts?  I have tried just about every thing, but my work has always had a simplification of forms whether representational or abstract.

5.  What other style in quilt making piques your interest?  I can't really think of anything that I would want to pursue.

6.  What other medium in art influences your work as a fiber artist?  I love abstract paintings. I love to go to museums and galleries and get ideas from fine artists.

7.  What do you have coming up?  Shows, Articles in magazines, Books, etc.  I will have a piece in the Sacred Threads exhibit this summer. The 2012 quilts made by the Twelve x Twelve group will be on display at quilt expo in Portland in September.

8.  Where will your art take you from here?  It is always exciting to have my work in exhibits that travel to far away places. I hope someday to take a trip to an exotic place with my quilts.

9.  Describe your studio space:  I have a daylight basement in our home with wonderful lighting for the long winter months in Portland. I have a paint/messy work table, a large ironing/fusing table/ a cutting table and a sewing area. I have a small room with a sink where I do my dyeing. One long wall is set up as design walls - black felt on one side and gray on the other.

10. What was the biggest challenge you have encountered in the making of your art quilt for "An Exquisite Moment?"  At first I could not come up with an idea that I thought I could execute properly. Then, my sweet little granddaughter was visiting, and I realized how exquisite it is to get hugs and kisses from my grandchildren.