Artist Profile: Deborah Boschert

Deborah Boschert

Lewisville, Texas

www.DeborahsStudio.com

1. Did the change in dimensions present any specific challenges for you? Years ago, I would have been intimidated by the large size. When I was first invited to submit to D@8 exhibits, I took on the challenge to work larger. Seven years later, my skills and confidence have improved and I enjoy creating larger work. 

2. Describe your design area, specifically your work table:  what is the best thing about it? My studio table was a wedding gift made by my husband’s cousin. It’s big and sturdy. I’ve raised it to standing height and it’s in the middle of my room. The best thing is that I can walk all the way around it and set up mini work areas for different tasks.

3. What set this quilt apart from other recent projects you have been working on? I challenged myself not to fill in every detail. There is more negative space in this quilt than in most of my work. There are still lots of layers and details, but I’m exploring “less.”

4. When you get “stuck” how do you deal with a “design block”?  How do you overcome it? I look at other artwork I really like and I try to find just one small detail that I could explore in my own work. It might be how an artist outlines a shape. Or an unexpected color combination. Or an interesting pattern of lines. 

5. Do you work on single or multiple projects at the same time? I try to have one project in the “thinking” stage, one in the “composing” stage and one in the “stitching” phase.

6. What do you hope people take away from your work? I hope they notice the layers of details and think about how the big things and the small things works together.. in art and in life. 

7. What are the best parts of working on an art quilt:  What are your least favorite parts? I try to enjoy the whole process. Even the challenging parts can generate that good feeling of productivity and accomplishment. The things I really don’t enjoy like piecing, measuring and dying… I just don’t do those anymore.

8. What art/quilt-related organizations do you belong to? Dallas Area Fiber Artists, Visual Arts Society of Texas, Quilters Guild of Dallas, Studio Art Quilt Associates

9. Do you have a preferred color palette?  Why? Blues, greens, purples. These colors feel calm yet full of depth and growth to me. 

10. What do you regard as your most interesting milestones along your art journey? I’m thrilled to be working on an art quilt book for C&T Publishing. I did an Open Studio at Quilt Festival in Houston in 2014 and an editor called me after the event to ask me more about my work and suggested I submit a proposal. It’s definitely and “interesting” milestone! It’s exciting and affirming, but also challenging and complex.