Dinner at Eight Artists book

The exhibition catalog/book is available to purchase on Amazon. The exhibit will be shown at Quilt Market and Festival in Houston. We have had a great ride in the past ten years!

link to Amazon

Artist Profile Series: Jamie Fingal

Jamie Fingal

Orange, CA

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? a total mess of Mistyfused fabrics ready to be made into something for Quilt Market. Notes for writing patterns, Mistyfuse, scissors, and a pin cushion from high school.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you? Total introvert, fear of speaking to an audience and on the plus side, a kooky grandma.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? The concrete floor with piles of scraps that have been discarded. I sweep up when it gets hazardous.  Artist down in aisle 5. 

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life? Someone recognizing ‘my style’ before I even knew that I had a style.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? Turn on the lights, look around and ask myself what I am going to create today, thankfulness, get a can of water out of the frig, turn on the music and open my truck door. Glance at the positive affirmation that reminds me who I am. Let's rock and roll.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you? My Heavy Metal series stands out as my most favorite, but one piece? The apron as personal armor speaks the most to me!

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work? Bright colors and I feel much joy when working with this palette. But then again, the Heavy Metal palette always pushes me to new heights. The yin and yang of me.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture? I only use commercial cotton prints, so that is a start, and free motion machine quilting adds the other element.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?  Houses with cups and saucers on the roofs. Traditional patterns that are fused and have zippers on then. 

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight? My nightly ritual of hand sewing felt constructions over the years. Zen Stitching is what I call it.

Artist Profile Series: Leslie Tucker Jenison

Leslie Tucker Jenison

San Antonio TX

http://leslietuckerjenison.com

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table?  A fairly large pile of scraps.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?  I’m a bit of an introvert who has a good game face.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table?  A rolling industrial cart stacked with loads of solids, sorted by value.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?  The journey of creating an object that has successful design elements.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio?  Yes:  I walk the garden before I enter, then I thank my mother as I walk down the hall into my studio.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?  Always the one I took some risks with and it worked.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?  Improvisational work, either in the process of creating cloth or a quilt.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?  I love the shape of an arc, nest, and/or bowl.  They make frequent appearances.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?  I’m not sure any shape is mine exclusively, but I am drawn to both organic and architectural shapes.

10.  What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?  I loved the “Space Between” theme and wanted to consider another idea for that theme.

Artist Profile Series: Susan Brubaker Knapp

Susan Brubaker Knapp
Mooresville, North Carolina

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? A new piece based on the marsh at Bald Head Island, which has been a beloved family vacation spot for about 16 years. It was severely flooded by hurricane Florence, and at the time I’m writing this (11 days after the storm hit), power has not yet been restored, and the water is still 3 feet deep in places. I’m working on it as a form of meditation or prayer that this beautiful place has not suffered too much ecological damage. 

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you? I’m an introvert. I just disguise myself well. 

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? A rug, currently covered with scraps of fabric and thread. When work is in progress in my studio, it’s usually a mess. 

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life? I was thrilled to find out that my small piece, “The Bluest Eye,” was appearing in Quilting Arts magazine in 2007. It was a moment that made me feel validated as an artist, and like I was on the right path. 

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? Tea. Classical music. Turning on the heat lamp for the cat.  

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you? My favorite piece is “I See the Moon,” which I made for the “Rituals” Dinner at Eight exhibition. I think it has a lot of my soul in it. 

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work? Botanical and zoological subjects. 

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture? I actually don’t think that much about pattern. I am very color-driven. 

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work? I’m not sure I have any; the subject of my art quilts vary from piece to piece. 

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight? I was inspired to create my piece by the discovery of a spectacular Polyphemus Moth. I’ve always thought that moths were unfairly over-shadowed by their Lepidoptera cousins, butterflies. 

Artist Profile Series: Valerie White

Valerie White

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? Several new bottles of Pro-silk and fabric paint. Having them occupy prime real estate on my work table encourages me begin creating with this new paint. 

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you? I would hope they would see my sense of humor. I love making people laugh.  

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? A large Rowenta steam iron.  The placement keeps me moving around the studio, in this way I can get in some exercise. 

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life? Creating a quilt to welcome the Obama family to Washington DC. The exhibit opened on the eve of the inauguration in 2008. The city was electric with excitement. The exhibit was held at the National Historical Museum in Washington DC. I was so proud and humbled by the experience.  

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? Usually I start with setting the mood in my space by opening Pandora Radio to the Miles Davis station, I like starting with the song 'Kind of Blue' it gives me a boost of quiet energy while I gather my supplies to begin working. I may change the station but that's where I always start.

  

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you? It would have to be “Ohio River Blues Man” A quilt that exhibited in many venues across the United States It was my first serious Art quilt. It was the affirmation I needed to continue working.   

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work? Creating compositions using a variety of surface design techniques is pure magic for me. My goal is to choose the most elegant method to express the work. I am drawn to the serendipitous quality of marbling and flour paste resist.  

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture? My favorite pattern /mark is a simple dot. The dots add interest and texture and act as the co- stars of the composition. The marks are produced individually by hand.  

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work? I have always loved Adrinkra symbols, the symbols represent concepts and century oldaphorisms originating from the Akan people, the dominant ethnic group of present-day Ghana and the Ivory Coast located in West Africa. I often use a figure that resembles a turtle which is the symbol of adaptability.

 10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?  As I continue to explore and create compositions with root systems the “Best Dinner at Eight exhibit was the perfect opportunity to produce a new work that considers roots that are found in ponds and other bodies of water occupied by fish. The implications for additional work is unlimited.Look for more work with Roots that may shelter a fish or two.

Artist Profile Series: Lyric Kinard

Lyric Kinard
Cary, North Carolina

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? A folder of images for thermofax screens. Quilts I haven’t put back away after my last trip. And a nerf gun my son is working on painting and modifying.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?  That I sometimes feel like a fraud as an artist, but I am able to shove that devilish voice aside and carry on.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table?  They are on opposite sides of the two rooms of my studio. So - a mannequin, a quilting machine, an ironing station, a wall, a closet full of finished artworks and blank canvases and wire baskets full of fabric and notions.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?  That time when I lose track of time, when I am able to forget expectations and let the art and the process take me where it will.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio?  I think about daily rituals, I would love to have daily rituals, but haven’t the discipline to do them. I’m usually just rushing from one family or business deadline to the next.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?  Bach Cello Suite was a breakthrough piece for me. I had spent time analyzing all the elements that made my heart sing when I looked at others work, then purposefully created a work using that kind of texture and shape and pattern. It made my own heart sing.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?  Subtle but complex layers of texture. Geometry juxtaposed with a little bit of disorder.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?  I like subtle patterns, a repeated direction of line, a repeated shape. Background things that add just a little bit of interest on closer inspection.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?  Hard question as I don’t think I’m the only one exclusively doing my shapes and colors and textures. But - a clean geometry, the jusctoposition of simplicity and complexity.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?  A long running series that I keep returning to, initially inspired by a stone mill wheel. The series has carried me elsewhere but that sense of movement, time, and the heaviness and simplicity of that circle continues to intrigue me.

Artist Profile: Lauretta Crites

Lauretta Crites

Glendora, California

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? I have a large work table so usually quite a lot...multiple works in progress along with bits and pieces of art supplies and found objects waiting to find a home, but no matter how messy there is always a spiral notebook to jot down information about my current project. My mind is usually working ahead of my hands and I have to write down ideas and solutions I'm not ready to act on but don't want to forget.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you? My love of music. I sang in choir in school, love contemporary and classical music and If you follow me in the grocery store you'll probably hear me singing to myself or singing along with the store's "muzak". I'm hoping to come back as a singer or musician in my next life.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? Up until last week only my sewing chair, but I recently became mom to a Terrier mix rescue puppy dubbed "Stitch" and now a dog bed occupies that space so I can scratch his ears as I sew.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life? That's like asking me to name my favorite child. There have been so many exquisite moments. Mostly its the places my artistic life has taken me. Some standouts... being wished a "Happy Birthday" by the Russian passport control agent as I entered that country for the !st time to do a show, another Birthday spent on a train from Milan to Venice, having the paparazzi's flash bulbs going off as they photographed me leaving the Czars box at the Mariinsky Theater in St Petersburg, the 1st time I held an audience enthralled during my lecture/presentation CREATE!, seeing the SOLD sticker on my 1st Dinner@8 piece. 

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? I do not have a daily ritual, the closest I come to a studio ritual is to clean it. About 3 times a year - most often after I finish a large project but sometimes just when the season feels right (or I need to think and sooth) I file and pitch, dust and declutter. Preparing my studio and my spirit for the next creative expression. 

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you? My quilt for this years exhibit "Cue Orchestra, Curtain Up!" is a standout to me, this is one of the few times a quilt has come to me as a kind of vision and that that vision made it to fabric pretty much exactly as I "saw" it. Most of the time my work starts with an idea, more of a challenge, something I want to accomplish... a sense of light, a technique or material I want to engage with and they evolve as each problem is solved. This one came to me "Whole Cloth" I knew exactly how I wanted it to look down to the quilting, which for me is usually an afterthought. 

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work? I have an affinity for the beginning, for the creative birth. I love developing the idea, researching if necessary, finding the fabrics, choosing the techniques, finding the solutions to creative questions, to me quilting is a creative jigsaw puzzle with many many pieces and I love getting to mix up the combination with each new work. 

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture? I am partial to leafy vines and spirals especially for quilting, but I also use paints and netting to create interest and depth.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work? Not so sure about this one, probably why I had trouble thinking of a quilt for that theme.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight? My piece was inspired by my passion for theater and especially my experiences of seeing the musical "Hamilton". As I waited in my seat at the Pantages to see it live for the 2nd time emotion filled my heart and I thought of all the exquisite moments I have enjoyed in the theater. I was the Assistant Costume Director for the Los Angeles Opera for 10 years and I have been blessed to see many of the very best theatrical productions in theaters all over the world. Remembering that "An Exquisite Moment" was one of the possible themes for this years piece I knew it was my opportunity to celebrate my love of music and theater.

Artist Profile Series: Libby Williamson

Libby Williamson
Villa Park, California

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? Paint is dripping off the edge to the paint-splattered floor below.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you? I am an introvert but I love to come to play!

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? On any given day the piles shift and change from. Wet paint and pristine hand-stitching threads share the space.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life? I hung upside-down from a tree, (because I can no longer do a handstand), to celebrate my artwork on the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? My concrete floor is a work in progress with spatters and drips of paint. I usually finish up my day with some fresh puddles of paint that will dry overnight.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you? My newest quilt is usually my favorite…Clan of Misfits.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work? Free-motion stitching in my sketchy style finds it’s way into most of my work. I use my sewing machine as my favorite drawing tool.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture? Grids and circles are the launching point in a lot of my work, combined with bold, black free-motion lines and softer hand stitches.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work? Recycled tea bags, beginning as tiny, individual substrates, are collaged with hand-painted fabric and paper, stitched upon, and then are combined to create a larger composition.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight? A sense of belonging in my world of family, friends and artists was the central theme of my quilt, with each individual component representing parts and people in my life.

Artist Profile Series: Suzan Engler

Suzan Engler
Panorama Village, Texas

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table?

Having just completed two major projects, my work table is clean except for a pattern for pants that I am fitting for myself.  It is time to design a new art quilt!

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?

I am very transparent, I cannot think of anything to be discovered!

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? Between my sewing machine and cutting table is a shelf full of thread and a dress maker's mannequin.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?

The most exquisite moments are when I am alone in the studio creating.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio?

I do not have rituals other than just do the work, every day.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?

My favorite was Raised on Bluebonnets which was made for Dinner at Eight- Affinity.  I was able to distill my subject down to its essence. 

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?

Geometry, fractals, and nature are favorite themes in my work.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture? 

Quilting provides intestest and texture but is very secondary to the focal point image in each work.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?

Rather than an identifiable iconography, digitial painting and manipulation identify my work.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?

Rendering nature in triangles was my inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight.

Artist Profile Series: Rachel Parris

Rachel Parris
Birmingham, Alabama

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? Three small bins of scraps, two rulers, a roll of mistyfuse, my iron, (I have a large work table so part of it is my ironing surface.) a rotary cutter, scissors, tv remote, and my pad.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be re- vealed that we might not know about you?
I have to work hard on maintaining self confidence. I have grown a lot in this area, but still work on it.





3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table?
My design wall, a tall chair and a short table.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life? Honestly, it was seeing my exquisite moment quilt as the fea- tured quilt on the Dinner at Eight artists blog that year. It was the first time that I had the feeling that maybe I could do this thing after all.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio?
I usually say hello to my machine, and try to cut a deal that if I am kind to her, she will be kind to me. If I am starting a new quilting project, I take some deep breaths, drop my shoul- ders, and say out loud that it is my intention that this work be the best I can do.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?
The quilt I made based on my grandmother feeding her chickens will always stand out for me. I could feel it coming together from the start. It was hard, but I knew it was going to be good because I could feel all kinds of connections go- ing on.
 7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?
I have an affinity for free motion quilting. But my greatest affinity is for the conduit my quilting has provided to new friends all over the United States and the world. I love this tribe of strong women.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?
I use free motion quilting, stamping, some beading, and handwriting. I love adding words.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclu- sively in your work?
Storylines. My quilts usually tell a story, generally a story that is personal to me in some way.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?
My inspiration was my affinity for poetry...especially those poems that tell stories. This quilt tells a sweet story of long- ago. It comes from a poem that I memorized as a child and always loved.

Artist Profile Series: Sarah Ann Smith

Sarah Ann Smith

Hope, Maine

SarahAnnSmith.com

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? Too many things!  Currently, a piece for a curated exhibit at New England Quilt Museum, paperwork that needs filing, a modern quilt idea that has been there for two years awaiting time to make it, some fabric to make leggings, a brochure from a fabric line for an idea to make Christmas jammie pants for the family, a cup ring or two, seam ripper, scraps from the edge of a just-squared-up art quilt, a utensil organizer that spins with all my scissors, rotary cutters, writing pens, fabric marking tool and a few other things.  Tidy attack.  Needs. To. Happen.  

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?  I used to be a US diplomat and in my life (before and during the Foreign Service) have lived in North America, South America, Africa, Europe and Asia.  It’s really good to finally have a place to call home:  Maine!

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table? A BIG garden tub used as a trash can.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?  It’s hard to pin it down to one…I think it would have to be when Quilts, Inc. **asked** me to submit a proposal to have a solo exhibit of my work at International Quilt Festival, and then created the Rising Stars exhibit to showcase my work and that of another artist.  For this recurring exhibit, they used my proposal as a template, then added more to it to make the exhibit even better.  Even now that it has happened I’m still astonished, delighted and grateful.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? Not really any daily rituals.  Alas, I don’t make it in to my studio every day.  But I do have to have a tidy attack after every piece—I just can’t function in chaos.  If it gets too deep, I have to my tidy between phases, like after painting but before sewing.  Maybe I need to ADD some rituals that involve things like exercise, stretching, crunches and weight work. 

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?  The mother in me loves the portraits of my sons best: the one of Eli during Cross Country season for Reflections, and the one of Joshua for Beneath the Surface.  But I think my favorite piece that I have made for Dinner@8 is my labyrinth quilt, Descended From the Stars.  It is somewhat atypical for my representational style, but embodies who I am, where I have been, and that the seasons turn.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?  COLOR!  The quilting line!  At least a decade ago I remember my friend Deborah Boschert saying in an exchange on an online chat group that it was "all about the line.”  Immediately, I thought NO!  It’s about the color, and paused literally mid-thought and went, OK, it’s about BOTH.  

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?  More and more, I am dyeing my own fabric, but I mix it with tone-on-tone (not high contrast) batiks to use the visual texture from the batiks.  I am now using my own thermofax screens to print on my own cloth to create what I want, eliminating the need to hunt for a commercial fabric that will work.  For physical pattern and texture, I machine quilting, but would like to see if I can create time in my work schedule to permit some hand and surface work.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?  My way of using fabrics and machine quilting are probably the most recognizable features, but I have made many quilts inspired by my surroundings in Maine.  I would love to create a larger body of work and have a “Maine” exhibit some day.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?  For this year, my inspiration was at a farmers’ market in Belfast, in the mid-coast of Maine.  I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw the oyster mushrooms that were truly the exact shade of pink in the artwork.  I asked, and when cooked up they lose some of their brightness, but the color and the sinuous shapes had me at first sight.  I’ve put a photograph of the original inspiration on the label on the back of the quilt.

Artist Profile Series: Heather Pregger

Heather Pregger
Fort Worth, Texas

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table

Usually my cat, Boomer.  He's always interested in what I am doing.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?
I like to play the tin whistle.  I don't play for anyone but myself, but I love play.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table?
A small bookshelf loaded with sewing supplies and sewing machine manuals.  On the top there is a free-standing bobbin winder.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?
I exhibited with eight other American quilt artists at The Oulu Museum of Art in Oulu, Finland.  The open was simply amazing.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio?
Not a very exciting one!  I start and finish my day by tidying. Sorting the piles of fabric and sweeping the floor.  I think best in a clean space.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?
My personal favorite is "The Marsh Near First Encounter Beach:  Tuning Fork #29."  I am entranced by the Salt Marshes of Cape Cod.  I love their colors, lines and texture.  I was thrilled to be able to recreate a marsh in fabric.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?
I love to piece things together.  I love to figure out how to make my vision reality.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?
I love to combine small pieced units with large pieced units.  I think it gives the work texture and rhythm.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?
I have made fifty-four quilts using a unit shaped somewhat like a musical tuning fork.  I love the way I can shrink them, stretch them and interlock them. 

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?

In 2017 we spent a week on Andros Island, a large but sparsely populated island in the Bahamas.  Our house was on a small sandy peninsula and very isolated.  The bay on either side of us was the most amazing combination of blues, greens, creams and red violets.  I tried to recreate that water in "Water Music: Tuning Fork #54."

Artist Profile Series: Sue Bleiweiss

Sue Bleiweiss
Pepperell, MA

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? A roll of Mistyfuse, my Kai scissors and some black fabric.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?  I’m a pretty straightforward person and I'm not sure they'd find anything that interesting or revealing beneath the surface.   If you know me then you know me.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table?  They're diagonally across from each other so there isn't anything between them but next to my sewing machine table I have a 3 tier organizer with supplies on it.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?  I guess it would have to be anytime I receive a "congratulations you quilt has been accepted" notice!

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio? Not really.  Each day in the studio happens pretty organically depending on what I have going on.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?  This last one that I made “Color My World” is definitely my favorite among all the ones that I have made.  Probably because it is a reflection of where I am right now and a testament to how far I have come.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?  Whimsy!

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?  I think anyone looking at my work would say that the black lines are what takes my quilts from boring to interesting.  

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?   Well I think its a combination of things but if I had to choose just one then I think it would be the black lines.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?  A box of crayons that fell on me when I was cleaning out the closet in my studio.

Artist Profile Series: Cynthia St. Charles

Cynthia St. Charles
Billings, Montana

1. What is sitting on the edges of your work table? Right now, my studio work table is covered with tall bearded iris seeds from my hybridizing program.  I am a member of the American Iris Society, growing over 800 different varieties on my property. I am working to create new original iris flowers, and the seeds I created from this year's crosses are drying.  I am packing them up (for spring planting) a few at a time, because my healing wrist is not able to do much.

2. If someone looked beneath the surface, what could be revealed that we might not know about you?  I deeply enjoy my own company.  The peace and freedom that solitude brings are one of my greatest joys.

3. What occupies the space between your sewing machine and your cutting table?  I have a red rolling adjustable office chair that sits at either table.

4. What is the most exquisite moment in your artistic life?  Walking into Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden when I had a solo exhibition there.  It was amazing to walk in and see how beautifully they had hung my work, which filled the entire space.

5. Do you have daily rituals in your studio?   I am a seasonal studio artist.  In fall, winter, and early spring, I begin my studio time with small meditative works - postcards in mixed media.  This has been an ongoing project for at least 6 years.

6. Reflecting on the quilts that you have made, which one stands out to you?   "Great Balls of Fire" was made in 2008.  Discharged, overdyed, pieced, heavily quilted and densely beaded - it is a favorite dynamic large abstract piece.

7. What do you have an affinity for in your work?   It is especially important to me that all my fabric designs and colors are created from my own hand.  I'll always begin with white or black fabrics and paint, dye, print, discharge, etc. to create my own raw materials.

8. What kinds of patterns do you use in your work to create interest and texture?   I am fond of circles, swirls, layered lines, and am starting to use scribbling a bit.  I also love using screen prints adapted from handwriting of loved ones or myself, or even strangers.  I love using hand carved printing blocks.  I have been shifting into deconstructed printing.

9. What personal iconography is identifiable to you exclusively in your work?  For many years, all my work was printed in layers of hand carved printing blocks and screen prints of my grandmothers' handwritten recipes.  I have shifted away from that a bit, recently and have been exploring deconstructed screen printing with more enthusiasm - as seen in my entry for this year's Dinner at Eight.

10. What was your inspiration for the Best of Dinner at Eight?  I enjoyed a fantastic get away adventure driving through the Baja Peninsula in a camper van during the winter of 2018.  I could not get the colors of the water and sky, desert and sand out of my head and have been working intensively to replicate the experience in my artwork.