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.