I grew up in a world where men didn’t sew - or make art. They tended crops, raised livestock, and fixed things. Yet I developed a deep appreciation for the artistry of quilting and the warmth of a lovingly made quilt. As a fourth-generation quilter, I have made this craft my own, exploring its possibilities as contemporary art.

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As retirement from more than four decades in university life approached, I began exploring quilting for myself. After moving to rural Maine, I met a neighbor who was an accomplished fiber artist. When I mentioned my longstanding wish to learn the craft, she offered to teach me. The rest, as they say, is history.

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My work draws on a lifelong fascination with textiles and the stories they carry. I have collected fabrics from near and far, often as mementos of loved ones and meaningful places. Drawn to the tactile qualities of fiber and the ways culture and community are woven into cloth, I often incorporate vintage textiles and fabrics from cultures with rich textile histories.

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Through improvisational piecing, I bring vivid colors and bold patterns together in compositions shaped by material, memory, and imagination. My quilts celebrate the artistry of cloth while opening new possibilities for its expression.

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I hope my work brings pleasure, if not comfort, to those whose lives it touches. If it also invites reflection or meaningful insight, all the better.