My story so far
I am a disabled quilt artist based in Rolleston, New Zealand. I am originally from Wellington and relocated to Canterbury seven years ago, I have spent the last few years finding my voice and working out how to use it. I spend much of my time day or night in my studio working on various fabric art projects.
I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 5 and autism when in my 30s after spending the majority of my life questioning why I didn't fit in and why things didn't make sense for me, quilting became a way for me to process thoughts and concepts that I couldn't otherwise put into words or just couldn't deal with quilting became my therapy and a way to calm my mind. I now use quilting and art quilting both as a way to deal with my disabilities and to create bridges between myself and my audience.
I started my creative journey doing arts and crafts at school and with my grandmother during school holidays. I did art through secondary school but did not pursue it through 16 years of raising a family of 3 (all of whom are also on the autism spectrum) and completing a Classics/Theatre degree part-time, the latter leading to dabbling in costuming for a year before finding my muse in quilting while needing to find a way to reduce my fabric stash.
Recently I have started to create a following with my “talking points” series featuring silhouettes, this started with a piece about epilepsy recently selected for the juried Houston International Quilt Festival. With this series I wanted to create art about things that affect people strongly and that I feel we as a society don't talk about enough.
For inspiration, I draw from all manner of things that take root in my imagination. From light pollution to bushfires to a tree in the backyard, I like to create art that tells a story about something. I frequently use bright or intense colours or colours that have a meaning associated with the subject to help emphasise the story.
