These fabric collage quilts look like they’re ready to let out a roar or a howl or a snarl (as in the case of Ardis Bucy’s cheetah “Geraldine”, above). And I hope you’ll howl or roar with delight when you see them.
As usual, I encourage you to study these quilts carefully to appreciate their use of color—which is sometimes realistic sometimes not—and value, the darks and lights used to create form. For example, you can look at what direction the light source is coming from. In the case of Joann Hannon Shaw’s bear the light is above causing a strong highlight on the top of the head as the bear is gorging itself on berries in sunny mid-day meadow. In Judy Breneman’s coyote, the light source is low and from the side creating strong highlights and shadows on the subjects legs, as though we’ve caught this crafty fellow on his early morning rounds of the neighborhood.
What can you spot in these quilts that makes them so successful?
Click on any of the smaller gallery groupings below to view photos larger.
If you too have a finished fabric collage quilt and story that you would like to share in a Finish Line post, please click on the submit button below for more info.
Submit Quilt for "Finish Line"
Learning resources referred to in this post include: my website, Serendipity Quilts, my patterns, blog (in general), YouTube videos, Spiral eWorkshop, Sea Turtle eWorkshop, Fabric Collage Online Master Class, Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch, and Patreon.
Joanne Hannon Shaw
From Joanne Hannon Shaw of Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
Many years ago in Harpswell, Maine with Susan’s beginning her week long retreats at the Inn, I have such fond memories of that first eye opening experience. Suddenly, I was seeing in 3D and the excitement that I felt was overwhelming. This has become my true passion and the very dear friendships that developed along the way immeasurable! Susan taught me so much about fabric collage especially about finding your own voice in telling a story which is quite the challenge for most people.
Berrylicious would not have been possible without the generous permission of Joel Davidson to use his photograph taken at Yellowstone National Park joeldavidsonimages.com and the long arm quilting by Rose Bell http://www.fancy feathers.ca My textile expression is impressionistic and whimsical which creates personality within my style. The title for this quilt was inspired through my artist statement. “ With an abundance of fruit by midsummer, the bears are often found wedged into trees brimming with berries,” My collage is a portrait of a “Berrylicious “ encounter!
This piece was my fourth collage and the first one that I believed all the elements came together ( especially a hand dyed piece of fabric for the background painted by Mickey Lawler at Skydyes) to consider entering into a show. It won a viewers Choice award in 2018 at Road to California and was exhibited in spring 2019 at Paducah.
Judy Breneman
From Judy Breneman of Madera, CA:
For 20 years we lived in a small neighborhood in southern Arizona. The houses were spaced out a bit leaving room where wild animals could live amongst us or wander up the washes to visit. Coyotes came often and this one was so beautiful my husband had to take a photo. Not only did I make this collage but our artist neighbor did a painting from his photo. Now he hangs in our apartment to remind us of our time living in nature on the desert.
Ardis Bucy
From Ardis Bucy of Long Beach, California:
Geraldine was specifically created to enter a challenge with Quilts on the Wall, a Southern California art quilt group. The challenge title was African Beauty. The online class helped me with blending colors, seeing details in the photograph, and cutting fabrics to use small bits of color and design.
Awesome quilts. I love the fabrics chosen. Thank you for posting this kind of technical information to train our eye for color.
Wow, these quilts are absolutely stunning! The use of color and light really brings each animal to life. I especially love how Joanne’s “Berrylicious” captures that moment of the bear in the tree—it’s like you can feel the joy of the bear finding all those berries.