< Artists
Desiree Vaughn: Quilting as Craft... Object as
Art
Artwork that warms the imagination-textile art
Sometimes a single piece of fabric inspires an entire
piece. Sometimes the fabric exists first in my imagination
and I have to create it. Most often, the work evolves.
I join two colors, then add a texture, paint or dye new
fabric to fit in or contrast. My pallette includes cotton,
silk, batik, even Tyvek. Finally, I quilt the piece to
finish the thought, adding another layer of design. Quilting
is the craft, but the object is art. Modern. Contemporary.
Paradoxically simple and complicated at the same time.
My Journey
I credit my grandmother with teaching me quilting. As
her age advanced, she needed help cutting, pinning and
sewing the traditional quilts she made. Near the end
of her life, she made a quilt for each of my siblings.
She saved mine for last, thinking that I had the skills
to finish it, if fate didn't give her the time to. Fate
didn't. And several years after her death, I tackled
the job of finishing her last quilt.
I haven't decided whether grandma overestimated my quilting
skills or meant for the unfinished quilt to guide me
into quilting. In short, I needed the help of other
quilters to finish her quilt and found inspiration in
that artistic community. It wasn't long before the craft
of quilting lead to the artistry. In working on grandma's
quilt, I met other textile artists, saw catalogs of
gallery work and realized the breadth and wealth of
artistic styles. Breaking away from grandma's traditional
boundaries helped me express my vision.
While there have been a few artistic journeys where
I've known the destination in advance, I approach textile
art rather like an afternoon walk in the woods. A fabric
color may pull my attention in one direction, like the
bloom of a woodland trillium. Or a loud texture may
pull the piece in another direction, like the sound
of crashing waves on a beach pulls you towards the lake.
Once completed, I can share the travels of my imagination
with you and, I hope, encourage your imagination to
take its own trip.
Desiree can be reached at 231-409-2581 or www.desireevaughn.com
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