
Art: From Photos to Fabric
From Photos to Fabric
Photo-Inspired Art Quilts
by Helen Smith Stone
This show runs through the month of October, 2021
Helen has been a quiltmaker for 40 years, generally making quilts designed by another person, or following a printed pattern. Influenced by many local and national artists she admires, Helen has had a burning desire for years to create original work using her photographs as inspiration.
To learn new quiltmaking methods and to challenge herself creatively, Helen submitted an ‘Artist Access’ grant proposal to the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council in 2019. She requested funding for further education and training beyond her current skill set and typical methods of quilt construction. An ARAC grant was awarded in 2020. This has motivated her to push her creativity to higher levels, learn new techniques, and focus on her creative practice.
Art quilts can be created using various construction methods, and Helen chose three to focus on. She then decided on three talented instructors and participated in their online workshops while learning these new quiltmaking techniques:
- Tammie Bowser for “Mask Up!”
- Sandra Bruce for “Coffee Break”
- Melinda Bula for “Peaceful Poppies”
Helen would like to express her gratitude to the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, the Dovetail Cafe, and the Duluth Folk School!