“ I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.”
Emma Goldman
Each of my fine art quilts tells a story in fabric and thread. Every piece of fabric, stitch, and bead is a character in the plot that contributes to the story. I love honoring the rich tradition of patchwork quilting and transcending its boundaries. Quilters and artists alike inspire me: Faith Ringgold, Elizabeth Barton, Gee’s Bend quilters, Matisse, Signac, Dove, and Picasso.
I begin my pieces with an idea from one of my many journals. The genesis starts with months, even years of incubation, and the first step is a large sketch. I then begin to interpret the design in fabric, laying out the entire quilt vertically on a design wall, auditioning fabrics for the appropriate color, value, and texture. Layer upon layer of cloth, thread, and symbolism merge to create a symphony of color, line, and harmony.
I machine piece and appliqué my quilts to ensure they are durable as well as beautiful. My specialty is adding machine quilting that becomes an element of the design: the stitching becomes a tablecloth, a shadow, foliage, or whatever design element the piece calls for. Once the quilt is secured with quilting, I then add delicate embellishments by hand, including embroidery and beading. Again, these embellishments are part of the design, never simply decoration.
My pieces take months of careful work, sometimes up to a year to create. The result is a fine art quilt that celebrates the beauty and story found in our common yet profound days.
I have lived in Georgia since childhood and have come to love its people, eccentricities and stories. I earned a Journalism degree from UGA, am a published author, and live in the north Georgia Appalachians with my husband and two sons.
Email Maria at mariapeagler(at)tds(dot)net
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