Technically, Woman Torso meets the definition of a quilt. She is 2 or sometimes 3 layers of wire sewn together with
cloth strips. Although this resembles weaving or perhaps basketry, it is no different than quilting. The holes in the fabric are just bigger!
All the needle arts are close cousins. What is embroidery but quilting with more fabric layers and denser stitching? What is needlepoint
but embroidery on a stiff background? I choose not to confine myself to the strict boundaries of each discipline, but to explore the
possibilities and create as ideas come to me. This piece is the culmination of a lifetime of sewing, many classes in drawing the
human figure, a career in fashion design, a business creating silk lingerie, a love for making art quilts, and a fascination for lace.
She is sturdy but fragile; transparent but substantive. She is integrating her inner self with her outer self.
Although Woman Torso was made to be enjoyed from all angles, it is particularly captivating near a wall and accented by a spotlight
which casts shadows of the wire hexagons. This reminds me of antique hexagon quilts.
Click here to view a
detail image.