Framed roses from TCQC 05-09-10

"A Bowl of Roses" Wilda Northrup 2005 (unframed 21" square)

I am a great admirer of Wilda's work and added this piece to the Collection without considering the display and storage problems posed by a framed work. It is not quilted, but simply hand appliqued, matted and framed. I have retouched the picture above to try to remove the light reflections on the glass and you can see the places I have reworked where they bleed into the mat. Using non-reflective glass diminishes the clarity of whatever it covers, so I don't think that is a solution. Because it is framed I will never show this piece in one of the programs I do.

Wilda cuts the shapes from print fabric, turns the edge as she appliques and doesn't worry about multiple layers - she doesn't cut out behind each appliqued piece. I am still astonished that she also doesn't worry that little bits of the background of the printed fabrics show around the edges. I never see them until I get very close to the work and then I think of all the broiderie pers that I have done where I slaved over turning under any indication of the original background. A waste of time and effort I now think. This image is also slightly retouched, but I haven't tried to eliminate all the reflections (on the top center edge and the left center edge).

A watercolor artist and a quiltmaker, Wilda lives on the Monterey Peninsula and has occasional exhibits of her quilts and her watercolors at Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove. Her "Sunflowers" quilt is also part of TCQC and was on my blog in 2008. http://delquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/Wilda%20Northrop

Quilts from TCQC 09-27-08

Not all the quilts in the Collection have been made by internationally known quilt makers. I try to see as many exhibits and quilt shows as I can and I "surf the net" looking at websites: artists, galleries, on-line exhibits, etc. Just Googling "art quilt" offers hundreds of thousands of hits these days. It was a lot easier twenty years ago when there were fewer websites, but not nearly as interesting. I learned about Wilda Northrop when I picked up a postcard for a small quilt auction in Pacific Grove in 2001. Since then there have been several exhibits of her work at Back Porch Fabric Shop where she shows both her lovely appliqued pieces and her fabulous watercolors. She is know for her paintings throughout the USA and in Europe. She earned her MFA at Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles and is a member of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West.

"Sunflowers" Wilda Northrop 2001 39"W x 49"L

I was amazed to learn that one doesn't have to cut out each flower exactly, a little background left on or extra twig or two doesn't make a difference in the total image. Wilda has a sharp eye for color, line, shape, perspective.... well, all those things she has used for years as a water colorist. As far as I know she doesn't have a website, but if you wish to contact her I'm sure that Back Porch Fabric Shop will take messages. Gail@backporchfabrics.com Especially since Wilda is part of a two woman exhibit which runs from Sep 28 through Dec 3, 2008.