Mary began her quilting journey in
1983, while taking a class from a talented artist who taught her precision in
making traditional quilts. She quickly discovered, however, that there
was no challenge in making the same pattern more than once. She always
tried to make her quilts a little different from the pattern or from everyone
else’s. She was introduced to the beginnings of art quilting in the late
1990’s. She entered the movement timidly at first, but has come to relish
the growth she has made and to anticipate with joy the many projects in her
future. She especially enjoys the mystery of the process; often a
finished piece turns out totally different from her original vision. She
loves all facets of altering fabric, but she also appreciates that a good
background in traditional quilting techniques has enabled her to go more
confidently “out on a limb.”
Mary’s work has been exhibited at
the Portland Quilting Expo, the Pacific International Quilt Show in California,
The California State Fair, several shows at Artworks in Sisters, OR, the
Redmond Library, and the Sisters library. She also fashioned a section of
the 40’ Three Rivers Quilt, made to support the Wychus Creek restoration project.
The Three Rivers Quilt collaborative quilt traveled the state of Oregon for
more than a year, and then was displayed at the 2013 Tokyo International Quilt
Show in Japan. It is now permanently installed at City Hall in Sisters.
Mary is a member of Journeys’ Art
Quilters and Studio Art Quilters Association (SAQA); both groups strive to
incorporate principles of design and composition into contemporary quilting,
showing their work throughout the year.
