Aullwood 2011: Debra Bentley and Fran LaSalle, Suzanne Riggio

Debra Benley Isle Royale Sunset

Debra Bentley and Fran LaSalle are the last of my Miami Valley Art Quilt Network (that's Ohio...do they HAVE vallies in Florida??) cronies who entered the Aullwood show. 

Debra has been working on a series of loons.  Many, if not most, of her work is done on a nature theme.  Not surprisingly, she told me that as a child she and her siblings would sit and study artwork (primarily led by her mother I think) and were also informally taught by her father and other relatives who were naturalists.

Debra has taken many trips to Isle Royale National Park, an Island park off the tip of Michigan's upper peninsula right int he middle of Lake Superior.  Isle Royale is famous for its wolf population and for all the other wildlife you can see there.  Loons are some of Deb's favorites.

Debra Bentley Isle Royale Sunset

I hope you can see in this detail the amount of thread work she put in on it.  The threadwork gives a really nice textural effect.  The size of this piece is 33.5" x 52".

Fran LaSalle also does a lot of natural themed work. This is her Something Fishy II.  Fran has used dimensional work in her seaweed.  Fran's piece measures 24" x 28" and is priced at $500.

Suzanne Mouton Riggio April Showers, 12" x 8.5"  $625.00

Suzanne Mouton Riggio "April Showers" detail.

Suzanne Mouton Riggio is from Wauwautosa, Wi.  I always have to point that out because it is so much fun to say.  Suzanne was inspired by the drenching April showers to make this little piece.  She took a photograph and worked with it in Photoshop until it seemed as if it was seen through sheeds of rain coming down.  She painted the sky and used Sulky Silver Sliver thread (a sort of hollographic thread) to quilt it in order to give the impression of the rain   coming down.  She also used tiny sequins sporadically on the surface which gives a nice effect.

I love Suzanne's artist statement, mostly because I feel the same way.  In it, she says  "My quilted art creations   -really quilted tapestries-- of personal symbols and observations reflect my passion to search, understand and record the world around me, especially the beautiful, the hopeful and the historical. 

My art represents a major transition in my life--from a long career in music to one in visual arts.  I am driven to express myself, to tell stories and to leave a cultural imprint of my time to my children and grandchildren.  I simply must create.  I choose the ancient fiber form of quilting as my medium because not only is manipulating fabric a tactile pleasure, but also there is in quilting  a real sense of connection  between maker and viewer."

Well said, Suzanne!