On display April 23 – July 4, 2016 inside the Education Center, this exhibit is presented by three Carolina fiber artists, each inspired by nature throughout the Carolinas from the shores to the mountains. Artists Judy Simmons, Mary Stori and Kathryn Weston hope their exhibit will expand the visitors’ enjoyment of the Arboretum’s nature landscape by echoing the colors of the flowers, the texture of the foliage, the wonders of the wildlife, and the serenity of the trails.
The diversity of the artists’ styles, construction methods and subject matter, captures the tradition of quilt makers with a fresh approach, while also providing a second look at nature throughout the Carolinas.
All pieces are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The North Carolina Arboretum Society.
About Judy Simmons
Judy Simmons holds a degree in Home Economics and has always loved sewing since her first fabric stash at age 5. Her teaching career led her on a path to create her first quilt, wanting to use fabric scraps from her student’s projects. Her work is in constant transition, starting years ago with traditional quilts then dyeing fabric in order to have more fabric choices, which eventually led to using various surface design techniques that she still employs today. Judy is currently a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, Asheville Quilt Guild and Studio Arts Quilt Associates. She enjoys teaching and lecturing throughout the United States and Canada.
Artist Technique
Judy creates her own fabric using surface design techniques including fabric marbling, dyeing, color lifting and silk screening. Much of the imagery utilizes her own photography printed on fabric
About Mary Stori
As therapy, Mary Stori began teaching herself to quilt while recovering from back surgery in the mid-1980s. Her plans to return to her career in her cooking school was redirected after discovering the world of quilting. Mary is a five time Fairfield Designer, a National Artisan for Bernina and was named the 2004 Teach of the Year by Professional Quilter. Her work has appeared on HGTV’s “Simply Quilts” and “Sew Perfect” and also Fon’s and Porter’s PBS show “Love of Quilting.” An avid Green Bay Packer fan, Mary now finds herself living outside of Asheville, N.C. enjoying the area’s creative environment and milder milder winters.
Artist Technique
Mary’s botanical and organic theme art quilts are created using artist made, hand-dyed cotton, linen, silk, & rayon fabrics. In addition, hand-felted
and hand-dyed wool provide rich backdrops, offering texture and depth to her work. Bead embellishment is almost always featured.
About Kathryn Weston
Kathryn Weston has been passionate about fiber for more of her life. She began by sewing clothing for herself and family, and by exploring a variety of needle arts. She was first introduced to quilt making in 1973. During the first 25 years of her career, she completed several dozen traditional pieces. Meanwhile, she raised a family and worked as a school psychologist. In the late 1990s, she retired from school psychology and began to explore art and design in the fiber world on a full time basis. Mostly self taught, Kathryn did receive some training through workshops with international quilt instructors.
Artist Technique
Kathryn’s techniques often focus on the creation of complex cloth through application of dye, paint and embellishment, such as fabric overlay or manipulation and the application of non-fiber materials. The interplay of color and skillful machine quilting are frequently showcased.