TIMEOFF Bucks County December 29, 2000 |
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LOVE'S LABORS FOUND |
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by Lorrie Cole For most people, a quilt is something to cuddle on a chilly evening. For others, a quilt is a tool for creative expression to be appreciated as a piece of fine art. Large numbers of people began viewing quilts as art in the 1970s, when the Whitney Museum in Manhattan held an exhibit of Amish quilts. The Bicentennial, which provided a boost for historical preservation efforts in that decade, also increased awareness about quilting. Washington Crossing resident Elizabeth Weatherill Fram is well acquainted with the bleeding fingers and frustrations -- and the joys, for that matter -- that accompany her medium. In her debut exhibit "Through The Eye of the Needle: Contemporary Art Quilts" at Pennswood Village Art Gallery in Newtown, she uses fabrics as a great painter uses a palette. He creations are strikingly beautiful and thought provoking. Traditional quilting dates back to our "foremothers," whose creativity and practicality made them avid recyclers. When they could not afford new fabric for a blanket, they would sew squares of old dresses and shirts together leading to the term "patchwork." Then they would line it with a blanket and a backing layer of fabric. Quilting refers to the connection of the three layers into one piece. "When I was 10 years old," Ms. Fram says, "I learned to sew with a sewing machine and made many of my own clothes and sewing projects. Then, when 16, I made my first traditional quilt after taking a class and learning to quilt with my mother. "I was always interested in art and making things with my hands, and went on to make a living as an illustrator and graphic artist. After I was married, my husband's job as a military physician allowed us to live in Washington state, San Francisco and Hawaii. All of these places had a tremendous influence on my artwork." Though Ms. Fram loved to work with the rich colors of pastels, during her first pregnancy, she became concerned with the dust they create. She fashioned traditional type quilts for each child while waiting for them to arrive, which reintroduced her to the quilting world. She began to research the topic. I came across an article in Quilting International (Sept. '92) titled 'Katherine Knauer, New York Quilt Artist Armed with an Airbrush,' she says. "I was swept away by the stunning visual impact of the pieces and her creativity and originality. She used piecework in her art quilts, but also used airbrush, stencil illustration and embroidery." "I began to think that the creative options of this medium seemed endless and fascinating, and could also coexist with my life as an at-home mom. Here was work that could easily be put down at a moment's notice while tending to a child and which introduced no toxic materials into my home." Color is the most integral element of her quilts. "I keep a sketchbook journal of visual and color ideas and use it to develop a piece," she says. "I start with a core concept, but it is always evolving. That is really liberating to me as an artist, since there are no rules or guidelines to follow. Sometimes, the finished work vaguely resembles the first idea." From cellophane to sticks, she embellishes her quilts with a plethora of materials. "I think of my art quilts as collages, bringing disparate elements together into a whole," she says. "I choose diverse fabrics, and then add all sorts of things to the top of the quilt. I use photo and oil pastel drawing transfers, and appliqué and embroidery. Stitching itself adds a whole textural element because it adds a third dimension. I really look at them as sculptural on a small level." Her first attempt at showing her work came this summer at a gallery in Santa Fe, NM. "It was a big achievement for me," she says, "I was thrilled to have a piece accepted into a juried show at Thirteen Moons Gallery and then to have it sold by them." "The purpose of my art is not only to provide an outlet for expression, but also to reach out to others," she says. "My hope is that my work acts as a springboard that will act to connect people to the underlying part of themselves." Back to top © Elizabeth W. Fram All rights reserved. |