INSPIRATIONS  for my designs, for the colors, shapes and the natural structures, I find in nature, especially on the North Sea with the flat horizon and the open view across the white, lonely sandy beaches and salt marshes. I love to watch how every wave leaves marks in the sand at ebb and flow.

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My a trip to ICELAND  some time ago inspired me to create a lot of new work. The contrasts there are incredibly diverse and unexpected.  Like the wide view over the cold sea or the volcanic landscapes with the black lava flows, the glaciers up to the horizon, the wide glacier rivers that meander through the scenery, the black sandy beaches in contrast to the white foaming sea and, last but not least, those in summer blooming purple and pink wild lupins - as far as the eye can see. A travel photographer described it as "it has to be seen to be believed".  

 

But also my magical FAVORITE PLACE IN THE SWISS MOUNTAINS  inspires me every year. It is the special light of the Upper Engadine, the structures of the rock and glacier landscapes that reveal themselves on closer observation and the timid effort of nature to gradually cover the gray gravel cliffs and glacier moraines with a fluff of lichen, moss and alpine flowers. The contrast between hard, rough rocks and these sensitive alpine plants, which are scattered like velvety little soft pillows in the almost unreal huge stone desert, attracts me magically. I then try to capture the special details with my camera to transform them later in the studio with fabric and wool.

IN WINTER , it is the unique frozen lake landscape in the Upper Engadin with its delicate shades of white, gray and light blue that inspires me. On my walks through the winter countryside I imagine how I "decorate" the white, untouched snow and ice fields with my patterns. This is how I came up with the idea of combining nature pics with detail pics of my quilts and processing and overlaying them on the computer until finally a new, coherent body of work becomes visible.

 

Recently I was asked how I can love the mountains and the sea at the same time? I think it is these special NATURAL LANDSCAPES that have grown dear to my heart and to which I always like to return and which inspire me to new ideas and yes! - even in the Alps you have a clear view, but you have to climb the mountains first. The hours of hiking uphill in the summer is my meditation - seen from this point of view, it is very similar to working on the sewing machine. In fact, some days I sit at the machine for hours and "walk" with my hands on the quilt, moving it evenly and calmly back and forth under the needle. The sewing machine purrs softly to itself. There is nothing better than diving into my studio and completely forgetting about the time. (By the way, if you are a Quilter yourself, you probably want to know what kind of machine I'm using. Well -  it's just a normal household sewing machine, but from a very good brand though :-)

If you look at the work more closely and you have perhaps even ever tried to sew a line freely  (the automatic feed dog is switched off and the hands now move the quilt), then the perfection of the overall picture and the accuracy of the individual stitches catches the eye.  I am often asked about it at exhibitions and in the studio - then I can only refer to my many years of experience and practice and the calm  and patience (!) that has grown from it - according to the motto "THE PATH IS THE GOAL" , because making a quilt takes many hours, days and sometimes even months.

REVIEW: Starting out as a traditional quilter in 1990, I learned to work accurately and precisely. I lived in Oregon in the USA for a few years at that time. From the very beginning I quilted by machine. At that time, this was not very common, so it was important to me to present my stitches and my free motion quilting style in the best possible way to meet the high standards of the hand quilters around me and to earn their respect. Which on the other hand gave me the courage to follow my own path. 
 

Over the years, my work became more free in their design and I had to learn to let go of this PERFECTION  and the internalized rules partly again to give creativity and new ideas room to unfold. The standards for precision in terms of the overall appearance and especially the stitch quality has remained. At the end of the day, I believe, you have to master the techniques in order to be able to transfer the ideas artfully in terms of craftsmanship. 

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My art quilts still consist of three layers, the top, as the first layer of a quilt is called,  is a white cotton fabric painted by me, similar to a painter's canvas.  As an additional design element on some quilts, I arrange and apply wool and silk fibers on the surface. They are lightly felted so that nothing shifts underneath the sewing needle. After the surface has been designed, the top is temporarily connected with a layer of batting and the back fabric. 

Now comes the most beautiful work step for me - I sit down at the sewing machine and cover the entire area with a flood of stitches. The "woolly" areas blend nicely with the background. Lines emerge from individual stitches and these form seemingly endless spirals, swirls, waves and stone landscapes. The structures "expand", the painted fabric, the slightly raised woolen elements and the stitches connect the three layers to form a unit and voila it is a quilt.

Since I design and produce my work myself and they are not objects of daily use - they are made exclusively for presentation on the wall with an artistic ambition - I call them  ART QUILTS.

Seen from a distance or even on photos, my quilts look like paintings - you instinctively want to touch them to realize that they are completely made of fabric and hang freely on the wall without a fixed frame. 

Unfortunately the term QUILT causes confusion from time to time in Germany and there are many "TOUCH FEARS ", which is perhaps also related to the fact that some are uncertain how to pronounce the word "Quilt". 

GET IN TOUCH WITH QUILTS ...... there is the possibility to visit me in my studio in Wolfenbüttel (by appointment) and experience how wonderfully you can decorate walls with quilts and what fantastic effect they unfold in living areas.

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Much of my work is for sale - details, availability and prices on INQUIRY, by email or via the contact form. 

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I look forward to your Mail &  Feedback.  

                        

               

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