We’ve long been fans of the work of Irene Roderick. Her quilts have been featured in Curated Quilts multiple times, and Christine Ricks, our co-founder and Creative Director of Curated Quilts, purchased Roderick’s quilt “She’s Lost Control Again” that hung at QuiltCon 2020 in Austin. We couldn’t help but notice the in

I packed up 26 pieces for a solo show at my alma mater, Southern Illinois University, this past week. And then dropped them off.

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

What are you reading? Recently I did a presentation for the California and Nevada Studio Art Quilt Associates chapter in which I mentioned that I read a lot in order to be inspired in my work. I am an eclectic reader and it shows in my work. Non fiction and fiction both have pride of place on my re

What are you reading? Recently I did a presentation for the California and Nevada Studio Art Quilt Associates chapter in which I mentioned that I read a lot in order to be inspired in my work. I am an eclectic reader and it shows in my work. Non fiction and fiction both have pride of place on my re

My studio is a hive of fabric and images. There are usually 3-4 pieces in process on the walls or tables, notes to myself stuck on various surfaces and a 12 foot bulletin board with paper flotsam pinned in layers. But more than that, I have collections of debris everywhere. I have become a magpie,

Repeat after me. It's process not product. It's process not product. It's process not product. Each day that mantra challenges me to let go and dive in without expectations, without end goals, without success or failure. So this past week has been all about play. I have been slicing, dicing, scribb

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

I was talking to a good friend this weekend about the fact that I can't seem to finish things. I am full of ideas and come into the studio each day with a new direction I want to pursue. Exploration, imitation and experimentation all teach me what to do next time -- perhaps with a clearer eye to fin

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

Three weeks, three pieces, three inspirations. My weeks have been full of obligations and distractions so I haven’t been able to concentrate on much of anything in my studio. The distractions were also inspirations. So my art shows it. Those who follow my work will know that I tend to avoid pattern

I am preparing for a number of shows in 2018 by gathering up all the pieces that are done and planning some that are not. I'm looking for pieces that go together and some that contrast each other well. The studio is covered in pieces that are unpacked, unrolled and stacked. The pieces represent over

I got to take another workshop from my favorite teacher, Gwen Marston ! I've taken several workshops with Gwen, and I've learned somethin...

I got to take another workshop from my favorite teacher, Gwen Marston ! I've taken several workshops with Gwen, and I've learned somethin...

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

Georgia Museum of Art

I got to take another workshop from my favorite teacher, Gwen Marston ! I've taken several workshops with Gwen, and I've learned somethin...

I got to take another workshop from my favorite teacher, Gwen Marston ! I've taken several workshops with Gwen, and I've learned somethin...

Irene Roderick was an oil painter from a young child and has discovered the joy and creativity of creating improvisational quilts.

Hot. humid brain. Clouds too full to stay afloat. No focus. Time to walk away from existing projects. Instead, I had a quilt camp week. Two very promising artists participated. We talked about modules, grids, color theory, stitching and machines. They both learned how to build compositions from scra

I got to take another workshop from my favorite teacher, Gwen Marston ! I've taken several workshops with Gwen, and I've learned somethin...

Three weeks, three pieces, three inspirations. My weeks have been full of obligations and distractions so I haven’t been able to concentrate on much of anything in my studio. The distractions were also inspirations. So my art shows it. Those who follow my work will know that I tend to avoid pattern

Back in May, I started to experiment with Slice & Shuffle improvisation, as the final row in my Slice of Improv sampler . Four layers ...

As a teacher, one of the questions I get most often from students in my Improv classes is “how do you know what to do?” followed closely by “how do you know when it’s finish…

See Sue Benner's almost finished abstract quilts that she started on the set of The Quilt Show.

Gwen Marston was the deciding factor for me attending QuiltCon this year. I've read her books for years and love her work. I decided that if I got into her class, I would go. And I did. Well, my husband is the real hero of this story. See, I had a meeting at the time that registration for workshops opened for QuiltCon last year so I wasn't going to be able to register myself. My husband was going to be home that day though so I sat him down the night before, made him watch the "How to register for QuiltCon" video that the Modern Quilt Guild released and gave him my wish list of classes. We went over what order to try registering. Yes, I even had plan B and Cs for him, but I threw out plans D, E and F (you're welcome, honey). My top choices were classes with Gwen Marston and Melissa Averinos. He was such a good sport about it; mostly he found it so bizarre and amusing. I think. The next morning as I left for work, I told him, "there's no pressure and I'll be happy with whatever options you can get for me." I don't think he really believed me. At 10:07, he sent me a text that I got my top choices. Eeeek! It took all of my self-control not to jump up and down at work when I got that text, but there may have been an impassioned "yes" accompanied by a fist pump. I am a professional, you know. ;) So now I was going to QuiltCon and I was going to take classes with Gwen and Melissa. Woo hoo! I'll do another post for the class with Melissa, but today, I'll share some photos about the class with Gwen Marston. It did not disappoint! Gwen's small studies: One of my favourites of Gwen's small studies: Another favourite: Gwen demonstrating some of the techniques she taught us: Trying to get out of my comfort zone with this colour palette: A little better: Some progress on the different units: Cute, eh? Playing with placement: Starting to come together: Gwen and me! Eeek! Some of my classmates work -- I can't remember who did what, but aren't they fabulous? Loved seeing the variety of work. If you ever get a chance to take a class with Gwen Marston, take it. You will not regret it!

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Here we have the Group or Bee quilts from QuiltCon 2015, sponsored by Pink Chalk fabrics. This is a great group of very different quilts and the award winners are at the bottom of the post. Some ha…

Wrestling with rectangles to create 3D forms just seems like the right thing to do right now. Slicing, folding, forming, stitching, stuffing and exploring dimensional work is a substitute for the quiet contemplation that is required for stitching at the machine. I have to find ways to inject humor a

I’ve added some exciting new workshops and lectures to my 2019 schedule, including events in Atlanta, GA, Houston, TX, and Birmingham England, so I thought I’d share the updated list. I…

Moving through a shattering period of tenuous health concerns and re-defining what is important in life, I was frozen in my work. So I grabbed a bunch of scraps and started putting them together. That process gives me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day regardless of outcome. My though

Taste buds do it. Ear worms do it. Lurking scents do it. Words do it. Dreams do it. If I see a picture of french fries I can actually taste them. Play a Joni Mitchell song for me and I will hum it for weeks. If I smell Old Spice aftershave I think of my father. If I see a drawing that speaks to

Do you have a hard time getting out of your comfort zone? Do you struggle with just "letting go" and seeing what you create? Have you been curious about improvisational piecing, but have no idea how to begin? If any of that resonates, I know you are going to love my guest interview today. Irene Roderick is a quilter,