Rosemary Burris -  Port Townsend, WA

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I am spending much more time in my studio collaging as the Covid virus has grounded my teaching schedule. It is currently mid-March 2020 and I have completed about 6 pet portraits this year, surprising friends with these as gifts. It feels good to give a gift that means so much to them. Contact me if you would like to discuss having a pet portrait commissioned, either for yourself or as a gift. 

 

One of the things about quilting that has always intrigued me is the use of color in communicating shape, design and purpose. So, when I began creating quilt collages using hundreds of different pieces of fabric, the ability to create shape and dictate focus using hues, values and patterns took my work in a totally different direction than traditional quilting. I am consistently drawn to fabrics that create the illusions of texture, movement, relief, and contours with lines, dots and shine.  I take in elements of the fabric while looking at the whole design. Finally, I quilt the finished mosaic with fine silk thread.

 

Most of my work revolves around animals, particularly dogs. There is a soulfulness and a shared connection humans feel with dogs. Perhaps it’s because they’re so curious. I notice how well animals communicate with us without words, simply by expressions. I want to capture that in my work. So, I always begin with the eyes. The eyes render the image alive. The face and body evolve intuitively by careful blending of color and pattern. Each fabric piece adds a level of depth, much the way a painting comes to life through shape, shading and color. I hope that my quilt collages will instill a sense of wonder in what lives within an animal’s thoughts and connects to their souls.