Laura is a friend of Nancy Kibbey. We are fortunate she has been willing to share her work with us. She also teaches classes in her field. If you are interested, you can contact her.
Laura and Georgia French have combined their pieces for the current show at EBC.
Artist Statement:
I have been creating with needle and thread for as long as I can remember starting with award-winning garments. Eventually artistic quilt designs became part of my creative repertoire. Currently I focus primarily on producing wall hangings out of a variety of textiles or a combination of textiles and mixed media, usually using the raw edge applique method and free-motion quilting.
Fabric is my chosen medium because it carries a feeling of familiarity to the viewer while affording me many artistic pathways for color and texture. My degree in anthropology never landed me a paying job, but it has been a rich source of creative ideas over the years. I find inspiration in many places, but the most common influence on my work is the diversity of human culture and the expansive landscapes that still exist in some places on Earth. For many years I worked diligently to depict realistic scenes in my art work. After much struggle to let go of the minute details, I have recently moved to a much more impressionistic and abstract style. I love this new way of working which allows me spur-of-the-moment freedom and intuitive decision-making as I move through the creative process.
Whether depicting cultural iconography or vast horizons, I always hope that my work conveys a feeling of the human connectedness we all have with each other and the ancient land masses upon which we exist.
