“Polka Dot Vision”
MARLISE HORST
HUDSON, QUEBEC, CANADA
“I am inspired by painter and sculptor
Yayoi Kusama. Her work compels
us to look again at familiar images
and patterns. Th is piece celebrates
the polka dots and outlined fl ower
shapes that characterize her style; it
also references her signature orange
haircut. Kusama’s dots are intense and
provoking: Are they happy bubbles or
something from a disturbing dream?
I enjoyed applying highly traditional
quilting techniques—hand appliqué
and broderie perse—to this very
untraditional theme.”“Botanical Abstract”
FRANCES HOLLIDAY ALFORD
GRAFTON, VERMONT
“Georgia O’Keeff e painted stylized fl owers
using some abstraction along with
simplifying shapes and giving exaggerated
detail. I took a picture of some Texas
wildfl owers which I altered on the
Spoonfl ower website and had printed as
a stamp. I chose to make the stamp about
Botanical Abstracts. I used a technique
involving heavy embroidering through
three layers: fabric, batting, fabric. Th e
small nod to yellow and red prevent the
piece from being completely blue based.
Th e stylized fl owers might make Miss
O’Keeff e smile. I hope so.”
“Florida Royal”
MELODY HIBBITTS • CITRA, FLORIDA
“My mini art quilt is inspired by the Florida Highwaymen. Th ey
were a group of African-American artists from south Florida. Th ey
painted Florida landscapes and sold them door-to-door in the
1950s through the ’80s. To me, all of their paintings had a golden
hue, like they were bathed in Florida sunshine. My quilt depicts a
branch of one of their favorite subjects, the Royal Poinciana tree.”