This mosaic quilt is representative of the vibrancy, evolution and activity in nature throughout the seasons.
Process
This quilt uses 27 different pieces of fabric – commercial cottons, raw silks, and my own digital fabric. Pieces are cut leaving raw edges and then carefully positioned on a whole piece of interfacing to form the mosaic top. The quilt sandwich is the mosaic top, organic acrylic felt and backing cotton fabric. The sandwich is sewn together using cotton thread and then binded with mitered corners.
QUILTS, 2020, fused, whole cloth, red, orange, black, white
Artist Statement:
When you look at a flower head on, the leaves flow out from the center. But if you look the flower from the bottom then the leaves flow out and up from the center. Thus the name Rise Up!. This quilt is hand-painted with Derwent dye blocks and drawn on with fabric-marked Kona cottons. Making this soulful floral quilt was always in the plan. Unlike other quilters, I’ve waited a long time to do florals; always waiting for that unique way of looking at a subject that so many have looked at and covered. Rise Up! is appropriate for these times as we seek new looks, new perspectives to disappointingly familiar scenarios. Constantly creating, praying and rising up to elevate myself and the world around me.
Vera Neumann (1907-1993) was an American-born artist who started a design company from her kitchen table in 1947. She is best known for her extensive, prolific designs for home décor, fine art and industrial products. Her designs are full of rich, vibrant colors and expressive symbols. Her logo is recognized all over the world for its simply “Vera” title next to the distinctive, colorful ladybug.
Impact of Her Work
Vera’s designs have translated well over the years into wearables such as scarves, jackets and jewelry. You can also find her designs on bedding, tableware, glassware, ceramics and virtually any household item imaginable. Vera believed that people should surround themselves with art.
Floral design
Scarf with infamous Vera logo on the bottom right corner
Most Famous Works
Vera was by far the most successful entrepreneur of her time. Her company the Vera Company (http://www.theveracompany.com), owns the entire collection of Vera’s designs and sells licensed items in high end stores like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom’s and Lord and Taylor.
Sketch of a sunflower designSketch of a floral design
What Inspires Me About Vera Neumann
I fell in love with Vera Neumann in the early ’80’s before I even knew what design was. Before I even knew my own design sensibility. As a young girl I collected images of flowers.
The vibrant colors and warm fuzzies from the subject matter dictated my love of the florals and nature in general. To me, Vera’s surface designs exhibited the life and energy that I always enjoyed when viewing florals.
On the business side, I’m inspired by the fact Vera copyrighted her designs in the Library of Congress. To date of this writing, the company has over 8,000 designs copyrighted in the Library of Congress.
![[INSPIRATION] PEOPLE – Vera Neumann (1907 – 1993)](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image_vera-neumann-1.jpeg?w=143&h=197&crop=1)
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