How is it possible to capture someone's life in a quilt? It isn't, but in the process of trying, it forces both the artist and the loved one to consider the colors and textures of the clothes the person wore and the objects and landscapes the person loved. What do the colors signify?

The answer is of course better known by those who loved the person, but as an artist I can say that in the process of sewing these wall hangings I appreciated this person's sense of individual style, her vivaciousness and her boldness. They lent themselves to the birds and flowers I was asked to represent.

This was not an easy commission. I knew one of the daughters of this woman and I cared very much what she was going to think about my representations of her mother. It also was a challenge because the material was of several varieties including silk, polar fleece, t-shirts and velvet. But after some hemming and hawing I decided that the only way to finish them was to start. I am happy to say that the family was very happy with my work.