Member Profile: Margaret McGrath

MA/RI REGIONAL MEMBER PROFILE:

Margaret McGrath

Co-Rep MA/RI Region

In the past this blog featured profiles of quilt artists, artist news, and artists in the studio.  We would like to feature more of these types of stories.  Since I am relatively new to this region, as well as to my regional co-rep position, I thought I would start off with a profile of myself, both to tell you a little bit about me, and to get the ball rolling on featuring more quilt artists.  If you have never been featured before on this blog, I encourage you to write about yourself and get your name out there.  We have a series of questions that you can choose from to stimulate the conversation about you.  If you have news, won a recognition, or published in a magazine we would love to hear about it, and to share the news with other regional artists.  A blog post about your studio would also be welcome.  Please contact me at mamcgrath27@gmail.com to become a contributor to this blog.  My "interview" follows.



WHEN DID YOU START MAKING ART QUILTS?

I started making art quilts in 2000, the year I took a comprehensive all summer course in quilt making.   As part of the certificate issued by the store, I was required to design and make a traditional quilt, or a series of art quilts.  I created five small art quilts, which were submitted to the instructors to critique.  My work was later professionally photographed and featured in the yearly charity quilt show.  I was so hooked.  After 911, I sewed continuously to cope with my anxiety, and as a result was quickly able to experience many different styles of quilting. Over time art quilts became my passion, even before I became a decent traditional quilter.  Through classes and workshops I was able discover my style and pursue it.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO YOU DO?  ABSTRACT, REALIST, REPRESENTATIONAL?  WHAT STYLES OR TECHNIQUES DO YOU USE?

My current style is more abstract, combining the traditional log cabin block with an unusual twist and unusual materials.  It also has a slight geometric feel to it. Although I have used all types of commercial and hand dyed fabric, including batiks. I am currently working in dupioni and other silk fabrics. Working with silk is a little bit more work, having to fuse the fabric to fusible interfacing to stabilize it.  The silks have an organic quality to them that I love.  The more colors I can get, the better the experience it is for me. Vibrant color is important in the pieces that I create. I use my colors like fabric paint, cutting the silk into strips, which I then arrange using the log cabin block, or a variation of it.  I use deep reds, blues, greens, purples, yellow, orange.  Then throw in a little silver and gold. I have been using machine and hand quilting and small embellishments such as beads, buttons, and embroidery thread in my pieces. In the past I have done whimsical, abstract landscapes, and would like to continue doing them in the future.

Tirade of Pain (2013) (c)

Margaret McGrath

HOW DID YOU LEARN THE TECHNIQUES THAT YOU USE?

After completing the quilting coursework in 2000, I took every class that I could squeeze into my life at the time.  I have also attended as many art quilt workshops that I could.  The Houston International Quilt Festival allowed me to take many classes, while we were living there.  I still attend the festival every year.  Some of my instructors of note are Ruth B. McDowell, Caryl Bryer Fallert, Gabrielle Swain, Cynthia England, Rayna Gillman, Ricky Tims, Hollis Chatelaine, Libby Lehman, Charlotte Warr Anderson.  Each instructor brought me along a little further, adding a little something to my toolbox, giving me an alternate point of view.  While I don't try to emulate any of them, each inspired me to do my own work. I continue to read a lot of books (you don't need to know how many I own!).  Currently,  I take online classes, most recently classes in free motion quilting, embroidery, and embellishment.  I am always looking for things to try.  It never gets boring.

DO YOU WORK ON A SINGLE PROJECT AT A TIME OR DO YOU WORK ON MULTIPLE PIECES AT ONCE?

I tend to work on several pieces at once.  My current project inspires the next, and the next, and before you know it there are several pieces in progress.  This is how I came to work in a series.  I need to discipline myself into finishing more of the pieces.  It is so hard to pronounce something is done!  It is like losing a friend.

WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION?

I tend to find inspiration from the work of other art quilters, from art work of other media such as painting, drawing, and fine craft.  A great source of inspiration is in the emotion of events, of people I know or read about.  Sometimes ideas come to me from photos taken on vacation, and types of architecture or urban landscapes.  Inspiration is everywhere, if you look for it.

WHAT IS YOUR STUDIO LIKE AND WHEN DO YOU LIKE TO WORK?

My studio is in a spare bedroom of my home.  I work mostly on my Janome 7700 and Janome 6600, and I have a Brother 1500 that I take to classes and retreats.  My newest machine is an APQS George, which has enabled me to concentrate on improving my free motion quilting.  I am happy with my progress, but I have so much to learn.  There is a great deal of stuff packed into my studio:  two sewing machines, a cutting table, ironing board, a large wall of storage shelves for my books and embellishments, metal basket drawers for fabric storage, and a tall chest of plastic drawers for thread storage. Being a morning person,  I like to work in the mornings, and will often continue into the afternoon if I am on a roll.  I try to take weekends off, but I will sneak into the studio if a current project is calling out to me.  Photos of my studio follow.