Bio/Resume
Denise is an award winning studio artist from Plainfield, Illinois. Her work has appeared in galleries and national and international quilt exhibitions. Color, composition and design combine to play significant roles in her work. Not conforming to any particular code of methodology, Denise allows each individual piece to determine the techniques used as it develops through the construction process. Her technical methods are a combination of machine and hand appliqué enhanced using various surface design methods and tools such as painting, inking and machine embroidery. With an illustrative approach her work imparts strong visual impact. |
 |
Artist Statement
I have been making quilts for 25 years and cannot imagine my world without them. I use familiar images that sometimes reflect a personal commentary on social or environmental issues of the day. Realism in my imagery is not a goal. Capturing the essence of my emotional response to the subject in that moment in time is what I am striving to achieve.
Convinced that people have a natural bond to fabric and are attracted to quilts, the formation and construction of my work is always approached with excitement and enthusiasm.
Selected Exhibitions/Awards
2011
- World Quilt & Textile - Best in Country (USA) - Shannon's Bantam
- NQA - Honorable Mention - Shannon's Bantam
- Quilt Odyssey - 2nd Pl. Mxd. Techniques - Moonlit Mirage
- HMQS - 1st Pl. - Art Pictorial - Shannon's Bantam
- IHQS - 2nd Pl. - Fabric Art - Shannon's Bantam
2010
- DNQF - Best Wall Quilt - Moonlit Mirage
- IHQS - 2nd Pl. - Wall - Moonlit Mirage
- IMAGES - Best Applique - Shannon's Bantam
- Quilt Odyssey - 1st Pl. Wall - Shannon's Bantam
- AQS, Paducah- 1st Pl. Wall Pictorial - Shannon's Bantam
- MAQF - 2nd Pl.- Innovative - Shannon's Bantam
- Road to California - Best Art Quilt - Shannon's Bantam
2009
- IQA - Fairfield Master's Award - Shannon's Bantam
- DNQF - 3rd Pl. Wall - The Robe
- Lowell Quilt Fest - 3rd Pl. - Unbridled Passion
- NQA - 2nd Pl. Wall - Unbridled Passion
- IHQS - 1st Pl. Wall - Unbridled Passion
- PNQE - Best Color - Little Juggler
2008
- Minnesota Quilters - 2nd Place - Unbridled Passion
- MQX - Teacher's Award - The Robe
- Georgia Quilt Show - 2nd Pl. - Unbridled Passion
- NQA - Honorable Mention - The Robe
2007
- Illinois Artisan's - Viewer's Choice - Celtic Creed
- NQA - Honorable Mention - "O"
- World Quilt & Textile - Best Color - Unbridled Passion
- Quilt Odyssey - 1st Pl. Mixed - Unbridled Passion
2006
- DNQF - 2nd Pl. Wall - Hopi Pueblo
- Quilting on the Waterfront - 3rd Pl. - Taos Pueblo
- AQS, Paducah - Best Machine workmanship - Maidens in Full Bloom
- Road to California - 2nd Pl. - Innovative - Maidens in Full Bloom
- Vermont Quilt Festival - Best in Show - Maidens in Full Bloom
- $100,000 Quilt Challenge - Finalist - Maidens in Full Bloom
- QTW - 2nd Pl. - Downhome Breakfast
2005
- IHQS - Best in Show - Vanishing Warblers
- World Quilt & Textile - 2nd Pl. - Ringmasters
- NQA - 3rd Pl. - Pictorial - Ringmasters
- AQS, Paducah - 3rd Pl. - Ringmasters
- Quilt Odyssey - 1st Pl. - Taos Pueblo
- QTW - 3rd Pl. - Taos Pueblo
- MAQF - 2nd Pl. - Innovative - Ringmasters
2004
- QHC - 1st Pl. - Pictorial & Best Workmanship - Vanishing Warblers
- NQA - Best Representational Quilt & 2nd Pl. Wall - Vanishing Warblers
- IHQS - 3rd Pl. - Applique - Ursus Americanus
- IQA - Honorable Mention - Ringmasters
2003
- Road to California - 1st Pl. - Wall - Amaizing Grace
- MAQF - Best in Show - Vanishing Warblers
- QHC - 2nd Pl. - Pictorial - Celtic Creed
- Quilt Odyssey - 2nd Pl. - Mxd. Techniques - Muses for a Millennium
Selected Publications/Media
- Fiberarts Design Book Six, - 1999
- American Quilts Home Video - 1999
- Great American Quilts - Oxmoor House - 1999
- AQS 2000 Quilt Expo Book - 2000
- Quilts Japan - Fall, 2000
- Handicrafts Japan - Vol. 2, 2000
- Quilter's Newsletter Magazine
- Issue 329/2000, 343/2002, 349/2003,
- 500 Art Quilts, Lark Books 2010
- Quilt Life - October 2011
- Adventures in Design, Joen Wolfrom, C&T Publishing
Selected Gallery/Museum Exhibitions
- Illinois State Museum - Springfield, IL
- Illinois State Museum - Peoria, IL
- Southern Illinois Art Gallery - Whittington, IL
- Rocky Mtn. Quilt Museum - Golden, CO
- Naperville Art Association - Naperville, IL
- New England Quilt Museum - Lowell, MA
- Northern Arizona University Gallery - Flagstaff, AZ
- Northwestern University Gallery - Chicago IL
- Sweinfurth Memorial Art Center - Auburn NY
- Womanmade Gallery - Chicago IL
- Municipal Art League of Chicago - Beverly, IL
- The National Quilt Museum - Paducah, KY
- Fermilab Gallery - Batavia, IL
Selected Private/Museum/Corporate Collections
- M/M M. Proshan - Cape Cod, MA
- The National Quilt Museum - Paducah, KY
- Hillary Fletcher - The Marbaum Collection, Athens, OH
- Diane Millar - Oak Lawn, IL
- Margi Hafer - Frankfort, IL
- Husqvarna Viking Corp. - Husqvarna, Sweden
- M/M Frinfrock - Tinley Park, IL
- M/M D. Garrison - St. Joseph, MI
- Caryl Bryer Fallert - Paducah, KY
- Mr. J. Joachim - APQS, Des Moines, IA
- M/M J. Rante - Burr Ridge, IL
- Ricky Tims - La Veta, CO
- M/M J. Santangelo - Chicago Ridge, IL
- Ms. L. Pierson - Chicago, IL
Affiliations
- Professional Art Quilt Alliance - PAQA
- Studio Art Quilt Associates- SAQA
- Salt Creek Quilter's Guild - SCQG
- National Quilt Association - NQA
- International Quilt Association - IQA
- American Quilters Society - AQS
- Illinois Artisan Program - Illinois State Museum