Allison Wilbur - art quilter

Allison Wilbur

I was thrilled to be selected for a week long Artist Residency at Rose Island Light in Newport Harbor in September. Altogether 8 artists from a variety of mediums will spend a week on the island. On Saturday, September 13, we will share the work we have created with the public. If you would like to visit this picturesque historic lighthouse and see our work, please visit the Rose Island Lighthouse website for details.

Fabric is the palette with which I begin a piece; I then layer paint, stitching and embellishments. Stitching has a meditative quality, whether by hand or machine. As I progress, my materials guide me. With decades of practice, I have come to understand that the slow journey of creating brings me joy and peace.

I have lived in Russia, Japan, Tunisia, Kuwait, Oman, and Switzerland and have travelled to may other countries, exploring global textile traditions and fabrics and incorporating them into my work. Japanese design and techniques are a major influence in my work, including shibori dyeing with indigo, sashiko stitching, boro patchwork and a the use of a variety of fabrics including silk kimonos, cotton yukatas,  brocade obis and woven ikat fabrics. When I am not in the studio, I love to be outdoors and bring the natural world into my work as metaphor for life challenges.