Susanne M. Jones
Needles, thread, and fabric have been in my hands most of my life. My grandmother taught me to sew when I was about 5. In 2010, in preparation for retirement from teaching elementary school, I began to quilt. I thought that I would be a traditional quilter and was surprised and delighted to discover my inner fiber artist. Skills learned from a lifetime of needlework have come into play and I’m enjoying combining them in my art.
This has been quite a journey. I made my first art quilt, Seeing Our Stories Clearly with 20/20 Hindsight in 2013 for the Quilt Alliance TWENTY contest. I was thrilled when it won a Judge’s Choice from Marianne Fons. In 2014, Resurrection, made for the Quilt Alliance “Inspired By” contest, won a Member’s Choice. I was hooked. Art quilting became my passion.
My art work is highly textured and very realistic. I use a wide variety of fabrics in order to create the textural matches to the original item that I’m making. I think two of my favorite pieces are Susanne’s Birthday Dinner which I’m told is so realistic that folks think they can eat it and My Summer Paradise based on my grandparents’ screen porch.
My piece, Rain, has published in Inspired by the Beatles. Two pieces: Badlands NP: Pronghorn and Hot Springs NP: Tulip, have been published in Inspired by the National Parks. All three hung in the Houston IQF. Both books are by my friend, Donna DeSoto.
I am the curator of Fly Me to the Moon, a collection of art quilts made by artists from eight countries celebrating the moon walk. It premiered at the International Quilt Festival in Houston in 2016. The book is available here.
My second collection, HERstory: A Celebration of Strong Women, includes works by artists from seven countries highlighting women who have had groundbreaking achievements since women got the right to vote in the US. It premiered at the International Quilt Festival in Houston in 2017. The book is available here.
The latest collection, OURstory: Human Rights Stories in Fabric, includes pieces by artists from six countries. It celebrates our diversity and tells the story of rights gained through the hard work of many. It premiered at the Houston International Quilt Festival in 2018. The book is available here.
I’m finding my way in this fiber art world and loving every minute.
Read my interview by Schmetz - Inspired to Sew below!
