Page 102 - The Digital Cloth - holiday issue 5

I have always been creative in some way.
Cover artist In my younger school years, I loved art and
textiles, and went to art school to earn a BFA

degree in graphic design. I worked as a
graphic designer for a number of years in Los
Angeles, before moving several times across
the US due to my ex-husbands career in
advertising. With each move I found joining the
local quilt guild a great way to meet people and
started quilting seriously when we moved to
Austin, Texas in 1995.

I also spent several years studying ceramics in
Austin, wheel throwing and hand building, and
absolutely loved it. I don’t think I’ve ever tried an art
medium I didn’t like, but I finally gave pottery up when
I decided there wasn’t enough time to do both.

I’m originally from New England, the northeast part of the
US. I grew up in Maine and Massachusetts, then moved to
Northern California as a teenager. Then I moved to Los
Angeles to go to art school, and spent a summer in Japan
studying graphic design. I’ve also lived in Austin, Texas,

Chicago, Illinois, and presently call Sacramento, California
my home.

But, when I was thirteen, I travelled by car with my par-
ents across the US, Mexico, and Guatemala (18,000 miles).
We spent 2 months living in Antigua, Guatemala (my first
favourite place in the world). I believe that early exposure
to multiple cultures, places, arts, lifestyles, history, folk-

lore, flora and fauna influenced how I see and experience
the world. I have a very open minded view of life and know
that nothing is ever black and white.

I fell in love with New Zealand the first time I went in 2010
to teach. It was shortly after my life imploded due to the
great recession and my marriage ending. I spent several
Judy days hiking around Rotorua on my own and felt

transformed by the peace and beauty of that place.

As an art quilting tutor, I’ve taught in New Zealand twice

Coates Perez and made 3 teaching trips to Australia and I love going
down under any chance I can, especially now. I won’t go
into detail about how difficult it is living in the US
presently, just know that 60% of the country is very
afraid of what’s happening and trying to save our
democracy.