Page 6 - The Digital Cloth Issue 3
P. 6

Cindy Watkins















                   5000 Textile Trees Project                  something Helen is exceptionally good at.                    Then I practised and experimented as much as            10,000 was a bit daunting so I thought I would
                                                                                                                                                                                    try the half way point.
                   by Cindy Watkins                            Coming from a painting background this was                   I could.
                                                                                                                            Slowly I developed my style and technique
                                                               very appealing. I enjoy the tactile nature of
                                                               textiles. Its art work that you can touch.  I am             through practice and experimentation. A class
      Two things were pivotal in setting me on the             terrible at piecing and can’t sew a straight line            with UK machine embroidery artist Alison Holt
      path of working in textiles. One was an article          to help myself, let alone get all those points to            also had a big impact on my current work. If
      in one of my Mum’s quilting magazines about              line up.                                                     you haven’t come across her check her out she
      quilter and artist Helen Godden. And the other,          For all those ladies who can I am in awe.                    is amazing.
      the life shattering death of my brother from             I taught myself free motion quilting via
      cancer in his early 30’s. His death had a                YouTube. I practice a lot, in-fact I wore out the            I come to the decision to create my 5000 Trees

      profound impact on my life direction helping             sewing machine Mum gave me. I went to as                     project after reading a book on how to make
      me decide to do what I loved and to follow my            many classes as I could find on art quilting.                money for your artwork. In the book Art
      dreams.                                                  Which were few and far between in Tasmania.                  Money Success the author talked about a lady
      I remember being very excited when I learned             I read every book and magazine I could get my                in the USA paining 10,000 Buddhas. This
      that it was okay to paint on your quilts -               hands on.                                                    inspired me to set a goal to stitch 5000 Trees.
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