Sue Benner presents DAFA's February 2014 program

Internationally recognized textile artist Sue Benner was DAFA’s guest artist in February. A true innovator in the field of art quilting, she brought a wide variety of her large quilts and painted fabrics for audience members to view and also gave a PowerPoint presentation showing her Dallas studio and work processes.

Sue’s training as a molecular biologist and medical illustrator inspire much of her work, and her quilts are replete with dyed and painted fabrics in combination with recycled textiles. Surface design, pattern, textile collage, fusing and vivid coloration are all hallmarks of her work.

Sue also led a major workshop for DAFA in early March. View the workshop photos on the DAFA website.

The February mini-workshop was led by DAFA member Deborah Boschert, who taught participants her technique for making fused fabric feathers. See photos below.

Left to right: Sue shows one of her gridded quilts featuring sunflowers. A slide in her PowerPoint show enables the audience to see how she begins to build one of her large landscape quilts. Sue explains her cutting-edge approach to surface design.

Left to right: With the help of Valery Guignon and Becky Jackson, Sue displays one of her Cellular Structure quilts. Sue talks about a cellular motif that has fun with polka dots. The DAFA audience crowds around to examine Sue’s painted and dyed fabrics and quilts.

Left to right: Just a few of the samples of fused fabric feathers Deborah Boschert displayed to inspire mini-workshop participants. Mini-workshop chair Chuck Baber assists Deborah. Participants gather at the ironing stations to fuse their fabrics.

-- Posted by Carolyn Skei