In action......talk for Quilter's Quilt Regional Day

 

Being in front of the camera means that I do not often have images of myself in action teaching, demonstrating or giving a talk.

Thanks to the lovely Jayne Emsden who took lots of photos of my talk at the Quilter's Guild Region 8 (Suffolk and Essex - my home region) on Saturday

The title of the talk was a new one and put together just for this event called "Is Mary McIntosh still a quilter?"

I definitely started as a quilter but as I have worked with more experimental materials such as paper, plastic and metals then my work have become more mixed media. However almost all of this work is also contructed of two or three layers stitched through - the definition of a quilt

For example this triptych made using cellophane sweet wrappers inspired by a stained glass window in the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona may have used a heat gun and soldering iron but is still stitched through all six layers of organza, cellophanes, felt, and finally fabric. It is still a quilt.

Combining experimental techniques such as lamination with materials like newsprint has resulted in this piece "Opinion(s)ated made for the Contemporary Quilt challenge 'In Print'

But despite the unusual materials it is still four layers (voile, paper, felt and fabric) stitched through - still a quilt

But the talk did include some pieces - particularly those done in the last couple of years exploring the Korean Pojagi technique - which are definitely not quilts. Only a single layer of fabric patchworked together with enclosed seams

And definitely not this dress made from dress pattern tissue and combined with other sheer fabrics and stitched. Inspired by a wedding dress pattern from 1962

But I will always be a quilter at heart and aim to use the traditional skills passed on from previous generations to make new and hopefully exciting work

For me the choice of materials as well as technique are key factors in determining the outcome of the work

If you would like to book a talk for your group - quilters, embroiderers, textile artists, artists - then please email

maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

Cost is £125 for an in-person talk or £100 via zoom