May 3, 2015
Cynthia England’s quilts have been honored with many awards, including two Best of Shows at the prestigious International Quilt Association. Her quilt, Piece and Quiet, was distinguished as one of the Hundred Best Quilts of the 20th Century.
We are pleased to welcome Cynthia in 2015 as one of our most anticipated Fiber Art Workshop instructors. Her 3 day Workshop, Picture Piecing: Creating Realistic Pieced Pictures will be held December 3 – 6, 2015.
How long have you been teaching and what got you started teaching?
I have been teaching quilting for 21 years specializing in a technique I developed, “Picture Piecing”. I made a quilt “Piece and Quiet” that won Best of Show at the International Quilt Association. Everyone wanted to know how I made it. One teaching job led to another, to another. I have been very lucky to teach in wonderful places.
What is your favorite part about teaching?
When the “light goes on” and you can see that the student gets it! I love sharing that any drawing can be created into a fiber work of art.
What would you tell your prospective students are the best reasons for taking a workshop?
Take something you don’t know how to do.
Take something that you can build on. In other words, you can use in other aspects of quilting, not that one project.
In the classes I have taken there are things that you take away that you hadn’t planned on. One or two little tips that save a lot of time.
In design classes especially, you learn from what the other students bring in and the ways to handle those issues.
What are you currently working on in your own art?
Right now I am trying out patterns for Fall Market. Currently, I am working on a small mountain landscape of a road going off in a distance, a Valentine quilt and a southwest Kokopelli figure.
Where is your art currently being exhibited?
Two quilts “One Fine Day” and “Open Season” just returned from being away for two years on travel exhibit with the Texas Quilt Museum.
In June two quilts (“Piece and Quiet” and “Come Into the Light”) will be exhibited at the Brigham City Museums 2015 International Quilt Invitational Exhibit.
What is your favorite art quote?
Use your brain.
Describe your studio.
Wonderful! Looks out onto a pond and beyond that there is a creek which attracts wildlife. Great storage for fabric. I have everything a quilter would want. Only problem is I travel often and don’t get to sew nearly as much as I would like.
Name five of your “can’t do without” tools/products.
Purple Pair of Karen K. Buckley’s scissors
45 degree triangle
A wafer thin lightbox
A travel iron without holes that gets hot and does not shut off
A copy machine that enlarges and reduces
Read more of our recent Instructor interviews:
Sue Benner discusses creating superb quilts, and teaching.
An Interview with Elizabeth Barton, Art Quilt Designer and Instructor
An Interview with Tony van Hasselt, Watercolor Artist
An interview with Lorenzo Chavez: Prominent Landscape Painter in Pastels and Oils
An Interview with Leah Lopez, Award-Winning Artist and Instructor
An Interview with Frank Francese, Watercolor Artist
An Interview with David Daniels: Artist in Watercolor + more
An interview with Judy Coates Perez, mixed media textile artist.
Interview with Liz Kenyon, Pastel Painting Instructor
Patti Mollica discusses creating her art, and teaching
An Interview with Kim English, Oil Painter
An Interview with Barbara Nechis, Watercolor Artist
An interview with Hollis Chatelain: Fiber Artist
An Interview with Natalya Aikens: Computer + Stitch = Art Quilt
Ruth Powers: Designing and Sewing for Picture Piecing