Detail from Orange Construction Fence Series #18/37 by Jeanne Williamson.
Jeanne Williamson
Jeanne Williamson is a visual artist. She combines printmaking,
painting, collage, and sewing in her art work. She is very interested in working
with monoprints of orange construction fences, and how they relate to nature,
architecture and to other construction fence patterns.
Jeanne Williamson Web site»
“I want them to understand that a quilt doesn’t have to be a lot of patches.”
“Orange Construction Fence #18/37 is part of a series of construction fence quilts I’ve been making that use the fence as a monoprint. These fences are found all over the country around construction sites. I basically put the fence material underneath the fabric before it’s quilted, and I use fabric paint and a roller, which is called a brayer and I pick up the texture of the fence. I really like them because they come in many shapes and sizes, and they are used as a barrier—as a fence but when they get really hot or really cold they get very much like fabric and they start to sag. They rip. They fall over. They blow. I really like fabric, and I really like how I can take the textures of the grids of those and use them in the quilt to take that fabric feel into my work. I think the more work I do the more I grow as an artist. I just like using the same kind of a basis of what to work with so I like the grids. I like the fences. Before I’ve finished one quilt, I already have an idea for one or two more. So I’m just going with it and I’ve just finished #41, but I also have painted the main part of the quilts for three more. As long as I still have ideas for it all, I’ll just keep going.
I really love fabric, and actually I went to art school and majored in textile design so it’s just part of a love I’ve had. I’ve been sewing since I was 12 years old. I think that people just don’t understand fiber and a lot of times they don’t know how to exhibit it. They don’t know how to keep it clean, but I still do it in fiber. I know that if I was printing on paper, it would probably be a very different career. I don’t know how many other people feel that way. I feel very strongly about it. But I refuse to change it.”
Jeanne Williamson builds texture through handstamping, handprinting and machine stiching. Behind is a larger view of Orange Construction Fence Series #18/37.