Although, Jan began her artistic pursuits at a young age with drawing, sewing and fabric art she has recently been focused on collage quilting. Jan shares her passion for collage quilting through classes in the Haymarket Museum and other locations in the area. “I see this medium as a way to share my love of fabric art with people who quickly discover that they have a hidden talent for collage quilting that they never knew they had! Several people have taken 2 or more of my workshops because it is so much fun and you take home a finished piece of art.”
Jan began life in Monterey, California and as a military child had many stops on her way to high school in southern Maryland. She found a creative outlet from a young age by drawing and even started sewing at only 10 years old. She loved making her own dresses for church and special occasions. Jan continued with drawing and painting all through high school. Jan experimented in all sorts of mediums from pencil and charcoal drawings to oil painting to mixed medium projects. She loved it all, but especially drawing and watercolor. As is common, college, career and raising a family took center stage until later in life. Although, she did make her daughter’s holiday dresses and dance costumes for her Scottish Highland dance competition.
Upon retirement Jan reignited her passion for textile art and quilt making. As she explored other types of fabric art she discovered collage quilting. She started to make a few small fabric collages, some based on her own sketches, and really fell in love with the technique and the results. “I have always had a passion for fabric and art and collage quilts are a wonderful way to express myself with a variety of fabrics, embellishments, bold colors, and embroidery to interpret images from nature that inspire me.”, Jan explains.
This year, Jan’s goal is to get her business, Cutting Edge Collages & Quilts, off the ground and establish a regular schedule of offering collage quilting workshops in and around the Haymarket area.
