Friday, 1 June 2012

Artist Profile: Frances Holliday Alford

Frances Holliday Alford
Grafton, Vermont
 
1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have?  I had a lot of ideas.  I thought about family rituals, things we did as children.  I also though of religious rites and rituals.  It is such a rich subject.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects?  I have donated a lot of work to community projects.  Our local school, Grafton Elementary, our hospital, Grace Cottage in Townshend, Vermont,  Jenn Mason's Meals on Wheels, and The Grafton Womans Club which uses the money for scholarships for local students.
3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  Name/where?  What is the best part of being part of an art group?  I have been a long standing member of the Austin Art Quilt Guild.  I no longer live in Austin, but still participate and even fly down for occasional meetings.  Kathy York, Sherri McCauley, Connie Hudson, Leslie Tucker Jenison and Susan Lewis Storey are active members now. In the past our group included Judy Coates Perez, Vickie Hallmark, Julie Upshaw and Yoshiko Kawasaki.  Now that I am in Vermont, I meet on Monday mornings with Lynne Crosswell and Mara Novak.

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what?  I am a member of SAQA.  I am also a board member for the Quilt Alliance.

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  Name 5.  Name 5 of your least favorite colors?  The five best:  Hot Pink, Turquoise, Yellow, Red, and Purple,   The five least:  Brown, gray, mauve, olive, rust.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  Are you messy or tidy?  I have a converted barn, two stories.  Lots of room for lots of projects.  I am tidy but I have an assistant who keeps it that way.

7.  What is your creative process?  Think, draw, design, make or right to the design? I go right to the design.  It can get a little nerve wracking because I don't always know where I am going.  But I love doing the work as it comes to me.
8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?  I find a lot of floral images in my work. 

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?
I love the pointillist work of Paul Signac.  The very precise positioning of small dots of color gives me chills on the back of my neck.  I do much more spontaneous work but love the precision of his.

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles?  I have written articles for Quilting Arts Magazine.

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life?  I wish I really had full time to do my art.  I am doing about twenty hours a week and wish I had more.  I do not have another career but am a recovering school teacher.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?   I have had quilts on the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine twice.  I have been invited to put on a quilt show in Seoul, Korea this fall.
http://franceshollidayalford.typepad.com/frances_daily_collage/

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