About Elaine

Artist Statement

I am compelled to study light and shadow, movement and curve. Often described as "bold" and "sensual", my art focuses on using value contrasts to intensify visual impact. The subjects depicted are a visual celebration of the drama unfolding in the natural world. I am always aiming to evoke the emotion, awe and wonder I experience when I first encounter my subjects. Foliage, trees, flowers, and nature's cycles serve as metaphors for my inner world and allow communication and connection with the world through universally-understood themes of personal growth, wonder, self-acceptance, loss and healing, joy, and the cycles of life.

Bio

Elaine Quehl is a Canadian quilt artist, teacher, and fabric dyer/designer who is best known for her dramatic and colourful nature-themed art quilts featuring luscious foliage (particularly hosta leaves), flowers and trees. All fabric used in her artwork is hand-dyed by the artist to provide the wide range of values she employs to create depth, drama, and contrast, and to read like nature's dappled light. Each art quilt is also abundantly textured with free-motion stitching. Elaine's work has been juried into, and selected for awards at, numerous international and national exhibits, and has been widely published. Her recent accomplishments include being published in the Spring 2015 issue of The Hosta Journal (a publication of the American Hosta Society), being "Featured Artist" in the June/July 2014 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, being chosen as one of 21 artists featured in the book Art Quilt Portfolio: Natural World by Lark Books in 2012, and receiving a First-Place award in the Art-Naturescapes category at the International Quilt Association's annual juried and judged show in Houston, Texas in 2013. Elaine also released two lines of commercial fabric through Northcott Fabrics in September 2014 and April 2015.

Elaine traveled extensively to deliver lectures and workshops, teaching in every province and territory of Canada,with the exception of Nunavut. She has also taught internationally several times (in the US, France, and Spain). Elaine is widely regarded as an inspirational speaker and a relaxed and nurturing instructor. In 2015 she received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Canadian Quilters' Association/association canadienne de la courtepointe. Elaine was also a part-time faculty member at the Haliburton School of Art and Design for a decade, teaching in the Summer Arts Program.

Elaine is a graduate of Carleton University (B.A.Hon.) where her Major subjects were Anthropology and Religion. Studying part-time, while working in various administrative positions, she continued on with graduate studies, completing coursework in Religion and Popular Culture, but discovered the world of art quilts before finishing her thesis. Elaine left the conventional 9:00-5:00 working world behind in 2008 to be a full-time artist and teacher. She is keenly interested in the way that we as humans make meaning, find our place in the world, and the factors that affect our creativity. She has studied, both in person and on-line, with America's foremost Creativity Coach, Eric Maisel, and completed level 1 of Creativity Coaching training. She has also been taking classes in drawing, painting, and design over the last 15 years when time permits.

Elaine grew up on a farm in Southern Ontario (Waterloo County) where she was surrounded by traditional quilts made by her great grandmothers, grandmothers, and mother. She began her quilting adventure in 1996 as a traditional quilter, but soon found herself seduced by art quilts and became devoted to developing her own artistic abilities in this medium.

Resume

EDUCATION

• Coursework completed toward M.A. in Religion (specialty: Religion & Popular Culture), Carleton University, Ottawa.
• B.A.Hon. (Highest Honours), Carleton University (Anthropology and Religion), Senate Medal for outstanding academic achievement.

AWARDS

• 2015: Teacher of the Year, Canadian Quilters' Association/association canadienne de la courtepointe
• 2014: First Place, Abstract-Pictorial Category, National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters Association.
• 2013: First Place, Art-Naturescapes, International Quilt Association, Houston, Texas.
• 2012: Second Place, Infinity Art Gallery, International On-Line Fiber Art Show, 2012.
• 2012: Honourable Mention, "New Legacies 30 Contemporary Art Quilts", Lincoln Arts Center, Fort Collins, Colorado.
• 2012: Judges Choice Award, National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters Association.
• 2007: "Excellence for Innovative Small Wall Quilt" Award, National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association.
• 2004: Honourable Mention, Ontario Juried Quilt Show, Waterloo, Ontario.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTION AND LECTURES

Workshops and lectures delivered to various conferences, festivals, guilds and shops across North America and Europe (France and Spain). Part-time faculty member at Haliburton School of Art and Design (Fleming College).

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA:

• A Needle Pulling Thread, February 2022.
• Art Quilting Studio, Summer 2021.
• Canadian Quilter, Spring 2019.
• Canadian Quilter, Autumn 2018.
• Canadian Quilter, Autumn 2017.
• "Featured Artist", SAQA Journal, Spring 2016.
• "Hostaholic", The Hosta Journal, a publication of the American Hosta Society, Spring 2015.
• Canadian Quilter, Winter 2015 and Autumn 2015.
• Artist Profile, Quilting Arts Magazine , June/July 2014.
• International Quilt Festival, Quilt Scene Magazine, Special Annual Issue, 2013.
• Vidcast with Bonnie McCaffery, filmed at International Quilt Festival Houston: http://bonniemccaffery.com/vidcasts/084.html
• Quilting Arts Magazine, August/September 2012.
• Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World (featured artist), Lark Books, 2012.
• Using Textile Arts and Handcrafts in Therapy with Women: Weaving Lives Back Together by Dr. Ann Collier, 2011.
• "In the Art Studio" fabric artist, Machine Quilting Unlimited, July 2011.
• Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Journal, Spring 2011
• 500 Art Quilts, Lark Books, 2010
• Handwerken Zonder Grenzen, February/March 2010.
• Quilters Newsletter Magazine, February/March 2010.
• "To Border or Not to Border", Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Journal, Fall 2009
• Studio Art Quilt Associates Portfolio 15, 16, 17, 18.
• Machine Quilting Unlimited, November 2009.
• CBC Radio, In Town and Out, May 10, 2009.
• Ottawa Citizen, May 2, 2009
• A Needle Pulling Thread, Summer 2008.
• Regional Contact, CJOH-TV, Ottawa, Ontario, April 2008.
• "Ottawa at Home" magazine, February 24, 2008.
• Canadian Quilter, Fall 2007.
• Quilters' Newsletter magazine, July/August 2007.
• Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery Summer 2007 brochure.

EXHIBITIONS AND SHOWS

2022

• Taiwan International Quilt Exhibition (Invitational), Tainan City, Taiwan.
• "Conversations Over Coffee, group show with Fibre15, Art Pontiac, Portage-du-Fort, Quebec

2021

• "Journeys", Crossing Oceans Textile Artists, Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, UK..

2019

• "Journeys", Crossing Oceans Textile Artists, Quilt Canada Ottawa, Canadian Quilters' Association.
• "Journeys", Crossing Oceans Textile Artists, Russian Quilt Show, Moscow.

2018

• Fibre Content Show, Art Gallery of Burlington (Ontario).
• Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, England.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• Invited Artist, Festival Internacional Patchwork Espana, Sitges, Spain
• "Journeys", Crossing Oceans Textile Artists, Prague Patchwork Meeting, Prague, Czech Republic.
• "Journeys", Crossing Oceans Textile Artists, 7th Edition Internationale d'Art Textile en Beaujolais, France. 

2017

• " 75" Invitational Exhibition, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, Colorado.

2016

• Arnprior Museum, Arnprior, Ontario
• Vermont Quilt Festival, Essex Junction, Vermont.
• Salon 2016, Montreal Quebec.
• Taiwan International Quilt Exhibition, Tainan City, Taiwan.

2015

• Quilts=Art=Quilts, Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY.
• "Crossing Oceans" international group show on the theme of "Nature" at Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, England.
• "Outside the Lines", Haliburton School of the Arts Faculty Exhibition, Rail's End Gallery, Haliburton, Ontario.
• "Crossing Oceans" international group show on the theme of "Nature" at Quilt en Sud Textile Art and Patchwork Biennial , Biarritz, France.
• Grand National Quilt Show: "Connections", Joseph Schneider House Museum, Kitchener, Ontario.

2014

• "Crossing Oceans" international group show on the theme of "Nature" at Carrefour Europeen du Patchwork, Ste. Marie-aux-Mines, Alsace, France.
• "Look", Haliburton School of the Arts Faculty Exhibition, Rail's End Gallery, Haliburton, Ontario.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, St. Catharines, Ontario.
• Quilt Canada Invitational Show (Workshop Instructors), Canadian Quilters' Association, St. Catharines, Ontario.
• SAQA "Metaphors on Aging" at International Quilt Festival - Chicago, llinois, and Quilt! Knit! Stitch! Portland, Oregon.

2013

• International Quilters Association Fall Judged Show, "Quilts: A World of Beauty", Houston, Texas. First Place, Art-Naturescapes Category
• SAQA "Synthesis 2" Show, a show of works by Canadian SAQA Members, Atrium Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
• Infinity Art Gallery, Annual International On-Line Art Quilt Show.
• "This is Life", Haliburton School of the Arts Faculty Exhibition, Rail's End Gallery, Haliburton, Ontario.
• "Metaphors on Aging", Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Travelling Show. Exhibitions at Birmingham Quilt Festival, UK, and Johannesburg Quilt Festival, South Africa.
• Invited Artist, Quilt en Sud Textile Art and Patchwork Biennial, St. Jean de Luz, France.
• Grand National Quilt Show: "Local Colour", Homer Watson Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario.

• "Quilts=Art=Quilts", Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY.
• Infinity Art Gallery, International On-Line Fiber Art Show. Second Place
• "Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World" Special Exhibit, at International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas.
• "New Legacies 30 Contemporary Art Quilts", Lincoln Arts Center, Fort Collins, Colorado. Honourable Mention
• "Push/Pull", Haliburton School of the Arts Faculty Exhibition, Rail's End Gallery, Haliburton, Ontario.
• Encore", Solo Show at the Waterloo County and Area Quilt Gallery, St. Jacobs, Ontario.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Judges Choice Award.
• “SAQA "Synthesis 2" Show, a show of works by Canadian SAQA Members. Greenwood Quiltery, Guelph; John M. Parrott Gallery, Belleville, ON.

2011

• "Naturessence", joint show with Catharina Breedyk-Law, Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Almonte, Ontario.
• Art Quilts at the Whistler, Whistler House Museum of Art, Lowell, MA.
• "Breathe", Haliburton School of the Arts Faculty Exhibition, Rail's End Gallery, Haliburton, Ontario.
• The ArT QuILT ExPERiENcE, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, Cazenovia, NY.
• "Movement", Professional Art Quilt Alliance South, Durham Arts Council, Durham, NC.
• Infinity Art Gallery, On-Line Fiber Arts Show.
• "Balancing Act", Grand National Quilt Show, Joseph Schneider Haus Museum, Kitchener, Ontario.
• CQA Quilt Ontario 2011 Invitational Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, London, Ontario.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, London, Ontario.

2010

• "Quilts=Art=Quilts", Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY.
• "Art Quilts XV: Needleplay", Chandler Centre for the Arts, Chandler, Arizona.
• "500 Art Quilts", International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas.
• Solo Show, "Shades of Light", Trinity Art Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario.
• "Out of the Box", an exhibition of work by the Out of the Box Fibre Artists, Trinity Art Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario.
• The Embassy of the United States of America, Ottawa, Canada.
• "Off the Wall", Grand National Quilt Show, Homer Watson Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario.
• "O Canada", a special juried exhibition of Canadian quilts, International Quilt Festivals Chicago, Long Beach and Houston.

2009

• "Significant Stitching" - Art Quilts XIV, Chandler Center for the Arts, Chandler, Arizona.
• Solo show, "The Art of the Quilt", Centrepointe Theatre Gallery, Ottawa, Canada.
• SAQA Transformations ’09 – Festival of Quilts Birmingham, England, plus traveling show to the following venues: Guilford Art Center, Guilford, CT; Alaska Fiber Festival, Anchorage, AK; Grants Pass Museum of Art, Grants Pass, OR; Visions Gallery, San Diego, CA.
• Quiltscapes at the Whistler, Whistler House Museum of Art, Lowell, MA.
• Sacred Threads, Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
• Solo Show, "Shades of Light", Greenwood Gallery, Guelph, Ontario.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, Saskatoon, SK.
• "Best of Ontario", at "Quilts in the Gardens", Halton Quilters' Guild, Burlington, Ontario.
• "O Canada", a special juried exhibition of Canadian quilts, International Quilt Festivals Chicago, Long Beach, and Houston.
• Taiwan International Quilt Exhibition (Invitational), Tainan City, Taiwan.

2008

• "Lucky Break": Art Quilts at the Chandler, Chandler, Arizona.
• "Synthesis", a show of works by Canadian SAQA Members. CreativFestival, October 2008 plus travelling show across Canada.
• International Quilters Association Special Exhibit "Celebrate Spring", Houston, Texas.
• Blink Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
• World Quilt Competition (exhibited at Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; World Quilt Show New England, Manchester, New Hampshire; Pacific International Quilt Festival, Santa Clara, California; Greater Chicago Quilt Exposition, Schaumburg, Illinois).
• International Quilters Association Show, (Special Exhibit "Celebrate Spring") Long Beach, California.
• International Quilters Association Spring Judged Show, "Celebrate Spring", Chicago, Illinois
• "The Grand National: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow", Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, St. Johns, Newfoundland.

2007

• Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles, Montreal, Quebec.
• International Quilt Festival, Special Exhibit of Sacred Threads, Houston, Texas.
• Sacred Threads, Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
• "The Grand National: Fantasy", Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario.
• National Juried Show, Canadian Quilters' Association, Kamloops, British Columbia. ("Excellence for Innovative Small Wall Quilt" Award)

2006

• International Quilters Association Fall Judged Show, "Quilts: A World of Beauty", Houston, Texas.
• Ontario Juried Quilt Show, Waterloo, Ontario.
• "Fibre Expressions: Elements" Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Almonte, Ontario.
• Ottawa School of Art Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
• National Juried Quilt Show, Canadian Quilters Association, Ottawa, Ontario.
• "Planting Joy" , Westin Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario Ontario

2005

• Carlen Gallery, Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Out of the Box Fibre Art Group.
• Ontario Juried Quilt Show, Waterloo, Ontario. (Honourable Mention)

2004

• Solo Show, "Homegrown", Waterloo County and Area Quilt Gallery, St. Jacobs, Ontario.
• Ontario Juried Quilt Show, Waterloo, Ontario
• Out of the Box Fibre Art Group Show, Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Almonte, Ontario.
• "Creativi-Tea" at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum., Almonte, Ontario.

JUDGING AND JURYING:

• Co-judging two exhibits at Quilt en Sud Textile Arts and Patchwork Biennial, St. Jean de Luz, France.
• Guest Curator, Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Virtual Gallery, April 2009.
• Juror, Ontario Juried Quilt Show, Waterloo County International Quilt Festival, Waterloo, Ontario, 2007.

AFFILIATIONS

• Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA)
• Canadian Quilters Association (CQA)