Barbara Tennyson

Artist's Statement

Quilting captured my imagination almost thirty-five years ago, and has kept me intrigued ever since. I have taken many quilting classes and taught some myself. More recently I have taken classes in design at the Greenville Museum of Art School. Now as a member of Focus, a group of fabric artists in the Upstate of South Carolina, I am working on combining my love of fabric with my interest in art.

I make these aquatic fabric sculptures because of the enjoyment they give me.

I enjoy them because of the memories they evoke. I can hear my children laughing and splashing. I see enchanting and intriguing museum displays of creatures and their lives. I remember the cool relief of wading in a shady stream on a blistering day. I feel the pleasure of recognizing life so different from my own.

I also enjoy them for the technical problems their making presents. I have always been drawn to working with fabric. When I am manipulating cloth and thread I feel a connection to the long line of my foremothers. I like to work out how to convey the impressions I want to make using the fabric I love to work with.

I would love to receive your comments or questions at BeeAreTee@aol.com