Cindy Grisdela

"I create my abstract art quilts improvisationally, without a preconceived pattern, a little bit like jazz music. "

Fiber artist Cindy Grisdela is fascinated with color, abstract line, and texture. From her lakefront studio, she draws inspiration for her contemporary wall quilts from nature outside her window. Pebbles on the path or currents in water might become part of the texture she stitches into each piece. Color combinations in bird feathers might slip into the palette she uses to begin her next design.

The color is the first step. Putting colors together intuitively, Grisdela uses fabric the way a painter might use paint. The texture is the second step. The stitching lines provide contrast and dimension to the piece, integrating the elements into a cohesive whole. Grisdela stitches the texture freehand on the sewing machine, using the needle and thread like a pencil or a brush.

Cindy Grisdela has a BA in fine art from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She is self-taught as a fiber artist, with lots of experimentation along the journey from making traditional utilitarian pieces to creating contemporary fiber art for the wall. She shows and sells her work at fine art and fine craft shows all over the country, and has been published in numerous publications.