Upstate Artist Collective

Artist Statement

Years of crafting in a wide variety of styles and types can clearly be seen in my work. I am drawn to bold colors and shiny materials, with an exploration of texture always a visible element. The material dictates the form, and my aim is to look at ordinary things in a different way.

 

An avid hiker and gardener, my love of nature is a consistent theme as well. I use a variety of techniques including quilting, macrame, beading, and fabric painting. A reflection of my life, I am artistically “all over the place.”

 

Judy Dench said something that summarizes my approach to art and life: “Prioritize the uniqueness that makes you, you, and the invisible magnet that draws in other like-minded souls to dance in your orbit.” So, enjoy the dance in its many eclectic forms.

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About Tammy

Tammy built a career as an administrative “jack of all trades,” usually titled Office Manager / Bookkeeper. She specialized in small to medium businesses and non-profits and was typically the go-to for innumerable problems.

 

Despite the day job, she moonlighted as a fine seamstress (construction of bridesmaid dresses to school uniforms, wedding gown alterations to hemming hundreds of pairs of pants) and spent hours crafting with her two homeschooled daughters (painting, scrapbooking and stamping, embroidery and beading, macrame, wreath design and construction, floral design and more).

 

Recently retired, she has undertaken several year-long studies. During the Covid years she explored quilting, discovering a preference for bright colors and modern design. In 2023 she dove into pottery hand-building and eventually the pottery wheel. For 2024 she explored fine woodworking and mastery of the many power and hand tools used by artisans.

 

Now focused on textiles, she continues to create fiber art and quilts for friends and family.