Lynn Harris

"These quilts are the results of an exercise in trying to see how small I can go with traditional quilting techniques."

Bio

Lynn Harris is a maker from a family of makers and has been sewing and quilting since the age of nine. Reared in southwestern Virginia, her mother taught her to sew and Lynn made many of her own clothes in middle and high school.

Lynn's maternal grandmother always told her that anything she made was the "most beautiful thing" she had ever seen, an encouragement she extended to all her grandchildren.

Lynn now lives in Michigan with her husband. She takes inspiration from her creative and skilled children, grandchildren, and husband, as well as the world around her.

In addition to quilting, Lynn enjoys many other kinds of needlework and loves to knit, spin, embroider, and browse her collection of vintage needlework books.

Statement

I create textile art with the traditional techniques past generations of my family used to make practical, everyday items such as clothes and quilts. I connect the past to the present and honor the beauty and artistry of the handmade.

While all of my pieces are original designs, I turn to the geometric patterns of antique quilts for inspiration. My art often evolves dramatically from the start to finish of a piece, and I find as much pleasure in the process as in the completed pieces.

My most recent work is a series of small scale abstract designs inspired by the doll-house items my sisters and I made when I was younger. I enjoy playing with color and especially watching the original layouts shrink as they are sewn together.

I love all things tiny and feel I am reaching the limits of how small one can go in making a quilt using traditional methods.

LynnCarsonHarris.com

@LynnCarsonHarris