Port At Dusk Diptych

My passions are colour, line, shape and texture. I create quilted wallhangings by cutting, piecing, stitching, collaging, and bonding hand-dyed fabrics; quilting adds relief and texture to the work; text is sometimes added. The majority of my work is improvisational. I consider myself a contemporary and/or art quilter; I have been quilting for over 20 years and have never made a traditional quilt.

My inspiration is varied, and I have, and still do, work on different subjects, but my successful map series has been going on for some time. Maps have an irresistible appeal. We use them often, even on these days of SatNavs. Maps tell us where places are; help us find our way; they describe features of the earth; they can also be aids to wielding power. I believe mapmaking is an ancient and fundamental activity of mankind.

In early civilizations maps were conveyed in many different ways: for example, marks on clay tablets in Babylonia, shells on palm-leaf mats in Polynesia, carvings on wooden plates in China. The Greeks and the Romans developed map-making significantly, with Ptolemy illustrating the earth as spherical in the second century BC. Maps have been crucial for discovery, conquest and commerce, as proved by Columbus. They became widely accessible with the printing press. Contemporary aerial photography can capture geographical data for many useful purposes, including understanding and protecting our planet and its resources. ?

My maps are sometimes imaginary, other times they are interpretations of real maps. I exhibit internationally: in this year 2016, in the UK, Germany, Spain, USA, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and China. I lecture and teach workshops, write on art quilting, and work to commission. My work has been featured in many books and magazines and is in public and private collections. My 2014 book/exhibition catalogue, "Mapping the Imagination" is now out of print. More of my work can be seen in my website - www.aliciamerrett.co.uk