Mary Felder Art - Art Quilts, Mixed Media Collages, Photographs

"Silver Sea" I donated "Silver Sea" to the SAQA Benefit Auction for 2015.  It was inspired by my love of the seas and the oceans.  We were unable to travel when I was a child, so I never saw the ocean till I was 16.  I was mercerized!  Much of my work centers around this theme.  The silver embellishments represent the treasures the seas protect.  I am surrounded by my art pieces and my shells which remind me of the awesome beauty found in nature.

American Lotus Circle of Life "American Lotus" was created for the Quilt the Swamp exhibit at Bluebonnet Swamp Center in Baton Rouge, LA during January 2015.  Michael Young was the curator.  The theme this year was metamorphosis.  I grew these flowers and photographed them.  The piece shows the American Lotus from bud to empty seed pod.  The background is my hand dyed fabric.  The photos are printed on cotton and silk organza.  It is mounted on stretcher bars.  This piece was also juried into the Brush with Burden exhibit at the Burden Garden Center, a part of LSU Rural Life grounds in March of 2015.

Butterfly Dance In 2014, my quilt "Butterfly Dance" was published in Larks' 500 Traditional Quilts .  Then  it was chosen as one of 150 quilts to be exhibited at the International Quilt Festival in Houston.  "Butterfly Dance" was then chosen to be a part of a smaller exhibit at the Texas Quilt Museum in LaGrange, Texas in March of 2015 . Below is a close up of a section of the quilt.

FOUND One of the challenges for my Fiber Exploration Group was to use found objects.  I used scrap fabric, metal shavings from my husband's shop floor and left over beads to create "Found". "Found" is 8" by 10" and is a black metal frame that measures 11" by 14".  

Last year I invited the chairman of the Louisiana Northshore Quilt Trail to visit my Livingston Parish Quilt Guild. We were asked by the Denham Springs Main Street Association to create two blocks for the city.  My guild designed one based on an original ceiling tile from the Historical Old City Hall.  We used the traditional courthouse step pattern on the outside.  It was painted by local artist Paulette Ferguson and Denham Springs High School art instructor Virginia Berthelot.  It was dedicated on July 16, 2013 with a reception by the Denham  Springs Main Street Association.  Here is a photo of the Historical Old City Hall block. We invited the students of Denham Springs High School art instructor Virginia Berthelot to design a block for Train Station Park.  The Denham Springs Main Street Association chose a design by Bryce Richard.  He painted the block and it was dedicated on July 16, 2013.  Pictured are Louisiana Northshore Qui...

My Contemporary Fiber Artists Of Louisiana (CFAL) group recently sponsored a wet felted vessels class with Sharon Costello.  I created "Circle Dance" with a flat wool piece that I made in class.   I embellished it with beads, thread and a center flower.  The flower was created with thread and water soluble Solvy.  It is mounted on a quilted and painted piece of commercial fabric.  I plan to finish it with a plain black frame.  As you can see, It looks good in a vertical or horizonal position.  The class was lots of fun and Sharon Costello was a talented teacher.  I will post vessels soon. Circle Dance

"Hibiscus Abstracted" A friend brought a photo of a beautiful Yellow Hibiscus to one of our fiber group meetings.  We each interpreted it any way we wished.  I took lines and curves and colors and created the piece below. "Hibiscus Abstracted" is machine and hand embroidered.  Beads, hand dyed ribbon and Swavorski crystals were added.  It is ready to hang.  Below is this piece matted.