This is Quilting?
Anyone can define a quilt: scraps of cloth sewn together in a pattern to make a bedcover or hanging. Art quilting is indefinable at least in the multitude of format and design that Amy Nichols and Alison Olds of Deer Hill Designs apply to it. The quilting duo, friends and neighbors, share a passion for fabric and stitches that transforms simple fabrics into scenes, designs and artistic expression.
Deer Hill Designs was the focus of the art display for January, at the Valley Arts Showcase in the offices of SVWeekly at 66a Main Street in Newport and are the featured artists of the month on this site for February.

The duo transforms fabric into art quilts, pillows, bags, structures and wall hangings using carefully selected fabrics as well as handpainted fabrics, often trimmed out in yarns, beads and other embellishment materials making many, if not most, of their work three-dimensional. Despite the originality and perfection of the work, both women claim to be “amateurs” and “hobby-artists.”
      

They are inspired by the color and texture of particular fabrics to apply design techniques to enhance the material for whatever the resulting art piece is to be. They learned early on they shared an interest in quilting and as the sharing continued, they found it became a collaboration passing pieces back and forth. The result opened new avenues of color and design for both of them as they built on their particular strengths and interests and applied it to individual art pieces. They both believe art is made as an expression of the individual, to add enjoyment to your life as well as to others.

Alison Olds has worked with many art forms including needlework, painting and stained glass. She and her husband, Tom, operate Northport Bath. Amy Nichols taught elementary school for many years and also worked with various types of handwork such as knitting, needlework and sewing.While Alison prefers a realistic style for her art, Amy works in the abstract. The contrast has worked to their mutual benefit as they develop art quilts as a duo, and as individuals.
      

Among their works of art are card size works in frames and hangings to larger wall hangings and three-dimensional works. Deer Hill Designs can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Amy at  722-3033 or Alison at 722-3830. Both self-taught and participants in area workshops, the duo displays their work at the Maine Quilt Show in Augusta and with Art Quilts Maine at the Chocolate Church in Bath and the Saco Museum, and with the Newport-based Valley Arts Alliance, currently at the VAA Showcase at the offices of Sebasticook Valley Weekly.

The VAA Showcase is open during the open hours of the weekly newspaper. The month of February will feature the art work from Nokomis Regional High from instructor Kirk Dahlgren and his computer graphics students and art teacher Jim Hammond’s students.

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