Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Artist Profile: Donna Royer

by Cyndi on August 2nd, 2007

A Home for Everyone
(My first attempt at wonky houses and letters. It was donated and auctioned off by House of Hesed a local AIDS/HIV shelter here in Winnipeg)

Artist: Donna Royer (aka Quilt Pixie)
Location: Winnipeg, Canada

Blog:
Quilt Pixie blog

In Process
(A picture of a maverick piece that I was working on. I loved how bright lime green could act as a calming influence in a work.)

How do you describe your fiber work, Donna?
My work is being a single mom, being a church administrator, and an only child of a widowed mother. My passion, that which renews me, is fiber arts, mainly from a quilting perspective. I’ve explored, and continue to explore lots of different fiber arts, but I seem to continually return to quilting and the incorporation of these other fiber arts into that medium.

What is your creative process like?
I usually start with little idea where exactly I’m going… I pick one or two fabrics that I want to work with (or some technique like stamping that I want to try), and just get started. Fabrics, embellishments, threads, technique instructions and digital camera get added to my studio worktable as I progress. Only when a project is done does the table get cleared off again. I tend to work in spurts of activity – I try to spend at least 15 minutes each day doing something related to fiber arts, often finding a couple of hours have elapsed when things are going well. I’m not a terribly patient person, so a project generally spans at most a week or two. Those that take longer are generally broken into chunks of work, each of no more than 2 weeks. I’m finding recently that I often sit down and make a Fiber Art Postcard (FAP) in one sitting, often when another project is in process but I need a mental change of pace.

Black & White and a Little Colour Too
(A piece I started as part of an ostrich round robin - a round robin where the article doesn’t leave home.)

What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
The high school I attended had a wonderful fiber arts program. We learned the basics of weaving, embroidery, batik and dying, and quilting. My mother and grandmother introduced me to tatting, crochet, knitting, sewing, spinning, and felting through the years. There was lots of fiber, lots of fiber magazines, and lots of tools to try out without a major investment or commitment. All these opportunities were important. The biggest advancement in my level of artistry has come, however, at the altar of self knowledge. Through ennegram work, journaling, spiritual direction, and taking time to be self reflective I have found my own voice. I continue to struggle, like so many, with an inner critic, and some perfectionists in my life – but understanding what I like, what I’m willing to settle for, and what I’m willing to try, has helped me become more free as an artist.

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
Nothing comes to mind – I’m always willing to try new things, so if I didn’t have thread I’d use wool, glue, staples or something else to hold things together. If I didn’t have fabric I’d use paper, plastic or other material… I’ve spent much of my adult life pursuing a discipline of simplicity, so “making do” is not a negative for me, but rather an opportunity to try something new and different…

Sample Trial
(A small piece I made during a Quilt University course that started from a piece of fabric I disliked.)

What inspires you to create?
I’m inspired by wild bright colours; by texturally pleasing fabrics; by the art work of other art quilters and mixed media artists. I’m someone who, while needing to finish a project, enjoys the process – and engaging in that process inspires me to create other works. When I run into a dry period its often simply that for a variety of reasons I haven’t been in my studio for a while, and I just need to push myself to get there and do something, anything. It doesn’t need to be terribly creative (it could be as simple as making a traditional quilt block) but I need to get back to doing, then creative ideas begin to flow…

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
When things aren’t going well I try to remember that in the grand scheme of things my art doesn’t really matter – 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 years, 25 years from now it won’t matter that this project didn’t turn out the way I wanted/expected, whether it actually got made – my project won’t end world hunger, it won’t lead to someone’s death, its simply a piece of extravagance. I am one voice amongst a very large multitude of humanity throughout time, and humanity is one small piece of creation. Neither my work, or I, are all that important when put into that perspective…

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Stop listening to the experts, and just “play”. Have fun and do what you enjoy. Your skill will develop as you spend time practicing, and you’ll spend time practicing if it’s play and fun.

Sinkholes & Supernovas
(One of the first pieces I tried using B&W in as a grounding element.)

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
As a single mom the majority of my time is spent working at a full time job, keeping a house, and raising my teenage son. Like others in mid-life, the proportion of time spent on these “necessities” is changing, and I’m finding myself with more time to pursue things I enjoy. Those pursuits include spending time reading novels, eating at restaurants, and hanging out with friends.

What’s your favorite comfort food?
Any food dish loaded in carbs and flavour could become a favorite when I’m looking for comfort!

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POSTED IN: Art Quilts, Artist Profiles, Business tips, Creativity, Fabric & Fiber, Mixed Media