Mary Jo Vogelsang

The San Francisco Bay Area has been my home for most of my life.  I attended the College of Notre Dame in the Bay Area, receiving a BA, MAT and Secondary Teaching Credential from there.  I taught Spanish for eight years before my children were born.  I was fortunate to design and create costumes for the Theatre Arts Department at the College for 12 years while my children were growing up.  However, my appreciation and understanding of fabrics and sewing started at the age of 8 while attending sewing classes in Berkeley .

My interest in quilting started in 1970 when I saw my first Hawaiian quilt in the Bishop Museum in Honolulu , Hawaii . I was struck by the pure artistry and beauty of the design yet the simplicity of a two-color scheme.  I was hooked!

I started with Hawaiian quilts, progressed through traditional quilts and grew into art quilts about 12 years ago through a series of fabric and color study classes.  Learning to make ArtCloth through classes and workshops with Jane Dunnewold was a natural extension of the art quilting. 

The excitement of starting with a piece of white cloth and following the process of printing, dyeing, designing, cutting, sewing and quilting is truly a motivational experience for me.  I want to keep going forward and growing.

My family has been fortunate to have lived in England for 2 years and in Colorado for 5 years; during both stays I was able to work with and be inspired by a variety of quilt artists.  We have returned to the Bay Area and I to my supportive group of fellow artists.

I have been working with needle and thread for over fifty years.  Quilting and fiber arts have been my focus over the past thirty years.

The most exciting part of the process for me is working with color and textures; this has led me to dyeing and printing the fabrics with which I work.  Studying with teachers such as Nancy Crow, Ann Johnston and Jane Dunnewold has inspired my pursuit of dyeing, printing and creating non-traditional pieces of fiber art.

My work has been seen in show in California , Colorado , Wyoming and Virginia .  I also have pieces in private collections in the US and abroad.