Artist Information
Bio:
Sue Andrus is a multi talented quilt artist, who has exhibited and sold her art quilts, in numerous art shows across New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She has also participated in the “Journal Quilt Project”, displayed as a Special Exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX, and Chicago, IL for many years. One of her quilts has been published in the book "Creative Quilting- the Journal Quilt Project" based on that exhibition. Flowers, gardens and nature are the inspiration for her art, and her quilts and displays have won several awards. Sue grew up in rural western New York, and moved to Towanda, Pennsylvania after college with a degree in horticulture, where she has worked in, or owned greenhouses and flower shops until recently. After having trouble finding just the right colors of fabric, she began painting and sunprinting her own, and now, her work has become even more original. She creates pieces ranging from tiny quilted and beaded pins, to postcards to mail, small quilts for framing, and larger wall hangings. She also photographs her quilts to print her own reproductions, and note cards featuring her quilts. Sue now also sells her work from her web site (www.andrusgardensquilts.com), and enjoys sharing her techniques with others, on her Blog (www.andrusgardensquilts.vox.com), in workshops and group presentations.
Artist Statement:
With a degree in horticulture, I moved from western NY to Towanda, PA for my first job at a greenhouse, which my husband and I ended up buying, many years and 3 sons later. During those years, I also re-learned to quilt, and my business began. I started making and selling bed quilts in 1992, and soon found that I preferred making smaller items, including small pillows, stuffed animals, and small wall decorations. I then moved on to uniquely shaped placemats & table runners along with traditionally pieced wall hangings, and quilted picture frames.
I began painting my own fabrics, so that I could use colors that I could not find in fabric stores, then started painting background impressions of gardens for my Window and Trellis series of quilts, immersing myself in the calming colors of land and sky. While learning more about fabric painting, I stumbled across the process of sunprinting on fabric, and got hooked. With many plants available to experiment with, playing with fabric, paint, leaves and flowers became very fascinating and therapeutic. Most of my newer work includes my sunprints and other hand painted fabrics. I now design art quilts in all sizes, mini art quilt pins and pendants, combine my quilting with beading for wearable art. Small quilts inspired by botanical prints in 5x7", 8x10", and 11x14" sizes for framing, to larger quilts for wall decorating. The beauty of flowers and gardens are my inspiration for my quilts and other items. I now do much of my gardening in fabric. Newest items include quilted postcards for a unique gift of art that can be mailed. I also photograph many of my quilts for note cards and reproductions, that I print myself, onto quality papers with archival inks that make special gifts. 2007 brought changes that allow me to pursue my quilting full time. I look forward to more experimenting, teaching and showing others about what has become my full time passion.
