Quilt as Art by Leslie Gabriëlse

We were really excited to see this piece by artist Leslie Gabriëlse at the 2014 AQS show.  Featured in the SAQA Masters II exhibit, Woman with Two Gents gives the appearance of an impressionist painting when viewed from a distance.  This lovely scene is constructed with large and small pieces of textiles, which are stitched together by hand and augmented by acrylic paint. Like the great painters, Leslie imbues the scene with light. 

Woman with Two Gents, 60 x 78", by Leslie Gabriëlse (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

In the description of Woman with Two Gents, Leslie Gabriëlse says:  "The interaction between the woman and the men is obvious. The sun becomes her halo. She has a string of flowers around her. The setting: plants, beach, and sailboat make it all complete." Perhaps as a result of the fabric textures, this piece reminded us of an impressionist painting, not unlike that of Renoir.

close up, Woman with Two Gents by Leslie Gabriëlse

The close-up photos show the details of the three figures.  A wide variety of textiles were used, ranging from plaids to prints, solid color fabrics and what appears to be batiks. You can see various embroidery stitches that connect and embellish the elements.  

One side of the woman's face is rendered in cool tones, as if in shadow, while the other side is done in warm hues reflecting the sun above.  The woman's beauty seems completely natural. 

Her dress is made with cheerful print fabrics, which lend a natural simplicity to her figure.  Woman with Two Gents was featured in Lark Books' Masters Art Quilts Vol. 2.  As of this writing, this work of art is available for purchase at the SAQA store. For more inspiring works of art, see the gallery at Leslie.Gabriëlse.com.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2014 AQS Quilt Week in Phoenix, Arizona.