Maggie Butterfield Dickinson Artist’s Statement
I have been a professional actor, fibre artist and photographer for over 45 years. I am driven to create and enjoy the process of solving design issues.
The world’s flora and fauna has always held a great fascination for me and is reflected in my art. Inspired from my photographs, my favourite subjects for smaller pieces are hand-pieced landscapes that are embellished with hand embroidery.
My large animals are also from my photographs which are then enlarged to life size, broken into pattern pieces, hand appliqued and then thread painted.
The thread paintings are created by machine stitching over one of my photographs with as many as 50 different colours of thread, which give a rich dimension to the work.
Bed quilts are usually an array of many, many diverse colours and fabrics that ultimately work together. They can be all machine-sewn or a combination of machine and hand sewing or freezer paper piecing.
I enjoy learning new techniques and working in series.
Group Exhibitions
2024
- International Festival Judges Juried Show, Houston TX
- Canadian Quilters’ Association Juried Show, Edmonton AB
- Canadian Quilters’ Association Rosette Invitational, Edmonton AB
- Hamilton Quilters Guild “Quilts in Bloom” Best in Show, Hamilton, ON
2022
- Canadian Quilters’ Association Juried Show, Vancouver BC
- Hamilton Quilters Guild “Quilts in Bloom” Best in Show, Hamilton ON
- Festival of Quilts, Manchester, UK
2018
- Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse NY
- Quilts=Art=Quilts, Juried show at Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY
2017
- Canadian Quilters’ Association Juried Show, Toronto ON
- Grand National Juried Quilt Show, Kitchener, ON
- Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
2016
Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse NY
2015
Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse NY
2014
Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
2013
- Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
- Scarborough Arts Council, Toronto, ON
2012
- Hard Twist 7, Gladstone Hotel Juried Show, Toronto, ON
- 337 Sketch Gallery, Hamilton, ON
- Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
2011
- Hard Twist 6, Gladstone Hotel Juried Show, Toronto, ON
- Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
2010
- OCC Gallery, Toronto, ON
- Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, ON
- Niagara Pumphouse Gallery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
- G8, Huntsville, ON
- Harbourfront, Toronto, ON
- Queen’s Park Public Gallery, Toronto , ON
- ROM, Toronto, ON
- Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
2009
Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY
Education
Various quilting teachers 1994 – present
Quilting by the Lake, Morrisville, NY, 2008
Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY, 2009 to 2018
York University, Toronto, ON, BFA
Teaching and Speaking Engagements :
Speaker Belleville Quilters Guild, May 2018
Speaker Rouge Valley Quilters Guild, March 2017
Instructor Mississauga Quilters Guild, May 2016
Speaker York Heritage Quilters Guild, September 2015
Speaker Oakville Quilters Guild, May 2015
Instructor Etobicoke Quilters Guild, May 2015
Speaker Whitby Quilters Guild, Whitby, ON; March 2015
Speaker Etobicoke Quilters Guild, Etobicoke, ON; October 2014
Instructor Mississauga Quilters Guild, Mississauga ON; May 2014
Speaker at Rouge Valley Quilters Guild, Pickering ON; March 2014
Speaker at Mississauga Quilters Guild, Mississauga, ON; March 2014
Speaker at Hamilton Quilters Guild; Hamilton, ON; October 2013
Instructor Hamilton Quilters Guild; Hamilton, ON; October 2013
Speaker at East Toronto Quilters; Toronto, ON; June 2013
Instructor at Quilters Block; Toronto, ON; 2009, 2010
Collections
‘Spot the Fox” (1998) private collection
‘Spittle Pond’ (2014), commissioned work Masterworks Gallery, Bermuda
‘Break Free #1’ (2012) private collection
‘Spring Meadow’ (2010), private collection
‘South African Vineyard’ (2010), private collection
‘Beach Winter’ (2010), private collection
‘Winter Sunrise on Queen Street East (2009), private collection
‘Pond One’ (2004), private collection
Media
“Inspiration Kantha” by Anna Hergert, Schiffer Press PA, pages 88-89
