A couple of months ago I announced a few sizable changes at
Quilting Arts (you can read more about those changes in this post). Now I’d
like to share the fantastic news that we have a new editor for Quilting Arts!
Meet Vivika Hansen DeNegre, a fiber artist and blogger I have admired for some
time. She has written a number of articles for Quilting Arts and our related
publications as well as been a guest on Quilting Arts TV. Recently I had the opportunity
to interview Vivika.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself… Well, Pokey, like many QA readers, I have
worn many hats over the years. My
educational background includes a BA in English from Providence College, where
I spent my time focusing on creative writing (poetry), and immersing myself in
literature. My past career, however, was
in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sales. I worked on both the East and West
coasts for several different companies in a variety of roles. I have a wonderful and supportive family who
are all excited about my new role with QA.
I met my husband in college, and we have four great kids.
2. What kind of quilting and mixed media do
you like to do? I love everything
there is about quilting (except maybe tying off my threads and burying
them)! My style is a bit varied: I love making linear, modern, and colorful
pieces which are densely quilted and highly graphic. In 2010, two of my modern quilts were
commissioned for the permanent collection at Yale New Haven Medical Center’s
Smilow Hospital. I also have a love of
tattered vintage textiles and papers. I
have a series of small pieces in the works, which incorporates those vintage
elements and features hand stitching, embroidery, photo transfer, and appliqué. Lastly, I am probably most obsessed with a
series of birds, which are made with a raw-edged appliqué technique. I am moving toward incorporating vintage
maps, stamps, and letters in those works and am very pleased with my recent
pieces.
3. What do you want to learn more about? Surface design! I’ve taken loads of classes, have many books
in my personal library, and am looking to expand my abilities by focusing more
in 2012 on patterning my own cloth. I
anticipate lots of paint and dye in my future…
4. Tell us a little bit about what your hopes
are for Quilting Arts in the future.
The past 11 years of your life have been focused on creating a wonderful
magazine for the art quilting community, and I can’t express strongly enough
how influential Quilting Arts Magazine has been in my development as a textile
artist. My vision for QA is to continue
to promote the gorgeous artistry of quilt artists throughout the world. I see a publication brimming with color,
texture, and stitch that focuses on innovative techniques, masterful machine
and hand stitching, interesting surface design, and the creative spirit that is
alive in all art quilters. I am blessed
to be working with a fabulous team in the Sudbury office, including the awesome Ellen Seeburger
whose creativity and experience have been a huge help so far. I am looking forward to a wonderful career
with QA, and can’t wait to jump right in!
Well, Vivika, we are excited to have you on board!
Vivika is working on her first issue, the April/May issue of Quilting Arts, but you'll meet her much sooner when she launches her Quilting Arts blog in January. I hope everyone will join me in welcoming her!