Laverne ross biography of michael j

Seven years ago I combined both of these interests and began exploring quilt making.

Laverne ross biography of michael j: Born in Flint at

I realized early on that if I wanted to get the range of colors I wanted, I needed to dye my own cloth. I learned to dye from Carol Soderlund and in the process discovered the work of Nancy Crow. That experience allowed me to establish a solid foundation for my art practice and to develop my own work. I approach each new composition as an exploration in using color, value and shape to create different effects in visual perception.

My art is non-objective and I aim to allow the viewer to experience each piece with as little influence as possible, freeing them to see and perceive the work from their own perspective. Over the past 7 years, my process and art have evolved to a point where I feel both are similar to how an abstract painter would approach a new composition while also recognizing the differences of creating in each medium.

The emphasis of my art is on the colors and shapes that are cut and then stitched together to create new and interesting shapes. Since my art is meant to be hung on a wall, I stitch through all of the layers, but that is primarily for stabilizing the piece rather than adding stitching on the surface as another layer of design. I feel that the term, Stitched Composition, more accurately reflects my process and the resulting art.

Artist Statement I approach each new composition as an exploration in using color, value and shape to create different effects in visual perception. What is a Stitched Composition?