Who is Colleen Wise?

My name is Colleen Wise and my background is in civil engineering and horticulture. I came to art and quilting through the back door, and these influences continue to shape my work.

Quilting is two-dimensional medium, but I like to play with the illusion of three. My quilts have a sense of depth that goes beyond the surface. Elements seem to float above the surface or recede into the depths of the quilt. Leaves float, balls bounce, satellites orbit planets. My goal is to encourage the viewer to look into the quilt, rather than just at it.

More than that, my quilts have a depth of meaning. I’m inspired by walking through old cemeteries and studying the architecture of the headstones and the play of light on the granite. I tend to pull leaves off trees. I’m fascinated by the stars and planets, and I never miss an opportunity to look through a telescope. I love geometry but not necessarily symmetry. These themes and more end up in my work.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, where our winter days are short and dark. I create illusion by casting shadows, and by doing so, I create light.

Recently I’ve fallen in love with marbling on fabric. Marbling is the dance of paint on the surface of water. I’m mesmerized by this sheet of color suspended between liquid and air. Each print is a unique record of intention, order, chaos and serendipity. Like the gardener who preserves summer bounty in mason jars, I spend the summers capturing moments on fabric, and the winters preserving those moments in quilts.