Meet Lynne Goulette, Ashland Pod Leader

Lynne Goulette of Grants Pass, Oregon

Ashland Pod Leader

Member of SAQA off and on since 2003

1.  How would you describe the work that you make? Do you have an elevator speech? Have you found your "artistic voice"?

My work is mostly spontaneous.  My artistic voice is still being refined, I cannot decide between piecing and painting whole cloth quilts as I love both techniques equally but produce very different results.

2.  What brought you to making fiber art? What is your art, sewing, or fiber background? When did you make your first quilt that you considered "art"?

Sewing was always part of my life.  My mother was an excellent seamstress and even though I resisted it as I grew up, it was within me anyway.  My first art quilt was made with all Japanese fabrics I had collected from various places over the years and just came out as an impromptu "art quilt". That was in about 2003.

 Japanese by Lynne Goulette

3.  Describe the steps involved in your art-making process.

I first get my inspiration either from my head or from my photos.  I then do a rough draft, enlarge it and make it into a drawing that can be pieced together.  Then I either follow it to the letter with freezer paper templates or just look at the drawing and put the pieces together intuitively. I then use extensive free motion quilting on the batted and backed quilt (my favorite part).

4.  What is your one favorite or most common source of inspiration?

Life in general, usually from my own photos.  Buildings intrigue me, as does nature.

5.  Do you enter your work in shows? What would you say have been your top three exhibits?

My top three exhibits have been 2004 at Grants Pass Museum of  Art where I got viewers choice both 2nd and 3rd place, Juried in to Houston in 2007, and twice in Sacred Threads in 2007 and 2015.

Metamorphosis by Lynne Goulette

6.  Describe your studio space.

My studio is a dedicated room in the loft of our house built just for me.  It has the best view and amazing space.

7.  How much time do you spend on your art? How do you balance your life between art, family, friends, day job, etc.?

Sometimes 12 hours a day when the inspiration hits.  Sometimes a week goes by and I do not enter.  Being older helps because children are gone now and work is a thing of the past.  My husband is great at keeping the house together and even cooking the meals when the muse hits me.

8.  Do you work in other mediums or use unusual materials in your work?

I also do watercolors also, so one of the fun things for me to do in fiber is to paint whole cloth quilts with thickened procion dyes with heavy free motion quilting to define the piece.