MARY MCFERRAN

Liberation survives in my studio. I seek refuge in my work, especially during the pandemic.

I create and break my own rules, connecting and disconnecting fabric remnants and paper scraps. Opposing colors, textures, themes encourage tension-push and pull. However, some sections co-exist instead of merging. I encourage elements to retain their own identity.

My quilts are not traditional, no 3-layer regimen. Inspired by the work of southern crafters who worked under economic restrictions, I select found scraps and tell stories. Like theirs, my piecing and constructing is grid-like. They were unschooled. I resist my art school lessons, encouraging some pieces to “fall off” the picture plane.

I invite real life into my work and exaggerate the artifice of art.