Grand Junction, Colo. – Visual depth is Esterita Austin’s trademark, whether it’s stones at the bottom of a deep well, arched portals or ancient ruins.
She’s a contemporary quilt artist who leaves no stone unturned when it comes to creating three-dimensional effects. Many of her quilts beckon the viewer to step inside for a closer look or to explore what’s around a brightly lit corner.
This international award-winning quilt maker, designer and teacher from New York City often lectures and teaches at quilt guilds and shows. Her combination slide show/trunk show, titled “Esterita’s Classic Rock,” demonstrates how she creates the illusion of depth. Her focus is on the power of value over color in constructing a dramatic composition.
In her more recent work, Austin enhances her quilts with textile paints. She also has a new series of quilts titled “Rembrandt Portraiture – With a Twist” that Austin says has taken her work to a new level.
In addition to quilting, she manufactures and sells her own line of fusible art quilt patterns, a product called Misty-fuse and Transdoodle, a large format transfer paper. Her products are available in quilt shops and on her website, esteritaaustin.com.
On Sept. 18, HGTV will air an episode of “Simply Quilts” that features Austin and her three-dimensional methods.
In October, she is one of three artists traveling with students to Italy where Austin will teach “Quilting Under the Tuscan Sun.” The trip runs Oct. 14 through 21 and includes a stay at a 13th-century villa and tours of sister cities Siena and Florence.
Austin previously studied Renaissance art at the University of Siena and obviously has been inspired by the ancient architecture.
Her quilt titled “The Well” was a prize winner in the American Museum of Folk Art’s international competition, “Quilting Constructions: The Spirit of Design,” and was on tour through 2004. Her artwork also has been published in such magazines as Quilters Newsletter, American Quilter, Contemporary Quilter and Fiber Arts 7.
Austin’s artist statement from her website reads: “In my exploration of the quilt-making process I try to discover and reveal a certain magical reality.
“I hope to capture the feeling of wonder in the surface design. To wonder where the passage leads. To wonder from where the light emanates. To wonder what lies beyond the quilt surface.
“I try to capture this visual effect by using strong contrasts of dark juxtaposed against light to create the illusion of depth.
“The exploration of these visual and textural differences, in combination with the intensity of the colors, is a strong consideration in my work.
“I am constantly striving to journal my growth as a woman and artist in my images.
“I always leave space for an escape route, an opened door or window leading to the future.
“There is always the hope of something lying just beyond.”
See her amazing quilts at esteritaaustin.com.
Sherida Warner writes for The Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction. Reach her at swarner@gjds.com.
