Artist Profile: Virginia Greaves

Textile Paintings

By Heike Hellmann-Brown

Stitching layers of fabric together in a blanket style dates back to ancient Egypt and China. In the 18th Century, this quilting technique came from Great Britain to the American Colonies. Over time, quilts were enhanced by patchwork and appliqu designs. Their use ranges from bedding to armory, decoration, commemoration, heritage or as art.

Virginia Greaves uses textile as an art medium. Originally from Alabama, initially she explored painting for her creative expression. My mother was an artist. I always watched her paint, she says. When I tried it, my painting looked exactly like her work. I felt the drive to create, but I didnt want to duplicate her style; so, I looked for something that would be truly mine, and discovered quilting.

Greaves has been quilting since 2000. She found out quickly that she would not be content following someone elses quilting patterns. After studying different techniques, she developed her own style.

The very first piece I did was inspired by the photograph of a dalmatian that I had as a child. My daughter tore the picture when she was a toddler, she explains. I used fabrics to recreate the image. Her fifth piece, Childhood, had more than 100 hours of work in it. In 2003, Greaves decided to show it to the public winning a 1st place ribbon and Best of Show. The early success gave her confidence to enter more prestigious exhibits and challenged her to create more intricate designs.

Today, Greaves subject matter ranges from 3-D work to abstract patterns, animals, and people. Through the years, my work has become more focused on portraits. I find them challenging when created in fabric, and I delight in finding that little spark in each individual and showing it in my work.

Greaves utilizes commercial prints and hand dyes to paint with fabrics, and her stunning pieces are shown at juried exhibits across the entire country. She has won many awards for her quilts, among them 1st place ribbons for her detailed portraits of Amelia Earhart and Bukonyan Elder at the La Conner International Quilt and Fiber Arts Show in La Conner, Wash., and a 1st place award for her Abraham Lincoln portrait at the International Quilt Festival in Houston.

This contemporary fiber artist is also raising awareness for textile as an art medium by co-curating Fiber Art Fusion, an invitational exhibit held annually in Marietta.

Depending on the complexity, Virginia Greaves creates six to eight pieces a year. Lately, she is very inspired by iconic depression-era photojournalist Dorothea Lange. One of her latest pieces, Worry, recreates Langes famous 1936 photograph, Migrant Mother. At first, my intention was to draw parallels to our current economic woes, but, after working on it for a while, I really felt as though this mother was truly emblematic of all mothers, caring for their children and worrying about the way forward.

VirginiaGreaves.com