Quilter of the Month
Mark Sherman, Quilt Artist
One year ago Mark Sherman received his A1 Elite. He ordered it while attending the AQS quilt show in Paducah, KY. It's a RED one! Is it ever pretty. Mark loves color and it is so evident when you see his work.
As a new longarmer, Mark immediately set out to challenge himself. With his love of all things Tiffany, it had to be a quilt with a Tiffany flair. Wisteria was the result. No little challenge, even for the accompished quilt applique artist and piecer that Mark is. Especially when you considered Mark's total lack of longarm experience. This truly was a huge project indeed!!
With Wisteria finally completed Mark entered it into AQS 2009 in Paducah, KY. It was accepted and he was delighted. Wisteria didn't win any big ribbons, but was recognized with a teacher ribbon. Then came the call. The National Quilt Museum was interested in his quilt and would like to enter it into the running for selection into their Founder's Collection. Was Mark interested? You bet!
Mark's Rookie quilt, Wisteria is now a part of the National Quilt Museum's Founder's Collection. An honor that reaches far beyond his dreams. Not bad for a Rookie!
THIS IS MARK'S STORY:
WISTERIA was inspired by a Louis Comfort Tiffany window titled, Wisteria and Snowball c. 1905. I have collected Tiffany windows, lamps and glassware for years and it was actually my wife who gave me the idea to combine my love of Tiffany with my love of quilting.
I used my turned edge machine applique method to construct this quilt but like all of my previous projects I found myself working in uncharted territory.
It was especially hard to put the completed quilt top on my brand new A-1 quilting machine which I had owned for 3 months and begin quilting it. My wife's last words before I began quilting was " It's gorgeous, don't ruin it ". I let the quilt speak to me for the quilting and after completing the first patch successfully I gained the confidence to complete the project
This is a testament to the wonderful service and training I received from Elaine Gilmore. A big thank you to Jamie Wallen as well! I love my A-1 machine. We are fast becoming best friends. I love the new A-1 family that my machine has brought me. God bless them all.
The quilt is now part of the permanent Founder's Collection at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. A big thank you to Judy Schwender, Curator of Collections and the Museum Quilt Acquisition Committee for providing a home for my work for years to come.
Mark Sherman, Quilt Artist
Mark is man of many talents. An avid antique collector, he loves all things beautiful. Dying fabric has become an obsession after taking a fabric dying class with Jamie Wallen. Mark is working on designing his own hand dyed fabric line. He also is dabbling in painting portraits on fabric, another result of a Jamie Wallen class. The photo left, is his present work, Old Lady of Kashmir. Mark, like many of us usually has more than one project in progress at all times. His latest quilt is a collague of butterflies appliqued with all hand dyed and specialty fabrics.
Notice Mark's table in the last picture below. He has added his own special touch to it. A full mirror. Mark contacted his local glass shop, gave them the measurements and had it cut to order. He cautions, don't drop anything heavy on it, it is a mirror and can shatter!
Mark lives in Coral Springs, Florida with his wife Sherry. They have two children, Mathew, a Pharmacy student at the Univerity of Florida, and Sara, who is entering her sophomore year in high school.
A WORK IN PROGRESS....Mark's next show quilt.
