Heather Arps

Textile: Quilts, hand knitted items

Thistledoun Studios: Home of Harpswear Textiles and Harpsware Artworks
430 Old Homestead Rd
Tel: 360.468.3163

+Visitors are welcome. Please call in advance to make sure I am here.

As a self-taught artisan I work intuitively to craft one of a kind art pieces that are functional, collectible and enduring. It brings me great pleasure to work with rich saturated colors to create visual texture. With my soft cloth quilts, I am a textural storyteller, creating pieces that are layered with meaning. Using quality materials and drawing from traditional designs I explore the balance between the various aspects of color, print size and geometric shape. For nearly forty five years I have been a maker. With my quilts, I combine traditional quilt patterns with contemporary fabrics to bring my pieces into the 21st century interpreting the world around me through fiber art, much the way women have done for centuries. Quilts are my language of love. Each piece is an heirloom collectable that will endure through generations to come. My quilts have been shown in large and small venues around the country and in The Netherlands.

In 2016 I started hand painting wood Barn Quilts on reclaimed plywood. Lessening our foot print on the Earth by turning discarded materials into works of art feels redemptive. The bold colors and clean lines appeal to my sense of order and simplicity. With their simple design elements and strong colors, Barn Quilts project across distances making these iconic Folk Art pieces a fine display of public art. My work primarily hangs outdoors on Lopez and around the country.

Although I start with a basic plan, with art, one is never entirely in control of the final outcome. Part of what appeals to me about the work is surrendering to the process, stepping into the alchemy of the adventure and accepting what comes. In my pieces, there is always a story line I follow. The act of making with my hands engages my mechanical mind along with my personal aesthetic in my chosen mediums. When I cross the threshold of my studio doorway, I enter a world of magic and splendor. It is a portal to another world where normal routine fades and time becomes weightless and expanded. Working with color is sanative and fills me with a unique effervescence. It is my life support system. The deep peace and joy I gain when at work spills over into my life, reuniting me with the essential goodness in the world.

Art brings us together and speaks to us in a universal language about our shared humanity. It lifts our hearts and fuels our imagination. Both soft cloth quilts and hand painted wood Barn Quilts root us to our heritage while also freeing our minds of everyday toils.

Check out my social media spots or come visit my studio. It’s open by appointment most of the year and commissions are always accepted.