Sherry Watkins
Sherry Watkins is an artist that paints with fabric and thread to create realistic collages that tell a story, illuminating a memory or emotion. Her subject matter includes landscapes, dogs, cats and portraits. Her method includes using photographs for realistic images and an artist’s hand to evoke a sentiment. Much of her palette is batiks, commercial printed fabrics, hand dyed cotton, silks, satins and a wide variety of threads. Her work shows in local galleries and shows nationwide.
Her mother and grandmothers were instrumental in her knowledge of art, sewing, crochet and embroidery. Sherry and her husband, Jim, make their home on the shores of Lake Martin, Alabama.
Her work has been exhibited at
The Southern Quilt and Textile Museum in Carrollton GA
The Kelly-Kelly Fitzgerald Museum in Wetumpka AL
The Red Hill Gallery in Tallassee AL
The Jan Dempsey Cultural Arts Center Gallery in Auburn AL
Sherry's Artwork
Portraits
A portrait of a cherished pet makes a wonderful gift or a lasting memory of a good friend. Your pet’s portrait can be commissioned in fabric collage to just about any size you would like. All I need is a good, clear color photograph of the animal. Please contact me so we can discuss your options.
Gracie's Sunset Cruise
Commissioned piece in private collection
Zeppa Lawn King
Commissioned piece in private collection
Memories of Pepper
Commissioned piece in private collection
Big Boy
Commissioned pillow in private collection.
20”x20” pillow, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Remy
Commissioned piece in private collection.
20”x24” wall hanging, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Bella
Commissioned pillow in private collection.
20”x20” pillow, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Memories of Gracie
Commissioned piece in private collection.
24”x36” Mounted on gallery canvas, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Mary and Belle
Commissioned piece in private collection.
48"x58” Wall hanging, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Sitting Pretty
Designed around a challenge to use only black and white fabric and 1 fabric drawn at a guild meeting. Bits of white and black lace, tulle and organza have been layered to create the highlights and shadows.
27”x33” Wall Hanging, Quilting cottons, lace, tulle, organza, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine .
Buddy
Custom designed from a photo of my nephew’s magnificent Labrador Retriever, everybody’s best buddy.
20”x24” Mounted on gallery canvas, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine .
Sleepy Eye
Custom designed from a photo.
20”x24” Mounted on gallery canvas, Quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Princess of York
Custom designed from a photo; this regal little lady almost seems alive with that sparkle in her eye.
12”x24” Mounted on gallery canvas, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine
Chat Pruex
The Valiant Knight, Custom designed from a photo; this regal giant almost seems ready to pounce off the wall.
35"x40" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine
Look At Me Look At You
This Prince portrait was created for the Cherrywood Fabric Prince Challenge. You could only use their hand-dyed fabrics, it had to "read" purple, It had to be exactly 20"x20". I was honored to be selected as 1 of 165 finalists out of 463 entries. My Prince, along with the other finalists, spent 2 years touring across the United States and Canada.
20"x20" wall hanging, quilting cottons, metallic mesh, beaded lace, tulle, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on ho
Landscapes
Seaside City
Using an improv triangle technique to recreate an Aegean seaside scene. I love how the gentle wave quilting creates a breeze through the town and waves on the sea.
34"x16" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine
Mystery of the Undersea Vortex
Using an improv curve technique to recreate the swirl of schooling glass fish. I love how the fish seem to be emerging from the deep toward the light at the surface.
32"x48" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced & freemotion quilted on home machine
Honey Sweet Honey
This tranquil imaginary scene of a weeping willow as its leaves gently stir the water leaving ripples across the lake like a word or look effects one’s life. They can be ever so gentle or violently harsh—reminds me to leave a tender wake to all who my thread touches as our lives are woven together.
18"x48" wall hanging or table topper, quilting cottons, organza, original design, machine pieced, appliqued & freemotion quilted on home machine
Reflections
I just love this reflection of a building in a building. A mini mosaic technique was used, cutting batiks treated with Terial Magic for 2,904 3/8" squares!
19.5"x25" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, thread painted & freemotion quilted on home machine
Again, thank you, @daveharephotography for the opportunity to use your photograph by the same name as my inspiration for The Studio 222 Cityscape Challenge.
Easter Sunday
A SAQA Art Challenge piece to create an art piece from a grab bag of fabrics. The challenge was to use as much of the fabric as possible. I was able to make a serious dent in the bag of fabric using origami, layering and fabric manipulation techniques. Easter Sunday is another entry for The Studio 222 Cityscapes Challenge.
29"x25" wall hanging, quilting cottons, upholstery, knits, hand-dyes, metallic lame', beads, original design, machine pieced, appliqued & freemotion quilted on home machine
Rooftops
Inspired by photos of colorful hillside cities around the world. Rooftops is another entry for The Studio 222 Cityscapes Challenge.
19"x23" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, appliqued & freemotion quilted on home machine.
Fishin' Hole
A sweet childhood memory, a mere thread running through the story of my life, of summer days on the Chesapeake Bay as a child fishing off the dock with my family. The sparkling mesh fabric recreates the magical illusion of looking through the sunlit ripples of silver as my toes wiggled beneath the surface. All hanging from a vintage fishing pole.
18"x31" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced & freemotion quilted on home machine
Tear Drops
This tranquil imaginary scene of a weeping willow as its leaves gently stir the water leaving ripples across the lake like a word or look effects one’s life. They can be ever so gentle or violently harsh—reminds me to leave a tender wake to all who my thread touches as our lives are woven together.
18"x52" wall hanging, quilting cottons, original design, machine pieced, appliqued & freemotion quilted on home machine
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