Featured Artist Ellen November

Artist Ellen November combines quilting with cartography to reinterpret how we look at a particular location. To see more of her work, please visit her website.

 

Santa Monica

“Santa Monica” Fabric, Thread, 0″ x 23″

 

Art quilting is a convergence of me as an artist and quilter.

 

Manhattan Beach

“Manhattan Beach” Fabric, Thread, 31″ x 24″

 

With maps as my inspiration, I interpret lines, shapes, colors with new and upcycled materials creating a richer, historical vision of a specific location.

 

LAX

“LAX” Fabric, Thread, 29″ x 25″

 

Trained as an illustrator at Art Center College of Design, the path to cartographic maps has been a steady progression combining my love of color, pattern drawing and photography.

 

Portuguese Bend

“Portuguese Bend” Fabric, Thread, 33.5″ x 23″

 

I recently completed a series of 12 art quilts that are interpretations of the coastal areas of Southern California. The paper Thomas Guide maps are my inspiration. I am attempting to show the unique personality of each of our coastal areas in Los Angeles county from Malibu to Long Beach.

 

Marineland

“Marineland” Fabric, Thread, 33″ x 28″

 

In creating a cartographic art quilt, my goal is to reimagine the way we look at a location from a geographic and historical perspective.

 

Long Beach

“Long Beach” Fabric, Thread, 28″ x 21″

 

Each piece contains an aerial view as well as a focus on a something representative of the particular location. For example, with “Santa Monica” I chose the iconic Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel. For Long Beach, the Queen Mary is the focal point.

 

Malaga Cove

“Malaga Cove” Fabric, Thread, 32.5″ x 26.5″

 

Each piece begins with the initial laying of the background and a building of layers that incorporates not only quilting fabric, but clothing, men’s shirts, my photos printed on fabric, embroidery and illustration. I machine quilt as well as hand sew.

 

Getty Villa

“Getty Villa” Fabric, Thread, 29″ x 25″

 

My latest projects include quilts of iconic Los Angeles locations: The Getty Center, USC Campus and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. On The Getty Center piece I have begun doing hand beading to represent the landscape features. I learned quickly that beads can rapidly add weight to a piece.

 

Pt. Dume

“Pt. Dume” Fabric, Thread, 28.5″ x 23.5″

 

The USC piece features Tommy Trojan and the USC campus and surrounds; including freeway intersections and the Staples Center. The Cedars piece incorporates its current location blended with its original building, when it was called Cedars of Lebanon.

 

Redondo Beach

“Redondo Beach” Fabric, Thread, 31″ x 24″

 

I am currently working on two different pieces that are interpretations of the Redondo Beach King Harbor. I discovered old nautical maps at an estate sale which became the inspiration for this work. I dyed cotton cheesecloth which I have sewn to represent the water and waves.

 

Artist, Ellen November, giving lecture at South BayContemporary Gallery in Palos Verdes, CA

Artist, Ellen November, giving lecture at South BayContemporary Gallery in Palos Verdes, CA

 

I love discovering new materials that enhance the look and feel of my work.

Ellen November invites you to follow her on Facebook.

 

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