IRIS SIMMONS
Fabric / Textile Artist

My fascination with fabric started about 20 years ago. I took a lay course at New York
School of Interior Design. I quickly realized that I was mainly interested in
fabric and texture. On a whim, I took an evening class in quiltmaking at a
local high school and fell in love with what could be done with fabrics.
I have had no formal training per se but have taken many,many classes over
the years to increase my knowledge of technique and design.I enjoy making art quilts
because it allows me free expression with color, texture and design. I love working with
all types of materials, frequently those not used in traditional quiltmaking.
I seldom know what the final piece will look like. I let fabric dictate that.
I rarely sketch in advance. It can take from a couple of weeks to a few months to
complete a piece. My pieces range from modern abstract to florals to ethnic pieces.