Artist Statement

Taking inspiration from landscape, botany, biology, architecture, astronomy, and technology, Sherry Winkelman combines traditional quilting motifs, media, and techniques with abstraction and unconventional approaches to create unique and diverse art.
Sherry discovered her affinity for textiles and their manipulation early, and quickly embraced the true fluidity and expressiveness of the media, which has traditionally been obscured by stereotypical perceptions of the societal role of their predominantly female creators and the denigration of the fabric arts as mere “craft” rather than a true art form.
Sherry’s art has evolved over the last several decades. Her early work predominantly used traditional patterns and techniques, hand-piecing and hand quilting bed quilts of all sizes. In 2022, after 27 (!) years, Sherry finally completed the king-sized, hand-pieced, quilted and embroidered traditional Baltimore Album quilt, Baltimore Behemoth. Three other hand-pieced behemoths await quilting, most likely by machine.
She soon began to incorporate asymmetry and abstraction within the geometric regularity of traditional patterns, using smaller form-factors to force breaks from repetition.  This approach continues to this day, and encompasses the majority of her work.
Sherry sees quilts as art and as comfort, part of the fabric of everyday life. While her focus has shifted towards pieces meant for display, she continues to explore the intrinsic tension within the dichotomy of utilitarian art.  By creating bed-quilts with familiar patterns in unusual contexts, and restricting herself to the palette and patterns of remnant and off-cut fabrics she creates pieces which are both comforting and evocative, in a unique evolution of traditional quilt expression.