Rhonda and her husband, Ray Fallen, moved from Colorado to Kansas in the fall of 2019. They now live on 18 acres just outside of Emporia, Kansas. There, with all of their rescue animals (4 horses, 2 goats, 5 cats and 2 dogs (one a tripod and the other a semi-paraplegic)), they are living in a house/barn combination that really helps give them better access to their four-legged “kids”. Rhonda continues to pursue her fiber art habit. Rhonda’s small business, Cap Rock Inspirations, LLC, moved to Emporia, KS, with her. 
Rhonda has a studio in their walkout basement where she does her creating. She loves fiber art, but doesn’t mind wandering to use other mediums. She has won many awards for her art quilts and several have been published in books. Many of her fiber art pieces have been on exhibition throughout the United States and worldwide. Rhonda assembles her beaded décor creations there as well as designs and constructs her other artistic expressions. Rhonda has always loved to create things, but she started serious (but light-hearted) creating around 2004 at the urging of her husband Ray. His support, as well as their move to their Emporia acreage, has allowed her to explore art more fully and express herself with her creations.
Rhonda’s life experiences provide her with an endless source of ideas. As a young girl, Rhonda had the opportunity to live overseas in Kenya, East Africa and 40 years later, after reconnecting with family and school friends there, she took several trips back as an adult to revisit the area. Her working career in the field of Information Technology (IT) and her time in the US Army and US Army Reserves supplied her with a variety of adventures. Growing up with three brothers and two sisters, the many trips the family took together, as well as the many animals the family had as pets when growing up provide inspiration as well. Rhonda has lived in several different states across the United State over the years but, until this latest move, always returned to her home state of Colorado. She is looking forward to exploring the Flint Hills area where she now lives. Rhonda traveled to several different countries on short trips as well. All of those experiences have influenced Rhonda’s appreciation for the various cultures and architectures around the world. Rhonda has always loved animals and children, and she enjoys incorporating them into her art.
When Rhonda discovered quilting in 2004, she started exploring the use of fabrics as her art palette. She likes creating art quilts and playing with various colors and textures. However, Rhonda’s expansive nature ensures that she dabbles in many other modes of creativity, thus all the items available on her web site! Rhonda uses many different means, along with a variety of artistic techniques, to create art that is an expression of her – a multi-faceted individual with mercurial depths of whimsy and seriousness. She also likes to share her enthusiasm of artistic creation with others as an instructor/teacher/advisor.
Among Rhonda’s latest work focus, she involves large fiber art pieces that explore a theme called “The Eyes Have It”. These large (typically 30″ by 40″) dramatic pieces focus on the eyes of various animals, reptiles and insects. Rhonda uses a combination of fabrics and pigments, along with stitching, in a technique she calls “Pigment Patchwork”. She continues to evolve her techniques with each fiber art piece she creates. Rhonda offers single and multi-day workshops where attendees create their own fiber art piece in the process of learning Rhonda’s Pigment Patchwork techniques.
Rhonda also teaches other techniques including collage/confetti and stitching for dimension. See her page on Lectures and Teaching for more details. Contact her if you are interested in having her present and/or teach in your area.
Rhonda has now developed a unique learning environment that provides a flexible means of learning to color on fabric using pigments. It includes a web-based App, an Accountability Group and Face-to-Face Support sessions. Then, to continue learning more about Rhonda’s Pigment Patchwork techniques, including one-on-one coaching sessions with Rhonda, join her Pigment Patchwork Mastery Community. If this sounds like something you want to do, click here for an Application as your first step.
Rhonda is a member of the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) and the American Quilters Society (AQS). She is a member of several guilds in Kansas and Colorado. She has taught classes on art quilt techniques throughout the United States as well as internationally.
Work Shown and Awards
Gallery / Dealer Representation
Some of Rhonda’s fiber art pieces (as well as limited edition fine art giclee prints and blank notecards of her work, and other creations) are displayed and available for sale at several galleries in Kansas and Colorado, including:
- Emporia Art Center (EAC), 815 Commercial St, Emporia, KS 66801 (620) 343-6473
- Prairie PastTimes, 220 1\2 Broadway St, Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845 (620) 273-6003 (hours vary, check the website for details)
- Trox Gallery & Gifts, 715 Commercial St, Emporia, KS 66801 (620) 208-8769
Work Shown in Magazines, Books & Show Catalogs
Cover of Martelli Enterprises catalog The Quilt Life 2017 (also article on my work)
(Golden Moments)
Front Range Contemporary Quilter (FRCQ) Portfolio 2017 – Best of 2016
(Bighorn Sheep)
The Lion King Cherrywood Challenge book, published photos of 120 quilts selected from Lion King Challenge – 2016
(Pride)
Front Range Contemporary Quilter (FRCQ) Portfolio 2016 – Best of 2015
(Golden Moments, Bear Paws)
Nature Inspired: Winter Edition 2015
(Early Morning Winter Light)
Front Range Contemporary Quilter (FRCQ) Portfolio 2015 – Best of 2014
(Ashaka B&W)
FRCQ “Creation” Health 2014
(Environment)
Front Range Contemporary Quilters (FRCQ) Portfolio 2014 – Best of 2013
(Movement)
Selected Honors & Awards
2020 – Road to California Quilters Showcase, January 23-26, 2020, Ontario, CA. “Lunchtime Secrets”.
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2019 – Featured International Artist, “Осінь в стилі печворк” (“Autumn in the Style of Pečvork (Patchwork)” exhibition – Kiev, Ukraine. October 17 – 25, 2019. Various pieces.
2019 – Quilters Above the Clouds (QAC) Annual Quilts in the Aspens Quilt Show, Woodland Park, CO. August, 2019. Guild Challenge – Clue. “Mrs. Peacock, The Kitchen, With a Rope”. First Place award.
2019 – Fine Arts Exhibit – Fiber Arts & Mixed Media – Professional category, Colorado State Fair, Aug-Sept 2019, Pueblo, CO. “Lunchtime Secrets”. First Place award.
2019 Cherrywood Challenge – Bob Ross – Finalist for Traveling Exhibit, Cherrywood Fabrics, Baxter, MN, July 2019. “Bob Ross”
2019 – Sacred Threads 2019, Inspiration category. Herndon, VA. July 2019. “Henry the Goat”.
2019 – Shipshewana Quilt Festival 2019, Shipshewana, IN, June 2019. “Wolf – The Eyes Have It” and “Henry the Goat”. Second Place, Mixed Media – Small award for “Wolf – the Eyes Have It”.
2019 – 65th Blossom Festival Art Show, 2019. Fremont Center for the Arts (FCA), Canon City, CO., May 2019. “Summer Night Skies”. Merit Award.
2019 AQS Spring Paducah, Paducah, KY, April 2019. “Wolf – The Eyes Have It” and “Chameleon – The Eyes Have It”. Honorable Mention (Quilters Choice sponsored by Superior Threads), Chameleon – The Eyes Have It.
2019 – Front Range Contemporary Quilter (FRCQ) Portfolio 2019 – Best of 2018. On-line Gallery Show. “Wolf – The Eyes Have It”
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2018 – 2-person Artist Show, Gallery at Canon Signature Mortgage, Canon City, CO, September 2018. Various pieces.
2018 – Fiber=Art Gallery Show, Commonwheel Artists Co-op, Manitou Springs, CO. Oct – Nov 2018. “Chameleon – The Eyes Have It”.
2018 – Fine Arts Exhibit – Fiber Arts & Mixed Media – Professional category, Colorado State Fair, Aug-Sept 2018, Pueblo, CO. “Bighorn Sheep”, “Rainbow Lorikeets”, “Pride – Lion King”, “Kitten” and “Natures Elements Triptych”. Second Place – Bighorn Sheep.
2018 – International Quilt Association (IQA) 2018 Judged Show, Houston, TX, November 2018. “Wolf – The Eyes Have It” & “Henry the Goat”
2018 – The Quilt Show – International Miniature Quilt Exchange – Finalist Team (with member from Ukraine) – Roving Exhibit 2018-2019, debuting at IQA, Houston, TX, Nov 2018. “Eagle, US Flag & Cap Rock”
2018 – Finalist, Cherrywood Challenge, 2018 – Prince. (Prince)
2018 – Utah Quilting & Sewing Marketplace (UQSM) Quilt Competition, 2018, Sandy, UT. “Bighorn Sheep”
Religious Art Show at the Abbey, Canon City, CO, July – August 2018. “Mother Theresa – Let Us Begin”. People’s Choice award.
2018 – Contrast – FRCQ (Front Range Contemporary Quilters) Exhibit, May – July 2018, Parker, CO. “Chameleon”
2018 – Front Range Contemporary Quilter (FRCQ) Portfolio 2018 – Best of 2017, On-line Gallery Show. “Raven” & “Chameleon”
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2017 – Studio Art Quilters Association (SAQA) Regional Show “Under The Western Sun”, HandiQuilter, Salt Lake City, UT. “Bighorn Sheep”
2017 – Studio Art Quilters Association (SAQA) Regional Show “Under The Western Sun”, The Macey Center, Socorro, NM. “Bighorn Sheep”
2017 – Studio Art Quilters Association (SAQA) Regional Show “Under The Western Sun”, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Golden, CO. “Bighorn Sheep”
2017 – Fine Arts Exhibit – Fiber Arts – Professional category, Colorado State Fair 2017, Pueblo, CO. “Eagle – the Eyes Have it”, “Chameleon – the Eyes Have It”, “Mother Theresa – Let Us Begin”
2017 – Front Range Contemporary Quilters (FRCQ) Portfolio 2017 – Best of 2016. On-line Gallery Show. (Bighorn Sheep)
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Other awards and show information available on request.