In November 2013, this tiny elephant was rescued from a deep-sided drying waterhole in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Luckily for her, local ranger trainees heard her distressed baby screams throughout the night. Her mother and the herd had abandoned her because she could not extract herself from the hole. The rangers contacted the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust headquarters in…
ORIGINAL IS SOLD I passed by this wonderful, rustic old house/barn on my drive each month to our Westcliffe Quilters & Fiber Arts (WCQFA) guild meetings so I chose this view for my window. I was "inspired" by the photo, but took artistic license to only include the old house/barn. There was a painted horse there most times, but I…
(Entry in the Face of Fiber in the Rockies 2015 (June 2015), presented by the Fiber Arts Council of Estes (FACE), specifically as an entry in the special Estes Park 100th Anniversary theme.) I liked the idea of the traditional merging with the contemporary, using the traditional Bear Paw pieced blocks complimented by a raw-edge applique of a large golden…
Price: $1,580 ($3,000 for both art quilts) This quilt was a surprising additional quilt for a project created during a color class. The assignment was to create something that represented “Simultaneous Contrast”; direct compliments placed next to each other to build intensity. I chose a close-up of a zebra, using black and white. The design was cut from a single…
When I think of living under the western sun, my mind goes to the Bighorn Sheep, a natural symbol of the Rocky Mountains. The males, called rams, are famous for their large, curled horns, sometimes weighing 30 pounds or more. During the mating season, you can hear the resounding clash of Bighorns throughout the mountains as rams fight to compete…
Most animals use their sight to survive, either to find food or to avoid becoming food. Not all animals see the world in the same way and eyes are unique to each species. Animals are constantly alert to the environment around them; their survival depends on that. Martin Buber said, “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great…
This was part of our Westcliffe Guild (WCQFA) Group’s Telephone Challenge. One person started with a photograph and made a piece inspired by it. That piece was given to another who then created their piece inspired by not only the fiber piece, but the key aspects communicated along with it. This continued to several people, each only looking at the…
I have always been intrigued by the Chameleon. With independently movable eyes and color-changing abilities, as well as the unusual pincer-like feet, this odd little reptile character fascinates me. I wanted to capture the character of this incredible lizard in my fiber art. The nubby texture of the silk noil fabric took my pigments well, allowing me to create the…
ORIGINAL IS SOLD Most animals use their sight to survive, either to find food or to avoid becoming food. Not all animals see the world in the same way and eyes are unique to each species. Animals are constantly alert to the environment around them; their survival depends on that. Martin Buber said, “An animal’s eyes have the power to…
This was a fun challenge done with the Quilters Above the Clouds (QAC) guild in Woodland Par, CO. For this challenge, each of us pulled an item from three different bags, representing the characters, rooms and weapons from the classic board game called Clue. I picked Mrs. Peacock, the Kitchen, and a Rope. After thinking about this challenge, I decided…
Our two dogs, Mason & Moxie, travel everywhere with my husband. They have a special shelf in the back of his pickup truck where they can relax and yet keep an eye on things while riding along. They are my husband’s Co-Pilots! A photograph inspired this piece. Note added: Both dogs passed away in 2020; Both were approximately 14 years…
Most animals use their sight to survive, either to find food or to avoid becoming food. Not all animals see the world in the same way and eyes are unique to each species. Animals are constantly alert to the environment around them; their survival depends on that. Martin Buber said, “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great…
This art quilt was created as part of the Quilt Show’s International Miniature Quilt Exchange (IMQE) program. The purpose of the International Miniature Quilt Exchange is to promote quilting across borders and cultures. We were paired up with an international quilter. The exchange allowed team members to communicate and connect with each other. My international team member was Natalya Lashkofrom…
Quilt Guild Challenge Topic Word: Fantasy. What better than a metallic-colored long-tailed dragon to represent “fantasy”. Construction: several different fabrics and fibers, cotton, fiber pigments and inks. The Westcliffe Contemporary Quilters and Fiber Artists (WCQFA) guild, Westcliffe, Colorado, issued a challenge to its members. To create a 12” x 12” art quilt illustrating our own interpretation of a topic utilizing…
This quilt was a project created during a color class. The assignment was to create something that represented “Illumination”. I thought that the cat, with the jars of fireflies reflected in his eyes, was just the ticket. Construction: Raw-edge applique, cotton fabrics and cotton/polyester thread.
Using a technique called fabric collage and a pattern by Susan Carlson, this fish and the background was created using many different small pieces of fabrics of various kinds including cottons, silks and other fibers. The addition of tulle over the background added color. Quilting was done with variegated threads to create dimension.
Original fiber artwork by Rhonda Denney - 2015, 12" x 12". A curious brown squirrel on a pine tree. Created using Rhonda Denney's Pigment Patchwork techniques.
(2013 Art Challenge – 200th Anniversary of Grimm Brothers fairy tales, Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. Won “Special Story Award”.) The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan celebrated the 200th anniversary of the first publication by the Brothers Grimm (in 1812) by having a Call For Entries. From the over 200 stories…
The 2022 Cherrywood Fabric Challenge: Use only the provided kit fabric of EIGHT COLORS (yellow, orange, red, blue, green, med gray, dark gray & black) to create a 20-inch square quilted artwork. No other colors of fabric may be added. The only way to add more colors is with thread, some stringy bits you could purchase from them, paint, pencil,…
This is a portrait of one of my pet goats, Henry. He is such a character and so full of joy! I wanted to capture his quirky personality. When the responsibilities and challenges of life start getting me down, all I need to do is take Henry on a “browse-walkabout” to ground me again and help me reconnect with my…
The Westcliffe Contemporary Quilters and Fiber Artists (WCQFA) guild, Westcliffe, Colorado, issued a challenge to its members: To create a 12” x 12” art quilt illustrating our own interpretation of a topic utilizing many aspects of quilting, edging and surface design. The resulting quilts were shown at several galleries and quilt shows. Our dog Mason and our cat Scooby Doo…
Kitten was created using my Pigment Patchwork technique with raw edge appliqué using fabrics of various kinds, pigments of various kinds, and quilting with monofilament threads to create dimension Construction: silk and cotton fabrics; polyester batting; pigments; cotton, polyester and mono-filament threads. Designed (using photos as inspiration), created and stitched by Rhonda Denney. The Eyes Have It Series Statement: Most…
The Westcliffe Contemporary Quilters and Fiber Artists (WCQFA) guild, Westcliffe, Colorado, issued a challenge to its members: To create a 12” x 12” art quilt illustrating our own interpretation of a topic utilizing many aspects of quilting, edging and surface design. The resulting quilts were shown at several galleries and quilt shows. Every morning, outside our house, we are entertained…
Our dog Mason loved to perch on this lichen-covered boulder on our patio. From that vantage point, he could keep an eye out for any activity in the area. The views from our ranch house location were magnificent! Inspired by a photograph. I loved the challenge of capturing the beauty of an early summer day in Colorado. Construction: Confetti, Collage…