Denise makes contemporary art quilt portraits of very non-contemporary structures: megalithic Celtic stones and monoliths – think Stonehenge – and more recent (but still centuries old) monastic ruins. These stonescapes – stone circles, standing stones, dolmens, burial tombs, abandoned churches, forgotten cemeteries, and lost-in-history portals and passageways – embody both immense timelessness and physical presence while evoking emotional remembrances of human pasts largely forgotten.
"The first time I saw one of Denise’s “stone” quilts, I was immediately drawn to it. The lighting and perspective is always dramatic. Each quilt exudes such a quiet reverence that when I come face to face with one, I find myself in a meditative trance – transported back to another time and another place. Denise’s quilts are good for the soul.” Ricky Tims
“Denise’s emotive Irish-inspired quilts simply take my breath away.” Joen Wolfrom
“A lot of power! The works of Denise are very large and give off a strong emotion. We see passageways, megaliths and monoliths but not only. One has the feeling of being on the spot, exactly in front of these masses of stone. Her technique is precise, with surprising color but also penetrating shadows, and her quilts make us feel very small in front of these mysterious monuments coming from so far in our history. Denise allows us to cross the centuries with a lot of emotion." Maryse Allard (TextileArtist.org), Paris, France
“Denise’s quilts breathe life into structures which may otherwise appear cold and lifeless. The texture of her stones, the light and shadowing, and her use of perspective bring a realistic yet deeply emotional quality to her art which would be difficult to achieve in any other way.” Margaret McCrory, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sunset on Inishmore (2016)
53" wide x 73" high (135 x 185 cm)
Denise Labadie
Lafayette, Colorado. 80026
720.352.0973
denise.labadie@gmail.com