Check out Denise's quickly growing Instagram account: @denise.labadie
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Denise recently ended (May, 2024) a very successful three month solo exhibition (sixteen quilts) at the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum (La Conner, Washington, USA); like her other previous USA-based multi-month solo quilt museum exhibitions – at the National Quilt Museum (Paducah, Kentucky, USA), the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles (San Jose, California, USA), and the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum (Golden, Colorado, USA) – the exhibit was beautifully staged so as to best show her quilts (including lots of set back viewing space to help viewers get a better appreciation of her use of perspective).
This summer (Northern Hemisphere) Denise will be showing two of her quilts – Sunset on Inishmore and Monastic Ruin at Glendalough – at the Taiwan Art Quilt Society's International Art Quilt Exhibition 2024 (Taipei, Taiwan) and will be teaching her five-day Art Quilt Design Intensive at Quilting by the Lake (July 22 to 26, 2024, Aurora, NY, USA). Fun.
An additional new activity is a very much increased focus on Zoom lecturing – both for US audiences and internationally.
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"Stonehenge" (completed April, 2024)
43” wide x 64” high (110 cm wide x 163 cm high)
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Last summer (2023) Denise was a featured (solo) artist (and lecturer) at the UK Festival of Quilts (Birmingham, England). This was hugely thrilling, and very successful. The FoQ is the largest annual quilting exhibition in Europe; perhaps more importantly, however, is that although Denise has been a featured artist at venues around the world, she had never formally exhibited in the UK, despite almost all of her quilts being of Irish and British Isles' megalithic and monastic sites. And before the show the trip also included a first-time visit to Stonehenge (a special "inside the ropes" sunrise visit), and to the many megalithic sites in and around Avebury. Amazing.
Similarly, a year previously (September, 2022) Denise was once again a featured (solo) artist at Le Carrefour Européen du Patchwork (European Patchwork Festival, Alsace, France), the largest annual quilting exhibition on the Continent. The Alsace is magic, and Denise loves the entire multi-village experience. This was her second solo exhibition at the Festival (her first was in 2016), plus in 2018 she additionally co-exhibited with her students, showing off the quilts they had begun during her 2017 Séminar Post Carrefour (a week-long Carrefour-sponsored masterclass taught by Denise).
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"Orkney Islands Standing Stones" (completed July, 2023)
Each half of the Diptych is 20” wide x 48” high (51 cm wide x 122 cm high)
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"Bocan Stone Circle" (completed June, 2023)
46” wide x 51” high (117 cm x 130 cm)
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As mentioned above, in 2017 Denise taught her week-long Art Quilt Design Intensive workshop for the Séminar Post Carrefour. Check out French TV's excellent (and very fun) five minute video segment (starting at 2:05) of Day 2 (Fabric Painting). Previous instructors for this very special masterclass (only a single workshop – held in the rural French Alsatian countryside – and instructor is scheduled per year) have included Noriko Endo, Katie Pasquini Masopust, Sue Benner, Libby Lehman, Nancy Crow, and Ann Johnston. Great company! Such an honor to be among this very special group of teachers. The video is in French, of course, but that just makes it all the more fun. Take a look.
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"Rosserk Abbey" (completed June, 2022)
45” wide x 63” high (114 cm x 160 cm)
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In 2022 Denise recorded three PBS (Public Broadcasting System) Quilting Arts TV episodes (#2909, #2911, and #2913) highlighting both her work in general and some of her key quilting techniques (appliqué, paint resists, and free-form strip piecing). Quilting Arts Magazine (a sister publication) also published two related articles on Denise in their Winter 2023 edition – both a five-page Artist Spotlight (a very nice extended personal introduction, history, and artist statement), and a techniques article describing her differing go-to appliqué techniques (including details on when, where, and why she uses them).
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Denise's “Bonamargy Friary” was juried into the 2022 “SURFACE: A National Juried Exhibition Highlighting the Use of Textures & Patterns in Artwork” (d’Art Center, Norfolk, Virginia).
Getting juried into a quilt exhibition is always a delight, but Denise was particularly pleased that her quilt was juried into an “art” exhibition, openly competing against any and all types of media (and juried by non-quilters). The quilting world needs to unapologetically and continually advocate for the notion that ART Quilts can indeed be rightfully seen as being ART. Too many folks (and galleries) in the art world consider art quilting to be but a “craft”, and less than “fine”; they need to be shown otherwise!
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Denise's National Quilt Museum (Paducah, Kentucky, USA) 2021 summer-long solo exhibition was a wonderfully staged and very successful show. They also created the following interview video. Fun! Thanks to all.
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Denise finished her Omey Island Dolmen quilt just in time for her Summer 2021 exhibition at the National Quilt Museum.
Omey Island is a small tidal island located close to Clifden (Co. Galway) off the west coast of Ireland. From the mainland the island is inconspicuous and almost hidden, accessible only at low tide (it’s only 600 meters offshore) by crossing over the (still wet) sandy beach, either in a car (when the beach is firm enough) or on foot. Denise and a good friend (Grania McElligott – a wonderful and well-known Irish art quilter, and life-long stone hunter) drove across and spent two nights on this magical island, discovering this relatively unknown dolmen in the process.
"Omey Island Dolmen" (completed May, 2021)
58” wide x 30” high (147 cm x 76 cm)
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Denise's “Ring of Brodgar” (below) was featured in SAQA's recent Art Quilt Quarterly (Issue #24). Previous Art Quilt Quarterly issues have highlighted her “Bonamargy Friary” (Issue #17) and “Cathedral Arch at Glendalough” (Issue #8). And even further back (Issue #6) Denise was featured (when it was then known as Art Quilt Collector) as an upcoming “Artist to Watch”. Thank-you SAQA.
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"Annaghdown Cathedral Window" (completed February, 2020)
20” wide x 27” high (51 cm x 69 cm)
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COVID-19 has obviously had a huge impact on the arts. Denise had to cancel almost all of her 2020 exhibition and teaching schedule, including her much anticipated April and early May European trip – which was to feature an exhibition of her work at the Biennale Internationale d'Art Textile Exhibition (outside Lyon, France) a two-day instructional workshop in Assisi, Italy, and a full five-day workshop at the Scuola Romana Quilting in Rome, Italy. Other 2020 cancellations included her week-long workshops at Quilting by the Lake (Syracuse, NY, USA) and the Madeline Island School of the Arts (La Point, Madeline Island, Wisconsin, USA).
In contrast, Denise's 2020 joint summer exhibition with David Taylor at the Steamboat Art Museum (Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA) actually took place as planned! A lovely show, and a great opportunity to get out a bit.
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"Annaghdown Cathedral Cross" (completed November, 2019)
17” wide x 33” high (43 cm x 84 cm)
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This is another 2019 quilt – finished just in time for her solo exhibition at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles (San Jose, California, USA). The quilt is a third (and notably different) iteration of her previous two Killevy Church Ruins. Denise loves the composition, and very much wanted it in her exhibition portfolio, but the first two quilts sold, so she made yet another. For comparison, here are links to the first (Killevy Church Ruin I) and second (Killevy Church Ruin II) versions. The difference? It's all about the location of the sun and the resultant change in shadowing.
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In early-Spring 2019 Denise (and her husband) spent a full three weeks in Ireland. Late March to mid-April is just before the tourist season, and is typically without winter’s rains (though still cold). Perfect. It was gloriously quiet, uncrowded, and dry – most sites were without any other visitors, and were easily accessible (i.e., no mud). And the stones were noticeably talkative after a long and quiet winter. Denise both introduced her husband to a number of her favorite previous haunts, and sought out and visited a large number of “new” sites and stones as well (providing lots of new quilt ideas and inspirations). Below are several photos of Denise re-visiting some of the stones that have been the subjects of previous quilts (click on the photos or links to see each photo's corresponding quilt).
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Denise again attended the annual Carrefour Européen du Patchwork Exhibition, September 13 through the 16th, 2018, in the Alsace, France. She was a featured (solo) artist in 2016, and in 2017 she taught the week-long Séminar Post Carrefour masterclass workshop (see write-up below). This time she happily rejoined her 2017 students in a combined student-teacher exhibition. This wonderful group continued to stay in touch with one another after the workshop (they created their own Facebook page), continued to work on their individual projects, and coordinated with Carrefour management to set up a dedicated gallery to exhibit their completed workshop-initiated quilts. Fifteen of the workshop’s nineteen participants (all very accomplished, and several independently recognized in their own right) participated! Denise also exhibited three of her own (new) quilts as well – Annaghmore Court Tomb, Cathedral Arch at Glendalough, and Bonamargy Friary (shown below). The exhibit and gallery was staged in the main village of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in the Church of La Madeleine. Very exciting! Getting back together and celebrating everyone's hard work (and beautiful quilts) was a delight.
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"Bonamargy Friary" (completed September, 2018)
42" wide x 61" high (107 x 155 cm)
Original inspirational ("in-real-life") photo courtesy of goHOWIE.com
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After the week at the annual 2018 Carrefour Européen du Patchwork Exhibition (described above) in the Alsace, Denise spent another week in Brittany (with Chantal Guillermet, one of her 2017 students, and a talented quilting instructor and exhibitor, who ably served as her host, driver, friend, guide, and travel companion). Activities included visiting multiple medieval villages, exploring the many calorie-laden variants of Brittany's Kouign-amanns and, most importantly, visited and communed with the standing stones at Carnac. She then finished up with a three-day visit to Paris, staying on the fabulous Île Saint-Louis, and visited – among many other places – both the Musée d'Orsay and Gustav Klimt's Atelier des Lumières ("Studio of Lights"). She kept a travel and photo blog of the entire trip; to read, click on the "BLOG" image below:
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In June, 2018, Denise returned from a five week quilt exhibition and teaching trip to Europe where she was was a featured (solo) artist at three national events: the 2018 International Quilt Festival of Luxembourg, the 2018 Patchwork Gilde Deutschland Annual Meeting (Germany), and the 2018 Quiltfestival Noord Groningen (the Netherlands). She also taught her four-day Art Quilt Design Intensive workshop (in Luxembourg), and two two-day Fabric Painting workshops (in Amsterdam and Celle, Germany). A wonderful trip – great venues; warm, welcoming, and caring hosts and event organizers; talented fellow quilters; and enthusiastic, appreciative, and knowledgeable crowds. Denise published a daily blog (with lots of photos and quilt commentary), which can be seen by clicking on the "BLOG" image below:
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"Annaghmare Court Tomb" (completed May, 2018)
45" wide x 42" high (114 x 107 cm)
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Denise will be giving a number of "local" (Colorado) lectures and one and two-day instructional workshops (Fabric Painting and/or Construction Techniques) throughout 2018 and 2019. Venues include: Palmer Divide Quiltmakers (Colorado Springs, Colorado); Front Range Contemporary Quilters (Westminster, Colorado); Quaking Aspen Quilt Guild (Boulder, Colorado); Handweavers Guild of Boulder (Boulder, Colorado); Estes Valley Quilt Guild (Estes Park, Colorado); and Rocky Mountain Creative Quilters (Ft. Collins, Colorado). See Workshop and Lecture Schedule for details. Denise will also be the featured artist this coming October 13, 2019, celebrating "Sunday at the Museum" at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum (Golden, Colorado). She will both lecture and show a number of her quilts.
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This recent quilt was a present to Denise's son Essie and daughter-in-law Leslie, who were married in Scotland (in a magical old medieval castle – think Harry Potter) and who then honeymooned up North in the Orkney Islands – where both the Stones of Stenness, and the Aurora Borealis, are to be found.
"Aurora Over the Stones of Stenness" (completed December, 2017)
40" wide x 33" high (102 x 84 cm)
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In September, 2017 Denise travelled to France to teach the annual Carrefour Européen du Patchwork (European Patchwork Meeting) Séminar Post Carrefour (Post-Exhibition Workshop), a four-day workshop that highlighted the fabric painting and construction techniques so central to her quilting – especially how to achieve the fabric and quilt top textures, depth of field, shadowing, and perspective that characterize her work.
French TV produced a great five minute video of the workshop (beginning at 2:01). It's in French, of course, but somehow that makes it all the better!
Denise was honored to teach this most special once-a-year workshop (prior instructors include Noriko Endo, Katie Pasquini Masopust, Sue Benner, Libby Lehman, Nancy Crow, and Ann Johnston). A wonderful work room, located in a small Alsacian town without significant distractions (other than good food). Lots of light, huge windows, and more than enough room to continue painting (the main focus of Days One and Two) even after bringing out the sewing machines (for Days Three and Four). Participants came from seven different countries, and really bonded; everyone was both sharing and caring, with many – including Denise – often working (very) late into the night – just for the fun of it! Their work was remarkable.
As always, the workshop was not about stones per se, or even landscapes, but instead about "best practices" relative to improving quilt dimensionality, texture and color, craftsmanship, and design integrity, regardless of quilt theme or focus.
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After the Séminar Post Carrefour (September, 2017), Denise attended Turin's (Torino, Italy) "Manualmente" Exhibition (Lingotto Fiere), co-sponsored by Quilt Italia, where – as a featured artist – a comprehensive collection of her quilts was on exhibit. She also taught a one-day Construction Techniques workshop which was great fun, and very well attended – outside teachers tend to be somewhat of a rarity, and the attendees were amazingly eager to learn and absorb everything possible. Denise can’t wait to return.
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"Friary Steps" (completed August, 2017)
40" wide x 34" high (102 x 86 cm)
From the quilt's purchaser: "I can't get over the level of detail on the quilt. It's magical the way it changes in the light, and when viewed at a distance additional light actually seems to emanate from the quilt itself. Up close it's easy to get caught up in the detail and when you step away the dimensionality just pops! Love it!"
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Earlier in 2017 Denise attended South Korea’s QFIK 2017 ("Quilt Festival in Korea", April 22 – 24, 2017), sponsored by the CQA (Corea Quilting Association), where as a featured artist she not only exhibited but also taught (a one-day Construction Techniques workshop) and lectured. See photos below. Everyone was so wonderful, welcoming, and friendly; certainly the conference folks, but also – as an example – getting lost after wandering around Seoul and having absolute strangers taking her by-the-hand and getting her to the (correct) subway line. And so many beautiful, small, very thoughtful, hand-made presents and gifts given to Denise by many of the attendees.
The quality of the art was absolutely top notch. It is a well-established, medium sized show – thus very approachable – and all of the selected work (primarily from Korean quilters) was of the highest quality. The CQA was a great and caring host, and ran a very well managed show. Quilting is alive and thriving in South Korea! Thank-you to all involved.
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Flying back from Seoul, before going home (to Colorado) Denise took a detour to Lincoln, Nebraska to attend the 2017 SAQA Annual Conference. Here she is (very jet-lagged) presenting an overview about her approach to quilting and her body of work at the conference’s banquet.
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"Cathedral Arch at Glendalough" (completed April, 2017)
38" wide x 50" high (97 x 127 cm)
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In both 2017 and 2016 Denise was the subject of multiple feature magazine articles. In 2017, Denise and her art were profiled in Quilt Italia (Association Nazionale di Patchwork), the Italian National Quilt Guild's quarterly magazine, and in Art Quilt Collector (Issue #6), a quarterly SAQA publication (she was a previous SAQA Featured Artist back in May, 2012). In 2016, feature articles were similarly published in four major international quilting and fiber art publications – Burda Patchwork and Quilting Magazine (France and Germany), Magic Patch Magazine (France), Art Quilting Studio Magazine (USA), plus the Corea Quilt Associates (CQA, South Korea) semi-annual national newsletter.
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By the way, for a fun and "historical" (2007) perspective of Denise and her work, take a look at The Quilt Show.com on-line video, #106 (subscription required); Denise was one of the very first The Quilt Show guest artists profiled in this now decade-long video series.
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Late in 2016 Denise was a featured artist and instructor at the 2nd Annual 2016 China International Patchwork Invitational Tournament and Patchwork Arts Show, held in Beijing. This is a major new Asian exhibition highlighting both domestic (Chinese) and a select number of international quilt artists. The Chinese love patchwork and quilting (they showed some amazing and innovative quilts, plus some truly astonishing stitch work), and intend to make this show into a major international showcase – they are eager to share their country's fantastic breadth of quilting (the show highlighted work from many of its indigenous regions and peoples), very much want to learn about new techniques and approaches (particularly the innovative use and application of color), wish to meet and interact with other quilters and, in general, want to become mainstream and active members of the growing international quilting and fiber arts family.
In addition to exhibiting and teaching (working with in-country students was one of the highlights of the trip), Denise also joined other invited international attendees – from Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Portugal, and the USA – in jurying the exhibition's multiple quilt competitions.
Befitting its pending importance as a key quilting venue, the exhibition was held at Beijing's International Design Center. Show management were the most cordial and welcoming of hosts, bending over backwards to make the trip truly memorable (as did their wonderful interpreters). Denise was honored to be an early invitee and participant.
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Denise's participation as a featured artist – with ten quilts – at the 22nd European Patchwork Meeting and Exposition (Le Carrefour European du Patchwork), September 14–18, 2016, in Sainte Marie Aux Mines, France, was a fantastic experience and success. This most prestigious of all continental European quilt exhibitions hosts 20,000+ worldwide visitors each year, completely "taking over" three adjacent villages within the Alsace's lovely Val d'Argent. It was both wonderful and overwhelming for Denise to be an invited exhibitor at this most remarkable of fiber art events; the significant positive feedback from the many visitors purposefully seeking out her exhibit was also rather stunning.