FEATURED ARTIST JERI BEITEL

Welcome to the first Featured Artist article.  This is the place to get to know your fellow-artists in New Mexico. I send an artist a series of five questions which they answer and then send back to me along with pictures of their work and themselves.

Our Featured Artist is Jeri Beitel.

Jeri lives in Santa Fe and here is what she has to say about herself and her art.

What is your art background?

I have a degree in Art and Interior Design and a Master's in Interior Design from Cal. State U. Long Beach. I also have a Master's in Art History from Cal State U. Fullerton. I taught Interior Design and other related Design subjects at Fullerton Community College for 30 years.

What inspires you?

My inspiration comes from modern art, architecture and people. Shapes and forms are the first thing that comes to my mind when creating my art. I like the element of strong color and that is always a consideration. Much of my art has an underlying meaning. I think this developed over time and was formed by themes that were required when entering and showing in art and quilt exhibits.

What is your most significant art-related achievement?

As a Fiber Artist and Art Quilt creator I am most proud of the fact that I have been able to show my quilts in states such as Hawaii, California and New Mexico. In New Mexico I have found the opportunities to show to be diverse and many. My latest achievement was a one-man show at the Las Chivas Coffee Shop in El Dorado which drew many positive comments. In the past I have also been able to show in such venues as the Capitol Building in Santa Fe as well as the new Community Center there. All of this great exposure is an incentive to continue to create and improve the quality of my work.

What do you love most about your medium?

What I love most about Art Quilts is that it allows me to create in a medium that is related to design, all the  while using the art elements in a diverse and different way. The creation of Art Quilts opens up so many possibilities in the use of any medium that you might ever want to explore.

What’s on the horizon?

After the next few local exhibit opportunities I would like to focus on trying my hand at some of the national exhibits. In doing that, I will have to focus more on the sewing skills that are needed to be successful in that endeavor.

Here are pictures of Jeri's studio and her art for your enjoyment. Thanks Jeri for taking the time to share yourself with us. You may see more of Jeri's work at her website www.colorway-design.com.
Debbie McNeill, Feature Artist Editor