My professional career was spent in education as a mathematics teacher. While teaching, I was always interested in connections between mathematics and different art forms. One, in particular, was my study of Islamic art because of its dependence on hexagons, squares and pentagons. Another was  constructing polyhedra with my students.

In  my private life, I have always been involved with fabric projects of various kinds. These include personal sewing, decorating and quilting. Additionally, I have also explored other artistic venues such as creating wall murals and faux finishing walls and furniture. During my teaching career, I took some courses in drawing, oil painting and graphic design. Having recently retired from teaching, I now have more time to pursue my interest in artistic ventures.

After taking a course in fabric collage taught by Debbie Jones two years ago, I discovered a unique and exciting medium that combined my interests and talents, as well as allowing me to take advantage of my huge “stash“ of fabrics. My work may be described as “painting with fabric”. Each piece has been inspired by natural scenes, many of them of Placitas and other New Mexico locations. Some have been seashore scenes from a summer community in Massachusetts where I have shown my work with some success. I have been commissioned to do scenes of interest in this location. I have also done scenes of golf courses and I have recently begun to work from wild flowers in the Placitas area and am constantly looking for new sources of inspiration.

All my works are original and one-of-a-kind, appropriately matted and framed. In January 2007, I  will be exhibiting in the Placitas Artists Series at the Presbyterian Church show.

—Ellie Balco