Artist Sheila Collins is a Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival veteran. The Sunnyvale resident is scheduled to participate in the event this weekend for the fourth year, once again displaying her vibrant fabric art.
Her art is filled with color and dimension. Collins said many of her pieces are near and dear to her heart, and she hopes to share them with everyone who stops by her booth.
Collins recently gained national exposure, after her piece “Island Pleasures” was published in the summer edition of the how-to magazine Stitch.
The Town Crier’s interview with Collins follows.
Q: How did you first become interested in sewing?
Collins: I had the pleasure of growing up surrounded by creative women who sewed. My mom and my grandmothers were accomplished sewers. My mom taught me how to sew when I was 7 years old, and it’s been a constant in my life ever since.
Q: What do you aim to achieve through your art?
Collins: To share my love of color and design. Colors speak to me, motivate me and make me feel good. I do believe that colors affect people in a positive way, and I see this when people are viewing my art. People smile – a lot – and this makes me smile.
Q: What are your favorite pieces?
Collins: I do have some sentimental favorites. “Afternoon Sail on Kailua Bay” was inspired by my youth. I have happy memories of sailing in the family’s Sunfish sailboat with my dad and brothers at Kailua Beach on Oahu. A beautiful beach protected by a reef, it’s popular for sailing, canoeing, windsurfing and kite sailing.
The sun is another favorite subject of mine, because there are so many wonderful ways to represent it. In “Sassy Sun,” the sun gets her sassiness from the Swarovski crystals on her eyelashes and the covered buttons for cheeks. There are also covered buttons on her swirls.
I love flowers – the brighter the better. My personal favorites are Gerbera daisies and dahlias. When working on “Bloomin’ Beauties,” I wanted to create big, playful blooms that I might find in my “perfect” garden. My backyard garden is a source of pleasure and surprises, so I thought that it was appropriate to include the ladybug as a pleasant surprise.
Q: Has your work changed since you first began creating art?
Collins: Yes, it has. I am continually experimenting and trying new designs and construction techniques. This keeps it fresh and interesting for me – and those who like my art.
Q: Are there any special pieces you will be showing at the Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival?
Collins: I am working on larger format pieces for the show and some landscape scenes. I invite everyone to stop by and see what’s new.
Q: How many Los Altos Arts & Wine Festivals have you participated in?
Collins: This will be my fourth summer doing this festival. I have also participated in the Los Altos Fall Festival and the Rotary Club of Los Altos’ Fine Art in the Park.
Q: Will you be selling the same art pieces at other events – such as the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival (Sept. 6-7) and the Los Altos Fall Festival (Oct. 4-5) – or will there be different selections?
Collins: I strive to have new pieces of art at each show. My body of work for the season goes with me from show to show. For popular designs, I will make additional pieces using different fabrics to keep them fresh and unique.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share that explains you and/or your artwork?
Collins: My art combines my background in fashion design and graphic design and my love of sewing and quilting to produce fabric art that is dimensional, bright, cheerful and fun. I enjoy sharing my story and art with others, and juried art festivals are great ways to do this. I love the atmosphere and energy of these shows. I also do commissioned work.
For more information, visit Collins’ Facebook page at facebook.com/SCFineArt. m
