Maria Billings, Artist

email: or:

USA: 650.269-2578 or: 530.692-9012

The art quilts in this group include text and/or are related to poetry.

All art quilts in this gallery are for sale. Discounts when you purchase more than one piece.

Please click on the overview image of each piece for detailed information.

Italian Souvenirs

Italian Souvenir

Art quilt, 56 x 42.5", 142 x 108cm,
$4,400.00
Souvenirs from multiple trips in Italy, both calendar and fashion yarns, combine in this joyful mixed-media art quilt.
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Milano

Detail of Milan
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Venezia

Detail of Venice
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Sienna

Detail of Sienna
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Firenze

Detail of Florence, Italy
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Orvieto

Detail of Orvieto, Italy
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Orvieto side view

This side view shows the materials: Upcycled paper calendar and plate dividers, nylon tull, over-painted commercial cotton front, recycled fleece blanket, textile crayons and fashion yarns

Italian Souvenir Roma

Three details of Rome: Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, and Coliseum
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Trevi Fountain

Who hasn't heard of the Trevi Fountain in Rome?
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir

Art quilt, 56 x 42.5", 142 x 108cm,
$4,400.00
Souvenirs from multiple trips in Italy, both calendar and fashion yarns, combine in this joyful mixed-media art quilt.
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Milano

Detail of Milan
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Venezia

Detail of Venice
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Sienna

Detail of Sienna
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Firenze

Detail of Florence, Italy
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Orvieto

Detail of Orvieto, Italy
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Orvieto side view

This side view shows the materials: Upcycled paper calendar and plate dividers, nylon tull, over-painted commercial cotton front, recycled fleece blanket, textile crayons and fashion yarns

Italian Souvenir Roma

Three details of Rome: Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, and Coliseum
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Italian Souvenir Trevi Fountain

Who hasn't heard of the Trevi Fountain in Rome?
Photo by Visual Simplicity

Made and Found in Paris (exhibited as part of "Made in Europe II":

August 2017: Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham, UK
West County Quilt and Textile Show, UK
and other venues

Found and Made in Paris

Art quilt, 27.5 x 39.5"
$1,900.00
Entirely made by hand;
See my blog for details of the journey

Paris - Top left

Having that bubbly feeling
(The contrasting black-and-white calico was bought in Paris.)

Paris Eiffel-Tower

The Eiffel tower glitters at night.

Found Made in Paris - center

The central transition between the small quilts has lots of French Knots.

Paris - WIP

With the tree that served as model

Paris - our entrance

The quilt shows the tree and the little piece of sky that we could see from our ground-floor apartment.

Paris - Transition

Detail of hand-stitching and embroidery

Paris - Transition 2

Detail with embellishments

Paris - the Seine, stitched

The river Seine has many colors, hand-quilted with cotton thread.

Paris is Blooming

Expressing the joy of being in Paris with little found items, like bus ticket, cut-out labels and paper snippets

Paris - Ribbon of the bouquet

Finally, tying it all together

Found and Made in Paris

Art quilt, 27.5 x 39.5"
$1,900.00
Entirely made by hand;
See my blog for details of the journey

Paris - Top left

Having that bubbly feeling
(The contrasting black-and-white calico was bought in Paris.)

Paris Eiffel-Tower

The Eiffel tower glitters at night.

Found Made in Paris - center

The central transition between the small quilts has lots of French Knots.

Paris - WIP

With the tree that served as model

Paris - our entrance

The quilt shows the tree and the little piece of sky that we could see from our ground-floor apartment.

Paris - Transition

Detail of hand-stitching and embroidery

Paris - Transition 2

Detail with embellishments

Paris - the Seine, stitched

The river Seine has many colors, hand-quilted with cotton thread.

Paris is Blooming

Expressing the joy of being in Paris with little found items, like bus ticket, cut-out labels and paper snippets

Paris - Ribbon of the bouquet

Finally, tying it all together

Time

Time

Art quilt (39 x 24), $1,700.00

Our human view of TIME is complex. It ranges from the confusion of time (free-format quilting) to time being measured and sequential (appliqué + even quilting lines), from time as opportunity to experiencing the four seasons in cyclical time.

Time, opportunity

"Time is no longer a hindrance but the means of making actual what is potential." Confucius saying describes the piece and the text is an integral part of it.

Time, Butterfly

Time, 4 seasons

The hand-painted four seasons depict how in my garden each season actualizes its potential.

Time, Frame

The felt frame is appliquéd and machine-quilted.

Time

Art quilt (39 x 24), $1,700.00

Our human view of TIME is complex. It ranges from the confusion of time (free-format quilting) to time being measured and sequential (appliqué + even quilting lines), from time as opportunity to experiencing the four seasons in cyclical time.

Time, opportunity

"Time is no longer a hindrance but the means of making actual what is potential." Confucius saying describes the piece and the text is an integral part of it.

Time, Butterfly

Time, 4 seasons

The hand-painted four seasons depict how in my garden each season actualizes its potential.

Time, Frame

The felt frame is appliquéd and machine-quilted.

Walt Whitman (exhibited 2017 "Springtime in the Pines", PTQG, Grass Valley, CA)

Walt Whitman

Art quilt, 24 x 40",
$1,800.00
Drawing, lettering, and quilting by hand on super-light, transparent, 3-layered fabric
Photographed against a white background

Walt Whitman, black

Photographed against a black background

Walt Whitman, Detail

Leaves of Grass (exhibited 2017 "Springtime in the Pines", PTQG, Grass Valley, CA)

Leaves of Grass

Grass, 2 layers: Interactive art quilt, 24 X 40",
$1,800.00
Painting and quilting by hand on super-light, transparent, 3-layered fabric

Leaves of Grass, 2nd layer

This image shows you what you can see when you lift the first layer.

Leaves of Grass, first layer

Walt Whitman: “I loafe and invite my soul. I lean and loaf at my ease observing a spear of summer grass."
To capture this floating, airy experience, the transparent quilt is wider at the bottom to fall into soft pleads.

Leaves of Grass, Detail

Imprisoned Hunger

Imprisoned Hunger

Art quilt
39 x 39', $2,900.00
Ribbons, machine-quilted on black velvet
Batting and backing: black felt

Detail with border and letter "H"

Letter "U"

Letter "N"

Letter "E"

Letter "R" with signature

Imprisoned Hunger, ribbon detail

Machine-quilted with silver-colored thread

Imprisoned Hunger

Art quilt
39 x 39', $2,900.00
Ribbons, machine-quilted on black velvet
Batting and backing: black felt

Detail with border and letter "H"

Letter "U"

Letter "N"

Letter "E"

Letter "R" with signature

Imprisoned Hunger, ribbon detail

Machine-quilted with silver-colored thread