Laurie Russman – NeonKitty Quilts

Thanks for stopping by! I’m Laurie Russman of NeonKitty Quilts, a fiber artist who creates unique textile art in vivid colors inspired by photographs. My favorite themes are animals, nature and travel…and my iPad is my sketchbook. (You can find lots of detailed project instruction by clicking on the featured blog post photos.) Most of my work is raw-edged appliqué enhanced with lots and lots of thread…and touches of fabric ink and other fun tools in my art supply drawers. You may notice a certain black cat appearing in, umm, lots of my work…Jackson is my muse and studio manager ;).

There are 3 series that have taken on their own lives: my Joy Quilt Project (began during the pandemic, an extensive series of 6″ square studies of everyday joys), the Jackson’s House series (see the current issue of AQS for a story about that one…14″ scenes of home in different seasons, holidays, moods) and the Cats in Art History series (see photo above for the Matisse piece in process…each quilt is a fat quarter-sized depiction of the boys in the worlds of famous artists ;)). I love to share my process in my fave fiber art magazines- look for me in Art Quilting Studio, A Needle Pulling Thread and Germany’s Patchwork Professional to read about these series and other work!

Recent media:

CBS Sunday Morning, April 18 featured my “Dawn at the Embarcadero”!

Featured Artist in Uppercase Encyclopedia of Inspiration 

 

Biography:

A frequent teacher at IQF’s Open Studios and the beloved City Quilter in NYC, Laurie appeared in Series 2000 and 2100 of Quilting Arts TV on PBS. Laurie is a frequent contributor to Art Quilting Studio 🇺🇸, A Needle Pulling Thread 🇨🇦, and Patchwork Professional 🇩🇪 magazines. Her art quilts have been juried into International Quilt Festival in Houston, AQS QuiltWeek Paducah and the National Juried Show at Quilt Canada.

Laurie is a two-time Aurifil Artisan, devoted MistyFuse fan and frequent collaborator with Windham Fabrics. She blogs frequently about projects featuring these amazing threads, fabrics and effects made possible by the best fusible web!

She is a former board member of the Quilt Alliance and is an enthusiastic member of SAQA.

Recent Articles:

“Curved Leaf Coaster,” Quilting Arts Holiday special issue 2015

“Pet-Lique Postcards,” The Canadian Quilter Magazine, Summer 2015 🇨🇦

“Pet Portraits With a Twist,” Quilting Arts Magazine, August/September 2016

“Going 3-D! Adding Depth and Texture to Your Art Quilts,” Quilting Arts Magazine December 2016/January 2017

“Ink and Thread Portraits,” Quilting Arts Magazine February/March 2017

“Add Some Heat With Thermal Mode,”  Quilting Arts Magazine December 2017/January 2018

“What Makes a House a Home…Quilt,” Quilting Arts Magazine October/November 2018

Quilted – Volume Q, Encyclopedia of Inspiration, edited by Janine Vangool, published 2019…featured quilter

“The Night Garden,” Art Quilting Studio magazine Winter 2020

”A Special Artistic Collaboration,” Quilting Arts Magazine April/May 2020, interview with Vivika Hansen DeNegre

”Joyspotting,” Art Quilting Studio magazine Summer 2020

“The Daily Joy Quilt Project,” Art Quilting Studio magazine Autumn 2020

Artist Interview and Workshop, Patchwork Professional magazine Autumn 2020 🇩🇪

“The Anniversary Tree,” Art Quilting Studio Spring 2021 

“Technical Lesson,” Simply Moderne Issue 24 🇫🇷 

 “Das Haus am Teich,” patCHquilt Bulletin Nr. 129 🇨🇭

  “Nature Dreams in Color,” Art Quilting Studio Autumn 2021

  ”On Steichen’s Pond – Wall Quilt,” A Needle Pulling Thread Issue 59 🇨🇦 

  “Scuba Cat! Wall Quilt” & “Starfish Joy Quilt Square,” A Needle Pulling Thread Issue 60 🇨🇦

 TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

International Quilt Festival Houston “Open Studios” 2014, 2015, 2018

Frequent classes at The City Quilter, NYC: Pet Postcards, Small Pet Portrait, Map of Your Heart, Bright City Tote Bag (2014-2016)

Class at Sew Inspired, Simsbury, CT: Heart of the Home quilt project (2018)

JURIED EXHIBITS:

“Neon Kitty” – ‘Raining Cats and Dogs’ Special Exhibit, International Quilt Festival Houston 2013 and National Juried Show, Quilt Canada 2015

“Coffee at 35,000 Feet” – SAQA Redirecting the Ordinary (premiered at IQF Houston 2014, travelled in US and abroad for 2 years)

“Unforgiven” – ‘Raining Cats and Dogs’ Special Exhibit, International Quilt Festival Houston 2014

“Heart Cat” – National Juried Show, Quilt Canada 2016

“On Chalburn Road” – World of Beauty, International Quilt Festival Houston 2016

“The Night Garden” – National Juried Show, Quilt Canada 2019