Creative Professional: Amy Hodge

Amy Hodge is a native Kentuckian transplanted to Northern California, who began her career as a scientist and now spends most of her days amidst fabric, thread, bobbins and needles. Quilting began as a hobby for Amy, and she loved the improvisational style of quilter Denyse Schmidt, who taught in the Summer of Making in 2009. Amy returned home following that class with a new perspective on quilting and is in the process of translating her passion for fabric and quilt design into a creative business focused on retailing her original quilts and quilt patterns. She is passionate about the modern quilting movement and is working to place her own unique stamp on contemporary quilt design. We are thrilled that Amy is returning to Portland this summer to take part in Heather Ross‘ fabric design course, where she and the rest of the students in this (fully-subscribed) workshop will learn how to create their own fabric line and prepare it for digital printing.

We recently caught up with Amy, and she shared with us her vision for her fledgling business, her love of textiles and her excitement about returning to Portland for another unique Summer of Making fiber arts workshop.

Tell us about your art—you’re a quilter who has started designing as well?

I’m one of those people who get a lot of satisfaction out of making something with my hands. I’ve been sewing on and off since I was in high school and started quilting a few years ago. I really love the design aspect of the work. I love putting together fabrics and combining colors, textures, values, and scale to achieve a look. My designs tend to be bold and graphic, as opposed to fussy (“groovy yet classy” is how I think of them). I have always had this issue with wanting things to be practical or functional. (I’m constantly thinking, “Nice, but what would I do with that?”) Art for the sake of art is great, but a lot of people can’t afford to spend money on things that are just pretty. I’d like to think that what I make is functional art. I try to design great quilts that people will actually want to use on their beds. I’ve been working away feverishly on my company web site at www.amyalamode.com and will launch it shortly I’m planning to publish quilt patterns in addition to selling my own quilts.

Looking at your wonderful website, it looks like heirloom quilts, especially from your native Kentucky are a passion of yours. Can you share a bit about your interest in your quilting heritage?

I love that many of my family members were quilters. My family all came from rural parts of southeastern Missouri, and quilting seems to be something that all of my relatives just did. We have a lot of really gorgeous quilts from my father’s side of the family, most of which (we think) were made by my great grandmother, Ida Roloff. I never knew her, but by looking at these quilts it seems possible to see into her life. I love imaging what might have been going on in her life for her to choose a particular pattern or particular fabrics. My mother’s mother was also a quilter. She had a completely different style and tended to incorporate a lot of cross-stitching into her quilts. I regret that I didn’t start quilting until after she died and never had a chance to talk to her about why she quilted or what she loved about it. Even my father hand pieced and hand quilted three quilts in the 1980s – skills he learned from my great-grandma Ida. It does seem like quilting is in my blood!

I do enjoy vintage quilts, even though my style these days is fairly different from traditional pieces. Vintage quilts are amazing for the amount of work that went into them. It’s hard for me to imagine having the patience to hand piece and hand quilt a queen-sized quilt! I love looking at old quilts and wondering what occasion prompted someone to make them and why they made the design choices they did. Every quilt is unique, even if made from a standard pattern, and every quilt has a story to tell.

How did Denyse Schmidt’s workshop in the 2009 Summer of Making influence your work?

Denyse’s class was really a turning point for me. I am a scientist by training, so I’ve spent my educational and professional careers working along very rigid and structured guidelines. I was feeling stuck with my creative life because of the constrictions I felt from “following the rules.” Denyse’s class was fabulous in that it allowed me to break free from those rules and just create. Sure, you could say that by studying Denyse’s style you can see that this is how she approaches design. But it was completely different for me to spend two days in that class and just let it all go and experience how limitless the possibilities really are. I realized that I have a valid point of view that is all my own and it’s something from which I can draw on a daily basis. Being able to get away from my usual spaces and responsibilities (since I came in from out-of-town and stayed in a hotel) really helped with this as well. It’s like being on vacation from all the things that normally bog you down, mentally and physically.

You’re coming back to Portland to take Heather Ross’ fabric design workshop this summer—what sparked your interest in learning about fabric design?

In truth, what I’m drawn to is the interplay of color, texture, value, and scale. Quilting is just one way to explore these elements; fabric design is another. I would love to design custom fabrics for my quilts to make them just that little bit more special. Plus, there’s nothing like being able to get exactly the fabric you’re looking for because you’re making it yourself. I’m also a very tactile person and I love the feel of fabrics! Even if I don’t actually design any fabrics after this course, I find it very stimulating and inspiring to sit in a room full of other creative people for three days without any other responsibilities than to be true to your vision. It’s fabulous!

It sounds like there are a number of folks coming to the Summer of Making workshop that you know through the modern quilting community. We’d love to hear a bit more about what distinguishes modern quilting, and how you connect with one another.

As it turns out, there are several bloggers coming to the class this summer. Some of these people I have been conversing with via our blogs for awhile, and some of them I am only just getting to know since I found out they would be attending. The class last year with Denyse was full of really great, fun, supportive people, but I think that knowing more people ahead of time will jump-start the community feeling and the supportive atmosphere. It’s like getting back together with old friends! I also suspect that after we head back home we’ll be able to continue encouraging each other’s fabric design efforts because of the interaction we have through our blogs. You never know, maybe we’ll start up a quilt block swap using fabrics we’ve designed. There are loads of possibilities to keep the creative juices flowing long after the course is over!

In addition to taking the fabric design class during the Summer of Making, is there anything else you’re planning on doing while you’re in Oregon? Any tips for people coming to the class from out-of-town for the first time?

The Denyse Schmidt course last summer was my first visit to Portland, and the course this summer will be my second visit. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time or funds to extend my stay while I’m there so that I can do and see a lot of other things, but last summer I did manage to see the Gee’s Bend quilts at the Elizabeth Leach Gallery and to visit a couple of fabric stores (of course!). This time the main extracurricular activity I’m planning is to visit the Knittn Kitten [a craft supply thrift store]. It sounds like such a fun place! I’d also love to check out the Museum of Contemporary Craft, but that’s tough with being in class all day.

I found Portland really easy to get around when I was there last summer. I stayed in the Northwest neighborhood (at the Inn at Northrup Station) and took MAX, the bus, and the downtown streetcar just about everywhere. This time I’m staying at a B&B out in the Division Neighborhood (Bluebird Guest House) with one or two other bloggers, which promises to be fun!

Author Sarah Moon is a Portland-based writer and communications professional who also teaches in PNCA’s Continuing Education program. Sarah’s writing ranges from a regular technology column in a trade magazine to profiling creative businesswomen to the intricacies of the questionable style choices of NBA players. She is passionate about what she calls “DIY Marketing” and is teaching two such courses in CE, Web Tools and Online Portfolio Workshop.

Shaun Tinney

Can you talk a little about your business and personal background?

I’ve spent the last 5 years designing and developing websites professionally in Portland. I spent 2 years with Opus Creative as a Flash Developer, then joined Substance as the Director of Experimental Projects where I have been ever since.

What led you to into web development?

After studying Multimedia Design at the University of Oregon, I taught myself to program so that I could turn my designs into something functional. I found that I enjoyed writing code just as much as design and layout, and from there it was a short leap to programming professionally.

How do you integrate technology and the communication side of your business?

Every website we build is a form of communication, typically from a business to their clients.

What do you like most about teaching in CE?

It’s a challenge to take something I spend every day doing, and distilling it into something that can be taught to others. The experience of presenting a concept, and having each student reach a point where they understand and can apply the knowledge is a rewarding experience.

How do you use your professional experiences in the classroom?

Being self taught as a programmer has given me plenty of time to take notes on what I wish I’d been told from the beginning. As an instructor, it’s important that every concept I teach is immediately applicable for the students in their own work.

What is your teaching philosophy?

To make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.

Rick Potestio

“PNCA has really great teachers whose work I’ve been looking at in galleries for years, and now I get to work with them. To me, that’s really valuable.” — Rick Potestio

Rick Potestio’s relationship with the college began when he was a child, taking classes at the Museum Art School on Saturdays. Art college was an impressive place, where he would walk down a hallway lined with Classical marble figures on his way to the studio classrooms. Rick is now an architect, working in the residential, commercial and urban design, from galleries Pulliam Deffenbaugh and PDX to restaurants, houses and schools. In Spring 2008, Rick decided to return to where his interests in art began, and took painting. Since then, he hasn’t stopped taking painting at PNCA, and now is hoping to find a studio to become more serious about his work. Rick says he likes taking classes at PNCA, because he isn’t treated like a community student. “You are treated like an art student. It’s doesn’t feel like entertainment and you actually are learning.”

Jefferson Powers

Jefferson is a Graphic Design Certificate Student with an interest in graphic novels. In image from his work appears on page 20 of this summer’s catalog and on the pnca.edu/graphicnovel page.

“Last summer I took the Graphic Novel Intensive at PNCA. I was unable to enroll in the full nine day course, so I just took the first three day section, Drawing Words and Writing Pictures, with Matt Madden and Jessica Abel teaching. I was really struck with how smart and how diverse the other students were, and by the third day of the class I was deeply regretting not taking the entire Intensive. I took it upon myself to collect contact information from everyone in the class, because I knew I wanted to see if I could encourage the other students to finish the projects we outlined in class, and I hoped they would encourage me to do the same. Nine of us met about a month after the class ended, and we resolved to not only finish our graphic stories but to publish them. Five months later our book, INTENSE: Tales From the 2008 PNCA Graphic Novel Intensive, was on the shelves in several local comic book stores, with graphic work by eight of us from the class and an introduction by Matt and Jessica.”

Faculty Profile: Fritz Liedtke

How long have you been teaching at PNCA?
Six years

What is your specialization?
Photography

What is your arts education?
I have a BFA from PNCA

Where have you exhibited, do you have work in collections, and what exhibits do you have planned?
It’s a long list. You can see my CV on my fine art website .

Has your work been published or have you published articles, reviews, interviews?
Yes, many times. I photograph for magazines, have had my fine art work featured in magazines, and have images in several books. Perhaps my favorite was the 18 page spread of my series Welcome to Wonderland, in LensWork magazine.

Is there a particular life experience you bring to your teaching?
I love what I do. I’ve been photographing since I was in junior high, and the passion has only grown in the intervening years. So when I come to teach, I’m bringing to the classroom my passion for and experience in both fine art and commercial photography. Combine that with a love of teaching, and my students seem to think it’s a pretty good mix. We have a really good time together.

What is your work background?
I’ve been a photographer for 20 years. I’ve owned my own photography business for 8 years. I have also worked in graphic design, and I invest in real estate.

Who are your artists of influence?
Mary Ellen Mark
Bosch and Breugel
Keith Carter
Milton Rogovin
Arnold Newman

What is your teaching philosophy/methodology?
I mix technical instruction with a lot of hands-on in-class experience. I love questions. We joke around a lot. I give a lot of open-ended assignments that allow the students to experiment with and ingrain the lessons, using their own equipment and style. We create cool images together.

What are your goals as an instructor?
I want my students to leave my class with more excitement, insight, and options than they came in with. Especially in Continuing Education, students take my class because they are already interested in and pursuing the subject matter. I want to answer the burning questions they bring to the class. I want to give them a solid technical foundation so they know how to achieve the images they imagine. And I also want to help them see that there is far more they could do with the medium—technically and aesthetically—than they ever imagined.

What are your goals as an artist?
To tell powerful stories through personal images.

Fritz’s work can be seen online:

Fine Art

Portrait, Wedding

Editorial, Travel, Documentary

Blog

Jeffrey Baker

Jeffrey Baker had been looking for a creative experience to compliment his work. A BFA graduate of Oregon College of Arts and Craft, and a teacher of sixth through eighth-grade students at Swallowtail School in Hillsboro, Jeffrey felt the Certificate Program in Graphic Design might “harken back to those fun days,” in high school, when he was developing his love of design and enjoyed laying out the school newspaper. He describes himself as the type of person who likes to put things together carefully, from his studies at OCAC, and enjoys employing his careful nature into design.
“Exploring graphic design offers me another creative outlet, as well as a way to better understand the cultural landscape,” he said. I’ve been able to very practically apply what I’ve learned at PNCA for a variety of personal promotional projects related to my studio art practice as well as take on jobs over the summer for a few different clients.”
Jeffrey said that he enjoys the high expectations from instructors. “They allow for creative leniency, but are demanding,” he said. This is helpful, because there is nothing easy about getting a job in the arts.”

Faculty Profile: Anna Fidler

When and how did you get started in painting?

I attended Interlochen Arts Academy in High School and majored in Visual Arts and Creative Writing. I then studied French and Art History in Paris at the Alliance Francaise. I had great opportunities to look at art in major museums. In Paris I set up a small painting studio in my residence. Since then I have continued to paint regularly.

With the many forms of technology and mediums that has been introduced over the last century, why do you choose painting?

I have also worked with film, music, and installation. I always return to painting though. I like the physicality of paint.

What do you find most exciting about the art world today, and in the world of painting?

I am interested in contemporary figurative painting. I am excited about new ways of portraying the figure, borrowing from the past, and exploring new interpretations.

What makes Portland attractive to you the artist?

The cost of living. Having moved back to Portland from Los Angeles I value the vast amount of studio space one can have at relatively low cost. There are a lot of new galleries/exhibition spaces opening up here that provide great opportunities for emerging artists.

What do you like about teaching art?

I enjoy spontaneity. I feel that in the creative arts there is an element of chance in the classroom; mistakes can become important achievements and experimentation is applauded. I like this acknowledgment and affirmation of the unexpected.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I encourage my students to see and think critically in our visually saturated culture. I cultivate a sense of community in a dynamic class atmosphere and see the classroom as a kind of art laboratory for continual experiments.

What advice would you give to an adult student who is just starting in painting and drawing?

I would encourage them to consider their entire life experience as a build up to this moment. That everything they have done in life externally of art will inform their practice and to use this vital and exciting knowledge as a tool.

Elizabeth Schwartz

When Elizabeth Schwartz moved to Portland from Idaho two years ago, she hadn’t practiced any fine arts in the past. She decided to take a Continuing Education studio class at PNCA. Beginning Painting was the only class with a vacancy that suited her level. Since then, Elizabeth hasn’t stopped painting and hasn’t stopped taking classes. She has been enjoying the unstructured nature of the Painting Atelier class on Saturdays with Stephen Mauldin. In Fall 2008, she was allowed to join the painting thesis class at PSU, and is looking forward to showing at Urban Grind this winter.