Gems & Joy: The Diamond Quilts of MJ Kinman
The most beautiful gemstone captures light and reflects it back to us with unique brilliance, revealing its fiery personality. These are the divas and the drama queens of the gem world. Every one of them has a story to tell…just like people. This slide lecture and trunk show will chronicle MJ Kinman’s story – her 20-year adventure in learning how to create the biggest diamonds in the world in cloth.
In addition to showing the diamond quilts, she will talk about how she selects gems that qualify as “divas and drama queens'' and what they teach us about how to add sparkle to any art quilt. She will also talk about the techniques to create and assemble the hundreds of pieces in each diamond, materials she uses to create the wash of color and light across a gem's surface, and the quilting techniques that enhance a gem's facets.
MJ Kinman makes the biggest diamonds in the world. The adventure started 22 years ago when an image of a gorgeous gem captured her imagination. As a new quiltmaker, she was unsure how to transform that image into a quilt but knew there had to be a way. She began searching for the right techniques and, seven years later, made my first gem. Her latest series, entitled “Bourbon Diamonds” celebrates Kentucky’s favorite spirit. MJ’s current series is based on the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and national competitions. The National Quilt Museum (Paducah, KY) is planning an exhibit in 2020. Her gems have been featured in print and online publications such as Quiltfolk, Quilting Arts Magazine, France Patchwork, McCall’s Quilting, Make Modern Magazine, and Online Quilting Magazine and she has appeared on Quilting Arts TV and The Quilt Show.com with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims.
Her gems are included in private and corporate collections, including Maker’s Mark Distillery. Her first pattern series, The Birthstone Series, is a collection of 12 blocks representing the traditional birthstone gems and her latest series is the Diamond Divas Series featuring large diamond quilt patterns inspired by women. In addition, she designs fabric for Northcott and is a BERNINA Brand Ambassador. For more information, please visit her website and social media sites below:
Website: www.MJKinman.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/mjkinmantextileartist
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/mjkinman709
In addition to showing the diamond quilts, she will talk about how she selects gems that qualify as “divas and drama queens'' and what they teach us about how to add sparkle to any art quilt. She will also talk about the techniques to create and assemble the hundreds of pieces in each diamond, materials she uses to create the wash of color and light across a gem's surface, and the quilting techniques that enhance a gem's facets.
MJ Kinman makes the biggest diamonds in the world. The adventure started 22 years ago when an image of a gorgeous gem captured her imagination. As a new quiltmaker, she was unsure how to transform that image into a quilt but knew there had to be a way. She began searching for the right techniques and, seven years later, made my first gem. Her latest series, entitled “Bourbon Diamonds” celebrates Kentucky’s favorite spirit. MJ’s current series is based on the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and national competitions. The National Quilt Museum (Paducah, KY) is planning an exhibit in 2020. Her gems have been featured in print and online publications such as Quiltfolk, Quilting Arts Magazine, France Patchwork, McCall’s Quilting, Make Modern Magazine, and Online Quilting Magazine and she has appeared on Quilting Arts TV and The Quilt Show.com with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims.
Her gems are included in private and corporate collections, including Maker’s Mark Distillery. Her first pattern series, The Birthstone Series, is a collection of 12 blocks representing the traditional birthstone gems and her latest series is the Diamond Divas Series featuring large diamond quilt patterns inspired by women. In addition, she designs fabric for Northcott and is a BERNINA Brand Ambassador. For more information, please visit her website and social media sites below:
Website: www.MJKinman.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/mjkinmantextileartist
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/mjkinman709