About Ellen

I started quilting in 2010, continuing in my mother's footsteps. She preferred traditional quilts but I was always drawn to contemporary designs, especially ones awash in vibrant colors. After spending a couple of years learning by following patterns I soon wanted to make my own designs. I mostly work with batik fabric and several years ago I started incorporating macramé into my quilts. I’m now having great fun exploring the additional creative options afforded by mixing materials. 

Many of my quilts are inspired by architecture or nature. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around the world (38 countries and counting!) and I find inspiration in the vast diversity of natural and built environments across different regions of the world.

I spent my career designing technology and studying how people use it. I now use many of those skills in my artwork — generating ideas based on my observations of the world, incorporating design feedback from others, and iterating on the design until it really works. When I make quilts for others, I love including them in the design process so that the result is a collaborative creation. My favorite quilts are those that evolved into something quite different from my original idea.

It feels good to know that my quilts will long outlive any technology I've ever designed.