Bits ‘n’ Pieces: Battle Ground quilter pieces together artistry
By Sue Vorenberg
Published: January 23, 2015, 4:00pm
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"Healing I" quilt by Melisse LaingPhoto Gallery
If you think quilting is only about creating bedspreads, then the work of Melisse Laing might open your eyes to a new world.
Laing, 75, of Battle Ground has been a professional quilt artist for 35 years. And her colorful, textured work will be on display over the next month at three Clark County venues.
“Quilting is a legitimate artistic medium,” Laing said. “It’s not accepted as fine art in many galleries and museums, but that’s a battle we’ve been fighting as quilters for years.”
Laing became fascinated with the medium after taking a quilting class. Her love of the form began as a hobby but grew into something much more complex, she said.
“I’ve sewn for most of my life,” Laing said. “I don’t come from a family of quilters. But I grew intrigued by it. And I decided they look much better on the wall than they do on me.”
Laing often dyes her own fabrics with Procion dyes to get the perfect colors and textures for her carefully planned designs.
“A lot of my work is abstract,” Laing said. “I’m inspired by color, by the work of artists in other mediums, particularly fused glass.”
Laing’s latest series, “Sticks and Lines,” came about through her classes with renowned national quilter Nancy Crow, who teaches workshops across the country.
“She challenged me,” Laing said. “It’s an experiment with creating a foreground, middle and background through color with different levels all working together. Things fade into or come out of the background based on the lightness or darkness of the fabric.”
Some pieces from the series will be on display through March at the Public Service Center’s Sixth Floor Gallery, 1300 Franklin St. in Vancouver. And Laing will be at the site during the Feb. 6 First Friday Art Walk from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to talk about the series.
Laing also has three quilts in an exhibition at North Bank Gallery, 1005 Main St., which will be shown Feb. 4 to Feb. 28. Her use of color and texture are especially evident in her work “Healing I,” which will be part of that show.
And she has four quilts hanging in a congregational show at Battle Ground Community United Methodist Church through the end of January.
Clark County actually has a very vibrant quilting scene, she added.
Bonnie Bucknam, Barbara Sizemore and Lynn Czaban are just a few notable quilters in the area. There are many more both here and in Portland, Laing said.
“There are lots of artists in Vancouver, Clark County,” Laing said.
Laing is also a member of the Contemporary QuiltArt Association in Seattle.
For those interested in experimenting with the medium, she suggests taking a class.
“I started with a book, but there weren’t a lot of classes available then,” Laing said.
