Michele Lecrivain

Coloring inside the lines was never for her - nor were the ordinary restrictions and rules of conventional art. Though her father refused to let her study art in school, Michele continued to experiment with drawing, painting and sculpting. She carved linoleum blocks to make her own illustrations of books, and thought of her efforts mostly as leisure fun until the day she and her husband, Julien, began their printing business in 1978. Since graphic design was less dirty than running the presses, Michele began her eighteen year career as a typesetter and graphic artist. Designing a variety of things such as logos, business cards, ads, posters and pamphlets caused her to become a more disciplined and craftsman-like artist, as every day was a practical lesson in art.

Among her leisure arts was Micheleās journey into quilting in 1973. Since no one in her family quilted, she purchased the only two how-to book she could find and began stitching. By the time she closed her printing business after he husbandās death, nearly every family member had received at least one bed quilt. In 1996 she joined the Santa Clarita Valley Quilt Guild, and by 1997 began thinking of quilting as her new art form after taking a guild sponsored workshop from David Walker.

Each year, Michele makes twenty to thirty quilts that mostly fall into the traditional quilting category. These are donated to several charities, with a few as gifts for family and friends. The remainder are art pieces, with many being used as fundraisers (auctioned or opportunity quilts) for many good causes including the William S. Hart High School Band program, the Boys and Girls Club.

Since 1997, Micheleās art quilts have consistently won annual quilt guild awards in several artistic categories. Other quilts made in collaboration with Pam Jenner have been juried into national competition, and placed in local government offices.