Exeter Fine Crafts is pleased to present Cheryl Z. Miller as our July Artist of the Month. Creating fabric collages from hand dyed cottons, batiks, vintage fabrics and the occasional paper element, Cheryl’s work is an eclectic mix of old and new, traditional and contemporary.

Considered more embroidery than traditional quilting, Cheryl’s work highlights the natural edges of the fiber, adding depth and dimension to her work. With subject matters that range from florals and landscapes to still lifes and the abstract, Cheryl begins each piece with an idea and selection of fabrics. Relying on the value and patterns of the fiber, Cheryl arranges each piece to begin creating her motif. In addition to the fabric, Cheryl uses a sewing machine to further accentuate each piece, adding accent lines or details not easily captured by the fiber alone.

Graduating from Hope College with a BA in Art History, Cheryl also studied studio art and was a plein air oil painter for many years. After learning traditional quilt making when she moved to New Hampshire in 1996, she became drawn to creating fabric collages. A celebration of nature, color and history, Cheryl’s work is easily relatable, yet unique. A juried member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and the New Hampshire Art Association, Cheryl exhibits her work mostly in New England.

Please join us on Saturday, July 13th between 12 and 3 pm, when Cheryl will be here demonstrating her embroidery techniques. Exeter Fine Crafts is located at 61 Water Street in downtown Exeter. Stop by Monday through Saturday 10-5:30, or Sunday 12-4. Call 603-778-8282 for more information.