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Denise Labadie

About Me

Favorite Medium: fibers/textiles
Statement: I have always been drawn to Ireland. My great grandmother came to the U.S. from Ireland in 1888, and my initial visit in 1991 affirmed a deep connection. While planning a second visit that I first saw a picture of the Piper Stones, a stone circle in Co. Wicklow, that sent shivers through me. Upon returning to Ireland I immediately sought them out. These stones – and later, many others – “talk to me”, and I’ve been focused ever since on finding new stones and using my art to convey the essence of these continuing communications – and, in particular, the interplay between these haunting structures and the Irish landscape. I have since come to similarly revere the country’s more recent monastic ruins.
Bibliography: Denise Labadie is a fiber artist living outside of Boulder, Colorado. Denise has a profound love of both ancient Ireland and its timeless landscapes. Her quilts are typically either interpreted visions of pre-historic megalithic stones (dolmens, stone circles, standing stones) or more recent monastic ruins (ancient stone churches, forgotten cemeteries, burial crosses, and the like). She specializes in portals and passageways. Denise’s quilts have been juried or invited into numerous national and international shows including the 2010 Int’l TECHstyle Art Biennial (Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA), Speaking with my Ancestors Art Show, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL (2008), Quilt National (2007), The International Quilt Society (2006), The American Quilt Society (2006), Sacred Threads (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007), Artist as Quiltmaker (2002), and Art Quilts at the Whistler (2002). Descended from the O’Dougherty clan from Co.’s Donegal and Mayo, Denise visits Ireland at least every other year, and her passion for her ancestral land has only grown with every trip. In the Spring of 2008 she spent a full month lecturing and teaching throughout the beautiful isle. Denise discovered contemporary art quilting in the early 1990’s, and has focused on her fiber art full-time ever since. Additional emphases have included both advanced fabric painting (and teaching) and furthering her increasingly detailed understanding (and use) of shadowing and perspective. She is now an internationally recognized fiber artist. Her quilt, “Dun Aengus Stone Fort”, an ancient portal, received two of the top awards – including “People’s Choice” and the McCarthy Award (for craftsmanship) – at Quilt National 2007 (the premier contemporary art quilt show in the world). She has recently begun selling her work through the Shaw Cramer Gallery on Martha’s Vineyard. Denise does not, however, confine her work to just Ireland. She has received multiple commissions relative to other people’s sacred sites, and is happy to continue to do so in the future.
Birth City: San Mateo, California
Birth Year: 1952

Contact

Longmont, Colorado
United States
denise.labadie@comcast.net
Website

Professional

Awards: 2009 Best of Show, Downtown Denver Art Festival, Denver, CO 2009 First Place, Celtic Spirit Worldwide Art Show, San Marcos, TX 2007 People’s Choice Award, Quilt National, Athens, OH 2007 McCarthy Memorial Award, Quilt National, Athens, OH 2005 Best of Show, The Art and Nature of Fiber, Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO 2005 Jurors Choice, The Art and Nature of Fiber, Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO 2002 Best of Show, Alegre Retreat, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2001 Alegre Retreat, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Teaching Experience: Classes I presently teach: Fabric Painting, Reverse Applique, finishing techniques,

Education

Grad Year: 1993

Artwork by this artist

Denise Labadie Colorado art	Denise Labadie Colorado art
Denise Labadie Colorado art	Denise Labadie Colorado art

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Denise Labadie

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