At our November meeting, we were thrilled to welcome Leah Higgins, who gave a fascinating talk titled ‘Ruins.’ 

 Leah shared how she found her creative path by moving away from the traditional sketchbook approach and embracing a more spontaneous process. 

Her passion for quilting and textile art grew after discovering screen printing at a workshop; an experience she enjoyed so much she went back three years in a row! This opened the door to experimenting with colour families and the wonderfully unpredictable magic of breakdown printing, a technique that now features prominently in her work. 

Leah explained how working in experimental series allows her ideas to develop and progress, and she isn’t afraid to scrap her early attempts if they don’t align with her artistic vision. To avoid over-planning when creating her beautifully random layouts, she also has a brilliant trick: placing fabrics with her eyes closed! She also brought along some of her stunning screen-printed fabrics, which were a big hit. Many of us snapped up a pack (or two) to admire at home while we tell ourselves we’ll cut into them… someday.