Quilled Paper Art by Christine Donehue

Amazing isn't a word I use lightly, but the quilling of Australia's Christine Donehue certainly fits that description. Earlier this month her work captured two prizes at Sydney's Royal Easter Show.
 
This breathtaking paisley design placed first in the greeting card category... surely it qualifies as the most detailed quilling ever on a handmade card!

And her handsome, perfectly shaped vase took third prize in the 'any quilled object' class.

I thought all of you who share my interest in paper filigree would enjoy an interview with Christine.

How did you discover quilling and what was your first project?

In 2006 I was involved in a local event and volunteered to make individual gift cards to be given out to each participant. When I ran out of ideas, I started researching online and in library books. I saw some simple quilling which looked interesting and bought a starter kit with mixed papers and a tool. Using pictures and instructions to teach myself at home, the first designs I tried were mostly simple flowers.

So quilling was something that grabbed your attention and you just had to try it? 

Quilling was immediately appealing because of the striking effect achieved and the simplicity of using strips of paper and a simple tool; also because it didn’t require a huge outlay in materials and time. I was delighted by the way it came to life and captured my imagination. The use of colour, texture, and techniques in quilling can have stunning effects and it's hard to have a complete disaster.

BoatSydney Royal Easter Show 2008
First prize in Unframed Pictures (Novice Section)
Standard of Excellence Award, chosen from quilling exhibits in all classes

How do you decide what to quill? In other words, what inspires you?

I might look at pictures of the subject I would like to quill. For example, with the vase, I wanted to do something in the shape of an urn or vase. I looked at pictures of Roman, Greek and Egyptian vases for design ideas and found a vase in the laundry cupboard that I used as a mould. Just looking at pictures of quilling can inspire me, either contemporary or antique. It reminds me how nice it is.

Silver filigree, sewing, needlecraft designs, textile designs, jewellery, motifs, plants in the garden, birds - just about anything can be an inspiration for a quilling design. Feeling inspired is easy, but interpreting it into the quilling pattern is challenging. If I can’t think of what to make, I just roll shapes and make something with them later, or make something in colours that I wouldn’t usually use.

Sharing with other quillers is great fun because the enthusiasm is doubled and you get new ideas. I have entered a few pieces in shows and a deadline is a great motivator!

What is your favorite subject matter?

At the moment I like abstract or stylised designs rather than realistic things, and combining a variety of techniques and textures that compliment one another. I find designs appealing when there are multiple layers or dimensions to them. I like mandalas too.

MandalaBrisbane Show 2009 First Prize
Perth Show 2009 Second Prize

Do you prefer to do framed pieces, cards, or something else?

Mostly I have made quilled cards for friends and family. They're good because you can try new ideas and come up with a finished product quickly. Cards are also a way to give someone a special personal gift which they usually appreciate very much. If liked, the ideas can be expanded to larger pieces.

Framed pieces are very satisfying because they can include more elements (techniques, colours, textures, etc). It takes so many hours though, that I have only done a few of those so far. I like the huge flexibility of designs that can be created and the three dimensional effect. I haven’t tried many ‘objects’ yet (but have lots of ideas…)

What papers do you prefer to work with? Do you use pre-cut strips?
 
Pre-cut strips. They're easiest, neat, and the time can be spent quilling rather than preparing the strips. Local suppliers here offer a wide range of papers and I have also bought some papers online. Mostly I use 3mm and 1.5mm widths. 3mm paper is good because you can quill a fairly detailed design, but it is not too fine to handle. For the quilled vase, I had the aim to experiment with using different widths together, so it includes 9mm, 6mm, 3mm, and 1.5mm. Mostly I use plain colours, but have experimented a little with metallic, gilded, parchment, and graduated papers. I would like to master using each width and type of paper most effectively.

What are your favorite tools?
I’m still experimenting, but use a needle tool mostly. I started out using a sewing pin when doing finer work, but have since found a fine needle tool which is much easier to handle. I’ve tried using my fingers with some success. Sometimes I use a slotted tool because it is easy to hold; I might use that where the centres won’t be seen or in shapes that don’t need a small centre. I bought a little crimper which has been really fun to use. Crimping adds another texture to a piece and especially in a 3-d piece, it enables the paper to curve laterally, effectively giving an extra dimension to work with. One ‘tool’ I am learning about is to have more patience; it’s very helpful as quilling is not something you can rush.

 
What is your artistic background? Have you been a lifelong creator?
 
Yes, I’ve always loved to make things and from childhood learned handcrafts like sewing, knitting, crocheting, spinning wool, etc. In that respect I was very fortunate. I also like collage, using mixed mediums and recycling materials for cards and pictures. It is all as a hobby though, I’m not a professional artist or anything like that.

Christine, there's no doubt in my mind that your work falls into the artist category! Thanks so much for sharing your quilling thoughts and pictures with us.

Christine can be reached at cfdonehue at gmail dot com
 
Don't forget! The giveaway for a gift certificate to spend on anything your heart desires at CustomQuilling.com is still going on. Enter here.