MEL BEACH - ONLINE PORTFOLIO
Selected works that showcase my creativity, worksmanship, series work, and accolades.
Additional information about my design inspiration and process is available by visiting the blog post linked below each quilt.
Challenge QUILTs
I love stretching my creativity through the completion of 80+ quilt challenges at the local and international level. Some challenges are inspired by the challenge theme, whereas others are designed to showcase the challenge fabrics.
1. California Arches
November 2019
42” x 38”
Arches found throughout California inspired this quilt. There are more natural arches found in CA than any other state including ones found at Natural Bridges State Beach, Bodega Bay and Chadbourne Gulch. Arches are found throughout the Spanish-style architecture of the California missions. McDonalds, home of the Golden Arches, opened its first restaurant in CA in 1948. Each of my arches is a combination of bias tape applique and free-motion fun! Made as part of a fabric challenge hosted through the Modern Quilt Guild and Hoffman Fabrics.
2. Pinwheels & Pink Lemonade
October 2019
50” x 50”
Modern and improvisational version of traditional pinwheels block using top stitch applique. Fabric selections and quilting inspired by Pink Lemonade. Made to celebrate Michael Miller Fabrics 20th Anniversary.
3. Do You Know the Way to San Jose?
January 2018
22” x 34”
San Jose/Silicon Valley is home to a growing number of high-tech companies, causing a major shift in the area’s demographics, housing market, traffic, and local art scene. This abstract cityscape reflects the confluence of both industries: hardware as symbolized by the two upcycled HP laptops (note that HP was founded in Silicon Valley) and software, as represented in the printed fabrics and free-motion quilting in the background. The skyscrapers are indicative of the changing housing landscape towards more and more high-density apartments. The congested highway represents the swell in population, which has overwhelmed the current infrastructure, and has generated a mass exodus of families, working professionals, and artists who can no longer afford to live, work, or create here in the Bay area.
Exhibits/Awards: Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2018), won Viewer’s Choice in Project Quilting’s Hometown Proud weekly challenge (January 2018).
4. Free Styling, Spiraling & Flying Geese
November 2017
47” x 52”
Improv pieced spirangles sparkle and dance in this modern remake of the traditional flying geese quilt design.
Exhibits/Awards: Juried into Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2018), awarded 1st Place Modern Quilts for California State Fair (July 2018).
5. Peace by Piece
November 2017
37” x 37”
Abstract peace signs dance throughout this improvisationally pieced design. Squares of hyper-bright primary colors were stacked, whacked and shuffled prior to inserting the black strips, creating a modern twist on Mondrian’s abstract style. Zig zag meander quilting adds energy throughout the smaller blocks, with peace sign filled pebble quilting showcased in the larger peace sign block.
Exhibits/Awards: Juried into Pacific International Quilt Festival New Modern Quilts Competition (October 2018), awarded 3rd Place for Modern Quilts, Small at California State Fair (July 2018), juried into Modern Quilt Guild’s QuiltCon (February 2018)
6. Spinning Stars
November 2016
72" x 72"
Made as part of Modern Quilts Unlimited "Everything Old Is New Again" Blocks and Quilt Challenge in which 12 traditional quilt blocks were given modern makeovers.
Exhibits/Awards: Juried into International Quilt Festival (November 2018), awarded Special Award for Best Modern Quilt/1st Place Modern Large Quilts in the San Mateo County Fair (June 2018), 3rd Place in the Modern Quilts Competition at Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2017), juried into American Quilting Society Paducah (Spring 2017), and Machine Quilting Exposition (2017).
7. Fields of Quilted Dreams
August 2014
54" x 71"
Original modern, improvisational design to celebrate the production of solid cotton fabrics that are grown and manufactured here in the United States.
Exhibits/Awards: Selected as a Finalist and included in the traveling American Made Brand's Farm to Fabric Quilt Challenge exhibit (2014-2015).
8. Orange You Glad I Got the Blues?
April 2016
40" x 24"
Original applique design using hand dyed fabrics and a commercial print to simulate the improvisational nature of Jazz Music.
Exhibits/Awards: Juried into International Quilt Festival (November 2018), 2nd Place in California State Fair in the Art Quilts Small Category (July 2017), won Honorable Mention Ribbon at Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2016), juried into Jazz Impressions Exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles (May 2016).
9. Rhythm & Blues
April 2016
30” x 30”
Improvisationally pieced blocks made using hand dyed fabrics and a commercial print. The quilting in each block inspired by a different Louis Armstrong song. Once the melody was found, a free-motion quilting motif was chosen. Dancing along to Louis’s music was one of my most enjoyable quilting experiences. I now advise quilters new to free-motion quilting to try playing Louis Armstrong in the background as they quilt!
Exhibits/Awards: Juried into Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2016), juried into Jazz Impressions Exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles (May 2016).
10. Sideways Sine Waves Spirals
October 2014
36” x 36”
Original bias-tape applique design made for RaNae Merrill’s Sideways Spirals book. It is based on mathematical sine waves and uses solid fabric to create the illusion of transparency.
Exhibits/Awards: Published in RaNae Merrill’s Sideways Spirals Book with a cross section printed on the book cover and juried into 2015 New Quilts of Northern California.
MANDALA QUILTS
I am fascinated by the radial symmetry and meditative nature of creating mandala designs. My mandala series explores different quiltmaking techniques to create original mandala designs.
11. Carmen Miranda’s Mandala
August 2019
36” x 37”
Improvisationally designed mandala showcasing Michael Miller’s Sew Fruity fabric collection. Individual fruit elements were cut out from the fabric and laid out into a mandala design using raw-edge fusible applique.
Exhibits/Awards: Juried into Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2019) and Road to California (January 2020).
12. Prismatic Peace
February 2019
20” x 20”
Transforming one of my hand dyed mandalas with improvisational free-motion quilting.
Exhibits/Awards: Featured on Dharma Trading Company’s website and advertisements in Quilting Arts Magazine.
13. Sparkling Stained Glass Mandala
June 2018
32” x 33”
Made for the Hoffman Fabric Challenge. Challenge fabric featured jewels which were fussy cut out and laid out into a floral mosaic mandala design.
Exhibits/Awards: Chosen at Hoffman’s Curator Choice for the Applique Category and is included in the Hoffman traveling exhibit (August 2018).
14. Lime Light, Star Bright
November 2016
31" x 31"
Pieced Modern Mandala made using Michael Miller solids & prints.
Exhibits/Awards: 2nd Place in Pieced Quilts at the California State Fair (July 2018), juried into Quilt Con (February 2017), and Pacific International Quilt Festival (October 2017).
15. Crayon Etched Mandala
March 2016
18" x 19"
Inspired by crayon etched art from childhood. A rainbow commercial print was covered with solid black fabric prior to free-motion quilting a mandala design. Once complete, swatches of the solid black fabric were carefully trimmed away for a brilliant reveal. Made for Project Quilting's Through a Child's Eye 1-week Challenge.