Mary Ritter has a strong connection to fabric and thread that date back to her early years. From making her own wedding dress to a lifetime of stitching and sewing, Mary has experienced both the utilitarian and artistic characteristics of textiles. Follow along as we explore her unique approach to storytelling through fabrics, her inspiration, and the evolution of her work over the years.
Why textiles? Tell us more about how you use fabric and thread to tell your stories.
Working with fabric and thread was something that entered my life at an early age. I even made my own wedding dress!
My mother taught her four daughters to embroider and to sew as a utilitarian skill she felt we would need in order to provide for our own families. My mother made much of the clothing her four daughters and two sons wore, as well as aprons, house dresses, and formal wear for herself. For dozens of years I followed that mode, making clothing and useful objects for my home, while working professionally as a teacher.
In retirement, I turned to telling my life stories using the same skills. Utilitarian or art: Fabric, color, texture and expression – these elements have always been a part of my life.
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What do you do differently? What is your signature that makes your work stand out as yours?
I work organically, using many mediums – ink, painting, photographs, printing, embroidery, machine stitch, hand stitch, ceramics, and most anything that fits the theme.
Many works start with artist painted or dyed background fabrics. Sometimes I digitize one of my photographs and then print it myself on fabric with my inkjet printer, or have it printed professionally on fabric. Using the printed copy, I can build layers with many mediums or appliqué fabric on top of the photo.
While stationed at Hickam AFB with my husband in Hawaii in the 1970s, I learned Hawaiian quilting and made a queen-size quilt with the White Ginger flower design. My interest in working with fabrics and thread was renewed, but I would not pick up needle and thread again until shortly before I retired from education and technology in the early 2000s.
Life in the Air Force found us in many beautiful locations where my husband further developed his photography skills. When I began to design textile art, I relied on his photos and my own for topics. I had always wanted to paint these scenes, but I soon turned to painting with cloth and thread.
What inspires you?
The world of my childhood and youth provides an unlimited supply of nostalgic images. These images are the base for my memoir/main street series. Growing up within a large family in rural Minnesota, playing on our farm and in the woods surrounding it with only siblings as my playmates, having a pony to ride and share, attending a one-room country schoolhouse and a white country church – all of these images are unique. After retirement, travel has take us around the USA and to many foreign lands. From the photos we take on those travels I continue to develop a series based on a landmarks and architecture.
When it comes to creating, are you more of a planner or an improviser?
When working with photographs as a base, the plan is readily available. Otherwise I sketch in my journal or on large sheets of paper on my design wall. I also work through designs in Procreate software.
How do you manage your creative time? Do you schedule start and stop times? Or work only when inspired?
Working creatively is a part of my daily routine, usually in the late morning/early afternoon until late afternoon .
I complete household chores and study/review art topics online in the morning. My afternoons from 1PM-5PM are usually spent in The Loft Studio which is the entire second floor of my house which is open and over looks the great room.
Are you a “finisher”? How many UFOs do you think you have?
I am a finisher, but can also work on more than one project at a time. I also sometimes take a UFO and cut it apart to complete an entirely new idea. If I have a UFO, it is because I plan to redesign it into something new.
Do you have a dedicated space for creating? If so, what does it look like?
The Loft Studio, located in my home in Cary, is where I experiment and create with embellishments, fibers and design, creating quilted stories from my memoirs and travels. It is open to to the lower floor, so any noise from below is a part of the scene, but I have a headset so I can listen to a podcast, video or music. I frequently work in silence.
What is your favorite lesser-known tool for your trade? Have you taken something designed for another use and repurposed it for your studio?
My mother’s hutch is used for storage in my studio, as is her secretary. It classes up the IKEA storage used in the remainder of the area.
Do you use a sketchbook or journal? How does that help your work develop?
I do sometimes work from my sketchbook and I keep a large file of ideas with photos and sketches on my computer. I like to work from Procreate and use many digital apps to work through design ideas.
How often do you start a new project? Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?
I design and start on a project – one or two at a time and then work on them alternatively until they are finished. I push through to complete a project even when it isn’t working. I make changes and adjust. Then I put it away and might like it better, or see a way to alter it to make it work at a later time.
Which part of the quilt design process is your favorite? Which part is a challenge for you?
Each part of the process has its own driving force – designing the idea, laying it out and selecting the materials, and putting it all together on the design wall and under the needle, hand or machine. However, the process of quilting it, of adding the texture, makes each piece come to life. Seeing the project finished brings delight. This is probably why I do not have very many UFOs, and I even cut finished items apart and make new versions.
Is there an overarching theme that connects all of your work?
Telling the story of what I experience and observe is the basis of all of my textile narratives.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?
I belong to SAQA and it’s regional and local groups! I enjoy participating in the SAQA Benefit Auction, the trunk shows, and following other artists as they do the same. I join online groups for comparing and conversing about our processes and projects. I also belong to our local fine arts league in Cary where I have been exposed to a variety of modalities and I am inspired by and learn techniques from those artists. Creating with fabric, paint, dyes, found objects, and a variety of techniques, touches my soul.
How is your work different than it was in the beginning? How is it the same?
When I first began to create textile narratives, I was so focused on telling my own story. Now I enjoy interpreting the history and stories from watching people at random and observing landscapes and landmarks around the world.
Tell us about your blog and/or website. What do you hope people will gain by visiting?
My website and blog serve as a journal of my processes and a record of my work, just for myself. Those interested in following my progress are most welcome to follow and comment on it.
Interview posted October 2023
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