Spotlight: Rachael Dorr, Textile Artist

Rachael Dorr has been creating with textiles her entire life. She now creates detailed fiber art, as well as heirloom quilts for families with Quilting a Memory, using recycled fabrics.

How did you get started making fiber art? Why did you choose that medium?

I have been making things with my hands out of fibers for as long as I can remember. I don’t think I have chosen the medium – it has always been there. Perhaps it chose me?

When was the first time that you remember realizing that you are a creative person? 

When I was young everyone made so much – from clothes, quilts, toys to bookshelves. It seemed that my parents wasted nothing. My sister and I would make wardrobes for our teddies out of shoe boxes and fill them with handmade clothes. So I am not sure I ever realized I was creative – it was always our main way of entertaining ourselves and making what we wanted or needed.  

Tell us about Quilting A Memory. How did you get started making heirloom pieces? 

I was asked to help a family who had lost a loved one by making a quilt from his army uniform. I said yes quite happily but when the materials arrived, I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility. I wanted to do the very best I could for the family in memory of their loved one.

I had been looking for some time for something I could create for people filled with love and deep meaning – something that was unique that they could use and cherish for a lifetime. After completing this quilt, I felt I had found that calling and I began Quilting A Memory www.quiltingamemory.org

What motivates you artistically?

There is something about touching textiles with my hands that I find highly therapeutic. It is something deep inside that drives me – I am unable to identify it in any eloquent way. When I finish a successful piece it brings me a sense of peace, like a massive calming deep breath – it motivates me to find that feeling again.

I love color in the world but when I work with it I find the options and possibilities overwhelming and distracting. (I also have a strong visceral reaction to some colors.) Using only white material allows me to create a quiet and calm surface on which I can show off the simple beauty of stitches and the shadows they create. 

Do you plan your work out ahead of time, or do you just dive in with your materials and start playing?

I will research the material I am using. What does the material mean? Where did it come from? What was it used for?, What do words associated with the item mean? What is the historical context of that item?  Who wore/used it or might have worn/used it? All these questions will make me think about how to approach the fabric.

With my free motion quilting I will have an outline but 95% of it is improvised as I go. 

Are you a “finisher”? How many UFOs do you think you have?

I don’t have many UFO’s lying around – maybe 3 tops (probably 10 years old) I do have masses of recycled materials though – I struggle to throw fabric away – each piece of clothing or old bedsheet to me is somewhat of a UFO – the amount of fabric I have stored can feel overwhelming at times.  

Do you have a dedicated space for creating? If so, what does it look like?

I have the small sunroom in our house – it has tall windows in it so it is flooded with light (super chilly in the winter!) It fits my longarm and a small desk and that is about it!

Where do you find your inspiration for your designs? Both your personal work and your Quilting a Memory pieces?

Any memorial quilt made for a family (or a commissioned piece) is made for them with no regard for my own personal preferences. I will ask them about their loved one, the style of their home, what colors they like or don’t – perhaps there is a particular piece of clothing that they would like to highlight. It is important to me that the quilt is purely for them and them alone.

For my own work I love traditional free motion styles but I’m also drawn to minimalist art – especially grid work and repetitive patterns. I like to combine the traditional and the modern together creating contrast between old and new styles. The quilting also relates to the creating something new from old materials.  

Do you use a sketchbook or journal? How does that help your work develop?

I write and take notes a lot. I wish I had more confidence in drawing. I do doodle and make diagrams but my lack of sketching skills is something I would really like to work on.

How often do you start a new project? Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?

Typically, I have one project on the longarm and then a smaller project on the side. If I have a good block of time I will work on the longarm – longer time stretches allows me to be more consistent with stitches and movements. If I can only grab 30 minutes I will work on the smaller project.

Which part of the design process is your favorite? Which part is a challenge for you?

I do love getting lost in longarm quilting. The repetitive movements ca be extremely mediative. The biggest challenge is calling something done and putting it out into the world.

How has your work changed over time?

I have become more confident being me and doing what speaks to me verses filling traditional requirements or expectations of what people perceive a quilt, weaving, or anything else to be.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?

I have to go back to the answer that I don’t know what keeps me motivated there is just something quiet and deep inside that drives me.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received on your journey?

Show your work. I personally would be happy making away and not leaving the house! But someone wise once told me to put my work out there as you never know who it might touch, speak to or inspire. I have met the most amazing mentors, friends and artists by pushing myself to step out of my comfort zone. I appreciate anyone who pushes me to get a little uncomfortable. I think it makes me a better/stronger person and artist.

Who or what has been your biggest influence?

Robert Ryman – by far the most influential artist I have ever seen or learnt about. His explorations into the subtleties of using different materials on different surfaces all to different effects. The closer you get to his work the more you see and discover.

His focus was on presenting the materials alone was transformational for me in how I thought about making ‘art’. Being able to explore how two materials – say different white threads might look on an old white bedsheet – provides me with hundreds of ideas and that is so exciting to me!

Where can people see your work?

I have a new quilt ‘Reverie’ on display in a new exhibition ‘Renew, Rebound, Reimagine’ by the Manhattan Quilters Guild is on display at the International Quilt Museum (1523 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, Nebraska). The exhibition will be on view in the Gottsch Gallery April 26, 2024 – Dec. 14, 2024 Museum Hours are Tues – Sat, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Also please visit me at my instagram page @rachaeldorr and visit my website www.rachaeldorr.com.

Interview posted May 2024