Threads of Nature

Threads of Nature
VT Carillion School of Medicine exhibition
January – May 2025

Carol Monti, Tina Freudenberger and Nancy HershbergerTake a journey through a world of art quilts unlike any you’ve likely seen before.  Explore the animals and landscapes of three art quilters who have formed a friendship through their shared love of interpreting nature in fabric and thread.

Carol, Tina and Nancy met at Shenandoah National Park in 2021 and became instant friends. Tina is passionate about animals and interpreting them in her art. Nancy is passionate about the landscape and its interpretation in fabric. Carol’s passion is a combination of both. Together they began a journey of discovery as they shared information, inspiration and insights into their work. In 2022, they collaborated on an art quilt inspired by a hike to Cascade Falls in Jefferson National Forest. The tongue-in-cheek name of their quilt, “Rock, Paper, Scissors” describes their process for creating a piece. “In order to create rock, we needed paper and scissors.” This collaboration was a study in patience as they worked together for the first time, but in three different studios.  Each artist created a panel that was eventually stitched together and then quilted.  The composition is a landscape, but a deer is hidden discreetly in the foliage as Tina would not have it any other way. This quilt has won many awards, including Best in Show at The Star Quilter’s “Stars Over the Blue Ridge” quilt show in 2023.

Tina is a huge animal lover and lives on a farm in SW Virginia with horses, donkeys, goats, dogs, cats and a bird.  She often features animals that are imperiled due to habitat destruction or global warming and donates the proceed of her sales to wildlife organizations.  Tina often uses hand dyed fabrics, inks and colored pencils to add details and dimensions to her animals and backgrounds.  Her quilts have won awards at major quilt shows, including a Best Wall Quilt for “Home is Where the Herd is” in 2023.

Carol is drawn to the natural world and is particularly interested in portraying local native species of both plants and animals as well as pets.  She enjoys creating birds, insects, flowers and animals.  Carol’s quilts have also won awards at national quilt shows and are frequently exhibited in local galleries.

Nancy’s landscape quilts feature scenes from National Parks, National Forests and private gardens where she has been the Artist in Residence as well as scenes from her own backyard.  She is drawn to the movement of water and recreating it using fabric, thread and ink.  Her quilts have won numerous awards at quilt shows.  She enjoys teaching her techniques throughout the Eastern US.