My grandmother, who was my babysitter growing up, sewed what seemed like every day of my young life, while watching her “stories".  One would think that I learned how to sew at an early age but it took me 31 years to give it a go. 

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My mother-in-law bought me a sewing machine for a Christmas present during my first year of marriage. My initial thought was 'what in the world am I supposed to do with a sewing machine?'  Little did I know it was going be a life-altering gift. After getting over my shock at my mother-in-law’s attempt to domesticate me, I decided I was going to learn to quilt. I didn’t know any quilters at that time so I purchased a copy of “Quilting for Dummies” and, miraculously, I made my first quilt. It was a disaster but my love affair with slicing and dicing fabric had begun.

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I moved to the north country 23 years ago with the ink still wet on my diploma in photojournalism from Western Kentucky University. I worked as a staff photographer for the Watertown Daily Times for 16 years. 

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My goal as an artist and photographer is to show a different way at looking at ordinary objects or scenes. I often interject bright colors and humor into my painted furniture, quilts and photographs. 

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My motto is: 'Life is too short for beige....Embrace your inner color.' 

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--Melanie Kimbler