Back Page with Helen Geglio

Helen Geglio is an artist and
art educator living in South
Bend, Indiana.  Originally
from Michigan, she received
her BFA in studio art from
the University of Michigan
and also holds an MS in education from
Indiana University. In her work as an artist, she creates hand stitched fiber artworks and has been represented in local, regional and national exhibits. Her work has been selected for Quilt National, Art Quilt Elements, Fantastic Fibers, Quilts=Art=Quilts, Artist as Quiltmaker, and Visions: Interpretations. Helen regularly exhibits with SAQA Global Exhibitions and the Surface Design Association and she is a long-time member of Woman Made Gallery and the Women’s Caucus for Art. For more information: www.helengeglio.com.

Artist Statement:
The lives of women, and how we are connected to textiles, is what interests me as an artist. I collect worn clothing, domestic linens and sewing scraps, and then I construct meaning from these pieces of cloth. I enjoy the process of working with materials that have passed through other hands, and I look for a story, maybe a snapshot of a moment, to open a visual narrative. The idea of women’s work is a recurring theme in my art, so I use hand stitching and embroidery to hold the pieces together, to bind the layers and gather the textile detritus of the everyday into a new whole. The work I do, and the way of working that I value, is slow and mindful. In the end, I want to create an insightful visual image, one that invites viewers to look closely and make connections to their own stories.