Debra Milkovich

Debra Milkovich is a maximalist by nature, and (to her delight) her style has been described as “visually exhausting”. Her contemporary exhibition is full of saturated colours, 3D effects, sharp angles, and iconic imagery pulled from pop-culture nostalgia with a riotous edge. She challenges the wholesome image of quilting by bypassing tradition and restraint in favour of tongue-in-cheek porn and punk rock themes. These pieces showcase a wide variety of conventional techniques with innovative applications, as seen in the painted woven disco ball and anaglyph (red/blue) 3D “XXX” quilt. Her bold designs pull you in from a distance but offer an even more engaging experience up close as you take in her attention to detail. Debra Milkovich’s work seen by Carrie Bloomston, Author, artist and textile designer. “Sex, disco, grunge, pop, memory, personal narrative, revolution, alternative reality–these are the first few words I feel when I recall the intensely vibrant quilts/artworks of Debra Milkovich. Her work buzzes with the aliveness of seeing your favourite band in a dirty rock bar under an overpass. Her quilts, electric and cool, remind us that quilting has fingers in high art. But Debra’s work avoids the intellectual dislocation and pretension prevalent in the art world as it sticks with gut-level emotion and honesty. The iconography, symbols, and colours take me back to making mixed cassette tapes while being solidly in the NOW. They vibrate with urgent energy. Even Debra’s use of XXX neon signs brings the seedy qualities of the Vegas strip into the world of quilting which feels like a revolution. I am constantly dazzled by Debra’s juxtaposition of the quilting medium with her fresh, intelligent, and contemporary perspective.”