Hilde Hoogwaerts

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Contemporary quilts, Multi-fiber art
2023
Artist's country: Netherlands

Hilde Hoogwaerts started quilting in 1989 when living in Atlanta, USA.

She lived there for 3 years and then moved through 8 countries, across the world before, ultimately, returning home in the Netherlands in 2018.

Her last overseas posting was in Ghana where she challenged herself to only use the local African textiles in her work.

Hilde mainly patches and quilts her quilts on her own sewing machine. Smaller work is quilted by hand. She uses traditional patterns as well as designing her own. Hilde’s work has been featured in 2019 at the ‘Patchwork en Quiltdagen’ in Rijswijk, NL, and in Birmingham at the Quilt Festival, also in 2019. One of her Kaleidoscope designs is featured in Quiltmania no. 150. In 2023, some of her work will be on display at the Pour l’Amour du Fil in Nantes, France, and one of her quilts is shortlisted for the Quilt National ’23 in Ohio, USA.

Fly away with me

Lièpvre

In the exhibition ‘Fly away with me’, Hilde Hoogwaerts likes to share her love for African textiles with the visitors. Inspired by the African people during her time in Ghana from 2015 till 2018, she started bringing together bold colours and prints she previous thought would not work together. Finding balance within the different colours is what she really loves doing most.

At her exhibition at the Assomption church in the village of Lièpvre, Hilde shows the visitors the wide range of possibilities with the different prints of African wax fabrics. The Kaleidoscope patterns, based on Ricky Tims’ technique, are among her favorite designs.

What started as a small mistake turned out to be a game changer for her and ultimately the quilt ‘Fly away with me’ of 3×3 meter was created. Kente cloth is another African textile Hilde likes to experiment with. The handwoven strips of fabric, brand new as well as vintage Kente fragments, are brought together in different ways.

As Hilde is always looking for new challenges, she keeps on adjusting the original design. With her quilts Hilde hopes to inspire you into appreciating and using the vibrant African fabrics too!