The Creativity Project Week #10: Silvia Sutters

Silvia Sutters is a Brazilian-born designer, pattern maker and quilter. Silvia began her journey into quilting via interior design and fashion, having interned in several fashion houses while working on her patternmaking certificate at FIT. After becoming a mom to two girls, Silvia directed her talents toward quilting and garment sewing. Her graphic and bold designs have been featured in numerous publications, including QuiltCon Magazine (her quilt, Papercut, was the cover of this year’s issue!), Modern Patchwork, Love, Patchwork and Quilting, and Make It! Patchwork (to name a few). And her quilts have shown at numerous QuiltCons, traveled as part of the Best of Quilt Con traveling exhibit, and hung at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Silvia is a member of Bee Sewcial, a geographically diverse group of quilters that collaborate on award-winning quilts based on a monthly inspirational prompt. She is also a teacher at Finch Knitting and Sewing Studio in Leesburg, Virginia.  You can find all of Silvia’s sewing accomplishments on her blog, A Stranger View. Welcome, Silvia!

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How would you describe your quilting style/aesthetic?

Silvia: I have a hard time figuring my own style because I am constantly trying to explore new ideas, but friends and family usually comment that the colors I use are bright and bold. As for the aesthetics of my work, I would say graphic, geometric and non-traditional is what I aim for but not always achieve. I am highly influenced by contemporary poster designs and graphic design and often try to convey those ideas in my quilts. I would say it’s definitely modern in the current modern quilting sense, but style is a hard thing to pin down for me. I am constantly evolving in my work and I have moments when I am focusing on intricate techniques and some other moments where I want something very clean and simple. There is a continuous change in my style but the graphic, geometric aesthetic is usually a constant.

How would you describe the creative environment in your home as a child?

Silvia: I grew up thinking I wasn’t very creative because I was living in my brother’s shadow, who was always great at drawing and thinking creatively. I tried different things but for very short amounts of time. Whenever I visited my grandmother who was a dressmaker, she would show me a little bit of crochet, painting on fabric, or some other craft but with my short attention span and any lack of consistency, I never retained much of the information. Growing up in Brazil, I didn’t have this push that I see in America with crafts. There was a lot of playing street games and pretend which I really value and encourage my kids today to play in the same manner. I think that freedom really contributes for imaginative play and grows your creativity, but my parents still encouraged us to be whatever we wanted. For a while I wanted to learn how to play the guitar, so my mom got a guitar and my uncle who was in college for music therapy would teach me. In the end, my brother learned and I got bored and gave up. I wish I would had valued those moments more. I am still curious about so many things and have a hard time focusing and mastering one thing.

What artists and makers do you most admire or have an influence on your work?

Silvia: I look for inspiration in the non-quilt world like contemporary artists and graphic artists. I still try to follow my brother’s creative mind. He is a Creative Director today and a huge influence in my work. As for other makers, there are so many people. I am constantly inspired by the quilting community I find on Instagram or my guild. The Bee Sewcial group is one I definitely need to mention. The little monthly explorations we do for each other are a huge springboard of ideas and a push to learn new techniques. However, I try not to be highly influenced by other quilters or else every quilt is going to turn out the same. I want my work to be a little strange and quirky and not look like it’s coming out of a printing press. The way I think and see things is not usually how other people see it so I think that shows in my work, that “stranger view” and I am okay with it.

Do you consider yourself a “quilter”, an artist, or some combination of both?

Silvia: Coming from a formal art school training, I sometimes get frustrated that here in America anyone can be called an artist, but I really avoid labels. I don’t like to feel restrained with the idea of just being one thing. I quilt, I design, I make art, I sew, I am a mother (which I feel it is kind of an art once you master it – which I haven’t). There is a huge pressure that comes with those labels (artist, quilters, painter, whatever). You have to fulfill a lot of requirements. I think you should earn those titles based on your work. I don’t know what I have earned yet, but I just keep doing what gives me pleasure and hopefully one day I will figure it out.

How would you define “making with intention”?

Silvia: For me it is really taking the time to plan my work and to find joy during the process. I don’t want to make just for the sake of making or for popularity. I make because I enjoy it. My quilts often have a message or a meaning, but mostly to myself. My quilt “Black” is an example of where I wanted to share the meaning with others. It seems to be a topic that no one wants to talk about, but it is there. Sometimes the intention is about self discovery, sometimes is to create a challenge, but the sole purpose is that it has to be gratifying.

Do you think that having a craft makes us more compassionate? If so, then how?

Silvia: In the crafting realm, yes, I think it does. I think anything that unites people can generate compassion. I see compassion on social media when people get together to fight for a cause, or make a quilt for someone that is going through health battles, or even when someone mentions their struggle with some technique, we are all offering advice. That is why I love teaching. It feels good to help someone finish that project or overcome that technique. Also, I am certainly more understanding when it come to other makers selling their work. I see their hard work, their struggle, their passion. That can’t be sold for nothing. They have the right to value their work and I applaud that. Now, I really don’t know if it does so outside of crafting, but I hope it does.

How does creating feed your soul/spiritual purpose?

Silvia: We all have this need to create, because we have the imprint of the Creator on us. This touches my heart, to be able to make something out of nothing. I feel fulfilled when I can transform some plain fabric into something visually appealing to me and to others.

Are there any rituals that you perform to prepare/ground yourself in your work?

Silvia: With my limited time I try to have a basic plan, so I know what I will aim for when I get to sew. I also keep things simple and try not to overwork myself. Unless there’s a deadline, then my plan is very fluid. If I get it done, great! If not, there’s always tomorrow. The whole idea is to enjoy the process. If it feels like labor, then what’s the point?

What is the support system you have in place for creating your work?

Silvia: If it wasn’t for my husband, I would probably never make anything. He helps me on the day-to-day things like caring for the kids and letting me have a little moment for myself, but he also is my go-to person when I feel stumped with a design, since his background is art education. We disagree on aesthetics a lot of times but he always helps me think of a different approach, thus fine tune my ideas. Also, he encourages me whenever I feel I don’t have anything else to offer.

How do you deal with comparison to / envy of others? Can you describe a time when you used comparison/envy/admiration to push yourself in your own work and self-discovery?

Silvia: I used to compare myself to others a lot. It’s easy to do when seeing everyone’s work on social media. I just got tired of those detrimental and impairing feelings. I want to be true to my vision and what sets me apart. I also try to avoid spending too much time on social media because it saps the minimal time I have and it also sometimes results in comparison, which doesn’t lead me anywhere. It makes me stuck instead, so it’s often a waste of time. When I let go of comparing to others and embrace my own way of doing things, I feel that opportunities happen and I feel a lot more freedom in my own work.

What was the most challenging thing you ever made?

Silvia: The most challenging things are always the quilts I make for family. The quilt I made for my nephew inspired by Anni Albers weaving called DNA was one of the most challenging ones, not just in a technical way but also in a design sense. It’s hard when you are trying to please someone else aesthetics and want to make something they will love, but it feels great when you get it right.

What does it mean to you to work in a traditionally domestic medium that historically has been regarded as predominately female (aka “women’s work”)?

Silvia: I am actually honored to have a voice in this specific medium. When I was young and proud, during Fashion Design school, I would make sure to state the difference between being a fashion designer and being a seamstress. I did not want to be taken as the latter. With maturity, also came appreciation for all of those hands-on processes. Ironically, I have turned into what I looked down upon. However, my experiences have broadened my perspective and I found that my place doesn’t have to be glamorous to feel right. At this current time, it does feel right.

How do you see your current work in the context of quilting history?

Silvia: Let’s just say that I am no Gwen Marston, but if I can educate the people around me about what modern quilting can be, then I am happy to contribute in that way. I honestly fought quilting for a long time. Every time people learned that I sewed, they would ask if I quilted. My idea of patchwork and quilting was one of faded brown civil war fabrics embroidered with little bonnet girls. Not that it was a bad thing, but it just wasn’t my thing. The quilts I thought about were more on the side of art quilts than traditional bedding quilts. It took me a while to find out that there was a middle ground between the crazy art quilts in my head and the traditional ones I had seen. Today, I try to explain modern quilting to friends and families because I don’t want anyone to have the same misconception.

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Thank you, Silvia!  You’re unique style and commitment to exploring new ideas has led to a brilliant body of work. We look forward to seeing what you make next! To learn more about Silvia, visit her website A Stranger View or connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Ello. 

Would you like to be featured in The Creativity Project? Reach out! I’d love to hear from you! Contact me at lelandavestudios@gmail.com.  Want to participate, but not necessarily be featured? You can do that!  Click here to take the survey!

The Creativity Project can be found on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Bloglovin’. Or check back here every Friday of 2018! And if you are enjoying this series, please feel free to share!

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