Quilter's Profile
Kimala Thompson
Dragonfly Creations
Madeira Park, British Columbia
"I love the unlimited possibilities quilting offers as a means of expression; the ability to make a statement; to cause people to look at an idea from a different direction." K.T.
I would like to introduce to you one of most dedicated and passionate quilters I know: Kimala Thompson of Dragonfly Creations. Kim’s home and studio are both located in a float house six miles from Pender Harbour up the Agamemnon Channel on BC’s Sunshine Coast.
This life on the water while anchored a short distance from the coastal rainforest is a constant inspiration and influence in her art. One can see the sun and sky in her brilliant hand dyes while the fragmented piecing of her batik pillows reflect the uncountable points of light dancing on the ocean. The chatter of the bald eagle and the sound of a salmon breaking the surface of the water are there, too.
While Kim's life is one of beauty it is not an easy life. She has no power and must bring in her own fuel by boat for the generator. Keeping the water line running is a constant challenge especially in winter and wood must be chopped for the stove or there is no heat. All this requires discipline and a need for order and this, too, is found in Kim's work.
The exactness of Kim's piecing, the perfect points and the even stitching of her free motion quilting show the discipline of hours of practice. Even as she moves into a more innovative style of design, the discipline remains; for her, it is now second nature.
According to Kim, since her first quilting workshop in 1996, she has become immersed in the art form. She loves the constant challenge of perfecting new skills and techniques and the opportunity of 'playing' with today's beautiful fabrics. Her enthusiasm truly knows no bounds and she shares her passion with everyone she meets.
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Kimala Thompson's beautiful Bali batik pillows have been jury selected into the Circle Craft Co-op located on Granville Island in Vancouver, BC and are available for purchase. Others pieces of her art are available at the Flying Anvil Studio on Garden Bay Road in Pender Harbour.
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Thank you to Patti and Paul Hansen, owners of the West Coast Wilderness Lodge in Egmont, BC, for permission to photograph in their lodge.