CAMDEN — Coastal Quilters will meet Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Camden Lions' Club on Lions' Lane in Camden, gathering at 9:30 a.m. for socializing and coffee, program at 10 a.m.

This month's program features fabric artist Linda Shepard from Union. Shepard will discuss her journey from traditional quilt artisan to her current love of fabric collage creations. She'll also present a wonderful trunk show featuring both her traditional "bed-size" quilts and numerous beautiful fabric collage pieces.

Shepard reports on her website that color has always captured her attention. Much of that love of color comes from her years of gardening where she is surrounded by color. "I am inspired by the magnificent array of plants, animals and insects that show us a wild world of color and design." The Ralph Waldo Emerson quote on her website homepage: "Nature always wears the colors of the spirit," exemplifies her belief in the power of both color and nature.

After spending years making traditional quilts, like many artists, Shepard wanted to try something new. During the winter of 2011 she learned fabric collage from Susan Carlson and quickly realized the endless possibilities the technique offered for quilting - a new and liberating way to play with fabric.

No color is out of bounds and different combinations of colors can bring out some aspect of any subject. Even what might seem like the most unlikely color groupings can give composition to contrast and highlights. Shepard reports that combinations of colors can provide dark and earthy, bright and flamboyant, and kaleidoscopic fantasy. This allows her to explore subjects with light hearted play and fantasy and to create interpretive and dreamlike pieces.

Similar to making a mosaic, hundreds of small fabric pieces are glued onto a piece of muslin to form the subject. Shepard's website states that "There is a meditative quality to the process; hours pass as the subject slowly comes into focus and takes shape."

To learn more about Shepard's art, visit www.linda-shepard.com. Be sure to click on "gallery" to see a selection of the pieces. It's hard to believe these are mosaics of fabric! And, if you click on individual creations, you can learn even more.

The program will be followed by a refreshment break, a short business meeting and "Show & Tell." Coastal Quilters' programs/meetings are free and open to all; FMI about the program or

CQ, call Gail at 236-3821 or Louisa at 236-6215.