Tori Stevens – Artist telling stories in the wilds of New Mexico 💙

(っ◔◡◔)っ Welcome and thanks for stopping by my corner of pixels!

"Down Memory Lane" is a painting that invites us t

"Down Memory Lane" is a painting that invites us to walk among echoes of the past. I see it as a trail map shaped by memories and stories etched across generations. This might end up in my upcoming tarot/oracle deck, where each card invites the viewer on a journey of wayfinding through the inner landscape. I'm still working out the concept, style, and palette, but I do know that the first 22 cards will map to the tarot major arcana.
🌌✨

#intuitivepainting #pictographs #cardreaders #oraclecarddeck #tarotcards #witchesofinsta

This is my October quilt block for @tarafaughnan #

This is my October quilt block for @tarafaughnan #blockstudiescollective. It's about 21" square, and it's been fun to work in a small format with a spirit of experimentation! 🎨 It also works wonders for my short attention span. 😂 This is just the right size to solve one creative problem and then ✨️ poof ✨️ onto the next inspiration! Also, loving the October witchy vibes and staying open to all the magic that comes through. Hope you are, too!

#blockstudiescollective #quiltersofinstagram #modernquilting #patchwork #creativemagic

A new painting today! 🎨 I’m pleased to share:

A new painting today! 🎨 I’m pleased to share: "Cottonwood Springs," inspired by my adventure last month through the sun-soaked Collegiate Peaks in Colorado. Lately, I’ve been exploring the idea of mapmaking and wayfinding through my art, and this piece is the most recent in that journey.
🍂
I’m also excited to be working on something special—a handcrafted oracle card deck featuring my paintings! I've been a card reader for many years, and I think designing an oracle deck will be manageable. I'd love to make a tarot deck, but so many cards! Anyway, I’m currently deep in the creative process: brainstorming keywords for each card, designing how they’ll look, and figuring out the whole transformation from painted canvas to printed card thing.
🍂
For any analog deck creators out there, I’d love to hear your tips! I’m thinking if this piece makes the cut, it could become the ‘Wandering’ card. But for now, it’s just a prototype. What do you think?"

#artjourney #wanderingsoul #intuitivepainting #acrylicpainting #oracledeck #taosartist #cardreader #cardslinger #artistcards #abstractpainting #modernfolkart

Hey, y'all. Hope you're doing well and enjoying th

Hey, y'all. Hope you're doing well and enjoying the season! I've been busy all summer with Tai Chi teacher training, which is about to wrap up, and I look forward to getting back to making more art. I'm really itching to do some painting and think that will be my focus, tho I tend to keep lots of irons in the fire.
😅🍂

I'd like to share that my "Paradise Lost" art quilt is currently on exhibit in the "Bearing Witness" show at the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The show will travel for 2-3 years and is in New Jersey now. There's a virtual walkthrough in case you'd like to check it out. Link in my bio. ⚘️

"Paradise Lost" was inspired by my learning of the church's partnership with the US government in the cultural genocide of Native Americans through the "boarding school" program, which lasted for 150 years. The system was brutal and deadly, wherein children were forcibly separated from their families as part of a federal policy to eradicate Native communities' identity and forcibly take indigenous lands.

In this piece, I imagine a heartbroken historical Jesus peering through a cloudy window in the church's majestic facade. His tears drip through and down the glass as he weeps at the horrors executed in his name.

Thank you, @saqaart, for giving me the opportunity to share my work! 🥰

#bearingwitness #saqa #artasactivism #nativeamericanhistory #artivism #artquilt #improvpiecing #improvquilting #modernquilter #truehistory #modernquilting #history #quilting #quiltersofinstagram #stainedglassart #stainedglass #artquilter #textileart #womenswork #handpiecing #quiltlife #quilters #textilearts #textileart

Hi, y'all! It's finally feeling like summer here i

Hi, y'all! It's finally feeling like summer here in the high elevations of New Mexico. Hope you're enjoying the season! I've been on a roll creating projects from scraps and thrifted bits lately. It's so gratifying! I've been thinking about how the textile industry contributes to global environmental pollution at every stage of the supply chain: water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, microplastics, and piles of textile waste. So, I'm still buying some gorgeous fabrics when I "need" 'em, but I'm trying to work as sustainably as possible by incorporating used fabric and generating little waste.

I recently made these placemats using a couple of thrifted shirts (flannel and linen) and some scraps. I added the shirt pockets to hold silverware! Super fun project and will use this technique again. Thanks, @afullenglish, for the inspiration via @quiltfolk Breaking the Rules BOM.
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#quiltersofig #textileartist #sustainableliving #thereisnoplanetb #quiltersofinstagram #improvquilting #scrappyquilt #placematsdesign #homedecorating
#kitchendecor #ecofriendly #ecodesign

With this project, I continue my process of lettin

With this project, I continue my process of letting go to see what happens. ✨️

I used all scraps for the top part, laying them out as randomly as my brain would allow. Once I ran out of those scraps, I added a limited palette at the bottom to cool things down a bit. This is one of the few functional (not wall art) quilts that I've made so far, and once quilted, it'll be living loudly on my couch covered in dog fur! 😂
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#scrapquilt #scrappyquilt #color #improvquilt #modernquilt #nofear #colortherapy #textileart #quiltersofig #quiltersofinstagram #colorsplash

Here's a painting I did yesterday titled, "Snake c

Here's a painting I did yesterday titled, "Snake creeps through grass." We have some rattlesnakes out here on our ranch and try to avoid each other. Thankful for that rattle cuz I almost stepped on one last summer! He was coiled right next to my bird feeders looking to eat my chipmunks. We relocated him, and I'm hoping not to meet again, but I keep watching out just in case... I've always been drawn to snakes as an animal medicine totem representing transmutation. My goto reference for such things is Jamie Sams' animal medicine cards book and she advises that this is heavy magic - to transmute energy like snake shedding it's skin and to accept the power of that fire of transformation. ❤️‍🔥
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#abstractart #folkart #intuitivepainting #newmexicoartist #newmexicoart #wallart

I've recently been experimenting with painting can

I've recently been experimenting with painting canvas and combining it with fabrics, so I gave that a try with this piece I'm calling, "Spirit in the Sky." Whew, I learned a lot and feeling accomplished that it came together. I seldom work with printed fabric and started out with quite a bit but then kept removing it, lol. 😅 I plan to try quilting the piece down the road but moving on to other projects this week. 🥰
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#landofenchantment #newmexicotrue #newmexicoartist #folkart #quiltersofinstagram #improvquilting #mysticalart #artquilt #wallart #acrylicpainting #logcabinblocks #orange #blue #southwestart #ravens #eyes

I think I've become a #maximalist! 😂 The last t

I think I've become a #maximalist! 😂 The last time I was painting several years ago, I could barely allow myself to make colors touch each other, or even use darker values, and many of my finished paintings looked kind of like pastel washes waiting to be brought to life. That timidity is clearly gone now, LOL. BTW, I think I'm in love with Pyrrole Orange.

I learned lots on this one, which was inspired by my mind's eye view of our house. It's magical to see the world like this when I look outside, and I'm so thankful that painting provides me a way to try to share it. Sure wish I'd stopped about 3 hours ago, tho. It's a hard lesson to learn when a painting is finished. "What do you do once you like it?" Leave it alone! 😅✨️
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#acrylicpainting #abstractart #abstractpainting #mysticalart #dreamsymbols #dreamscape #modernart #designideas #newmexicoartist #newmexicoart #newmexicobeauty #orange #blueaesthetic #intuitivepainting #intuitiveart

More fun with mirror vinyl! Reflections are everyt

More fun with mirror vinyl! Reflections are everything today, including my ceiling fan dancing. 💙

I finished all four of the vinyl blocks, finally, and now I know all the magic tricks. ✨️ Sadly, the rest of this piece will have to wait until more fabric shows up in the mail. One of the few drawbacks to living in the middle of nowhere.
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#symbols #southwestart #quiltsofinstagram #quiltblock #improvquilting #mirror #reflection #vinyl #quiltersofinstagram #newmexicoartist #eyes #turquoise #intuitivepainting #modernart #walldecor #abstractart #mysticalart #intuitivepainting #designideas #acrylicpainting #contemporaryart #dreamscape

I cut up my last painted canvas into nine mini pai

I cut up my last painted canvas into nine mini paintings, which I'm combining with fabric and mirror vinyl to create my riff on a traditional quilt block. Sewing the canvas to the vinyl has had a steep learning curve, and I managed to finish this square yesterday despite the debris and failed experiments strewn about! Should get easier from here on out. 😅

I'm calling this piece, "Sleeping Beauty," inspired by my antique Sleeping Beauty turquoise necklace. Anyone who knows me IRL knows that I most always wear turquoise jewelry. I swear that rock is a part of me from way back.💙
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#symbols #southwestart #quiltsofinstagram #quiltblock #improvquilting #mirror #reflection #vinyl #quiltersofinstagram #newmexicoartist #eyes #turquoise #intuitivepainting #modernart #walldecor #abstractart #mysticalart #intuitivepainting #designideas #acrylicpainting #contemporaryart #dreamscape

Projects from the past week or so! 💙💚🖤❤

Projects from the past week or so! 💙💚🖤❤️
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#symbols #ancientsymbols #southwestart #newmexicoartist
#intuitivepainting #modernart #walldecor #wallart #abstractart #mysticalart #intuitivepainting #designideas #symbolsart #acrylicpainting #contemporaryart #dreamscape

Whew, that was a journey! I created this painting

Whew, that was a journey! I created this painting while taking a @creativebug class with @florabowley called "Intuitive Painting." It was fabulous and taught me everything I need to know about the kind of painting I wanna do! I just love her process, which is fun, accessible, surprising, and, well, intuitive.⚘️✨️
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#symbols #ancientsymbols #southwestart #newmexicoartist
#intuitivepainting #modernart #walldecor #wallart #abstractart #mysticalart #intuitivepainting #designideas #symbolsart #acrylicpainting #contemporaryart #dreamscape

Hi folks! This painting was inspired by some picto

Hi folks! This painting was inspired by some pictographs near our ranch in New Mexico, as well as my studies of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung's work. I've been fascinated with symbols and Jung's concepts, including the collective unconscious, for a while, and that's fueled my inspiration to start painting some of what I've discovered. 🌱

The pictographs nearby are thought to be at least a couple of thousand years old. And, I like to think about being connected to those people through our relationship with this ancient landscape and our shared need to map our experiences onto surfaces.

The piece is a mix of 3 paintings on canvas that are sliced and diced and sewn together. I just love the freedom and randomness baked into the process! I'm planning several experiments and will quilt some of 'em, plus frame or mount all of them before reopening my Etsy shop once a few are completed. Swipe for an example display plus some pictographs, too. 😍

Thanks for stopping by! Tori
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#quiltpainting #symbols #ancientsymbols #pictographs
#intuitivepainting #modernart #walldecor #moderndesign #wallart #abstractart #mysticalart #intuitivepainting #improvquilting #improvart #designideas #artquilts #paintedquilts #symbolsart #improvquilt #quiltersofinstagram

Hey, y'all! I've been painting lately and having l

Hey, y'all! I've been painting lately and having loads of fun doing it. For some paintings, I'm using thin 7 oz canvases and then cutting them up and stitching back together. Here's a set of 5" squares I finished today for my stash. 💙🩵💚
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#customfabric #handpainted #handmadefabric #abstractpainting #intuitivepainting #artquilt #quiltersofinstagram #handmadetextiles #breakingtherules

After months of stitching, it was time to pull all

After months of stitching, it was time to pull all the paper out of the back of my quilt, and it was oddly satisfying - kinda like popping bubble wrap! 😂 Next up, I'll add batting and backing to make the quilt "sandwich" and quilt it. Lastly, I plan to hand embroider the additional species categories onto each pie slice. Whew, almost there!

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This is my current art quilt project, "Extinction Pie." The chart section shows the # of threatened species (vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered) in the world in 2022. My initial data visualization with multiple views is linked in bio.
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#asmr #theback #asmrsounds #papercraft #quiltconprep #quilting #eppquilt #modernquilt #handmade #artquilts #modernquilting #handsewing #textiles #artgalleryfabrics #patchwork #englishpaperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #climateart #quiltersofinstagram #sewingproject #epp #artquilt #handpiecing #slowstitching #patienceiskey🔑 #quiltlove

My dear Brina died yesterday from respiratory fail

My dear Brina died yesterday from respiratory failure that came on quickly. She was 11 years old. She beat breast cancer recently, but it turned out that her little lungs failed her in the end.

I adopted Brina only 3 years ago. She spent 8 long years imprisoned in a puppy mill until she was saved by @nationalmilldogrescue. She was delicate due to her past abuse. Nevertheless, she was a gentle and joyful girl, and my dear companion. Brina loved getting treats, sleeping in sunbeams, being next to me, and dancing in circles at dinner time. She will be forever missed.

My other dog, Momo, died just two months ago. So, I now find myself without a furry friend for the first time in over 35 years. It's all been so heartbreaking, but worth it. 💔
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#adoptdontshop #puppymillsurvivor #puppymillrescue #inmemoriam #dogsofinstagram #dogpeople #chihuahuasofinstagram #chihuahuas #truelove #friendsforever

Extinction Pie is up on the design wall at last! I

Extinction Pie is up on the design wall at last! It's so nice to have my work table back, too. Only 4 sections left to go, and I'm feelin' fine with the hardest part behind me.
🤞😎

I still have a bit of English Paper Piecing remaining with sections 1 & 2. Sections 3 & 4 will be Foundation Paper Pieced on the machine. And, then I plan to hand sew the four sections together.

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This is my current art quilt project, "Extinction Pie." The chart section shows the # of threatened species (vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered) in the world in 2022. My initial data visualization with multiple views is linked in bio.
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#handsewing #slowstitching #quilting #eppquilt #modernquilter #artquilts #modernquilting #textiles #textileart #electricquilt #englishpaperpiecing #artgalleryfabrics #patchwork #englishpaperpiecing #fpp #foundationpaperpiecing #climateart #quiltersofinstagram #epp #handpiecing #patchworkquilt

In my progress update this week, I wanna share how

In my progress update this week, I wanna share how I'm using both Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) and English Paper Piecing (EPP) mixed in together. If you know of anyone else using this hybrid technique, I'd love to hear about it!

With FPP, I can machine sew (yay) a few pieces together, which saves a lotta time, but in many situations, EPP has to be used to fashion only one piece at a time. Either way, once the units are completed, they're all hand stitched together.

So, how do I decide which technique to use? Well, essentially, FPP can not be used for adjacent pieces with a deep internal angle in common. This is because once the seam allowance is snipped on the back to accommodate the angle, it's just too vulnerable to unraveling - even if glued.

Have a great week, y'all!
Tori

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This is my current art quilt project, "Extinction Pie." The chart section shows the # of threatened species (vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered) in the world in 2022. My initial data visualization with multiple views is linked in bio.
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#handsewing #slowstitching #quilting #eppquilt #modernquilter #artquilts #modernquilting #textiles #textileart #electricquilt #englishpaperpiecing #artgalleryfabrics #patchwork #englishpaperpiecing #fpp #foundationpaperpiecing #climateart #quiltersofinstagram #epp #handpiecing #patchworkquilt

This is my wee companion, Brina, who just had surg

This is my wee companion, Brina, who just had surgery this week to remove a breast cancer tumor. The procedure is common for puppy mill breeder dogs who are forced to produce countless litters of puppies to be sold online and through pet stores. I adopted this sweetie almost 3 years ago from @nationalmilldogrescue, who rescued her at 8 years of age from a life of abuse and misery living in a cage.

Brina's doing great since her surgery and is a little warrior! That big green bandage is used to keep swelling down after surgery. Also, I didn't want her to have to deal with a cumbersome plastic cone, so I sewed the ends of a sock together to put around her neck! I thought I'd have to stuff it, but just the sock is enough to hinder her from messing with the stitches. 🤩

Please be a hero for animals and adopt, don't shop when adding a furry friend to your family! 🐾💗
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#puppymillsurvivor #puppymillrescue
#adoptdontshop #adoptdontshop🐾
#chihuahua #chihuahuasofinstagram #littledogs #lapdogs #dogsofinstagram #surgeryrecovery #doglife #dogloversofinstagram #dogpeople #cutedogs #secondchances #dogrescue #furbaby #dogcone #diydogcollar #diydog #oneeyeddog

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