Simple Beauty Still a Favorite

Linda A. Miller is this week's guest blogger for the Artist as Collector Series.

Mola textile art

A friend returning from travels in the 1980’s brought me this mola textile.  It was my first exposure to the work by the Kuna artisans from the San Blas Islands of Panama.  I was drawn to the simple image and the layers of color.  This piece inspired further exploration into mola art. 

Incorporated into panels of blouses, molas are handmade by Kuna women using a reverse appliqué technique.  Several layers of different colored cloth are sewn together. The design is formed by cutting away parts from each layer and stitching them down.  

My appreciation for the intricate art form has grown over the years, paralleling a return to handwork in my own art making process.  I have since added to my collection, yet this bright image remains one of my favorites with its sweet simplicity of bird essence.

Linda A. Miller is a fiber artist living in Culver City, CA, where she creates fluid, colorful expressions using cloth.