Lynda’s work celebrates God and His created world in both abstract and representational form, specifically inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Her medium is the art quilt.
Lynda came to quilting over 20 years ago when a colleague offered to teach a quilting class. She was intrigued by the social aspect of quilting, as well as by the seemingly endless possibilities for combining geometric shapes and colors to make pleasing designs. Primarily a self-taught artist, she had spent the early part of her career exploring the use of color in other mediums – sumi-e painting, stained glass, soft pastels and basketry. The added dimension of pattern and texture in fabric piqued her interest and challenged her to push the color envelope with this medium.
The world of quilting introduced Lynda to collaboration with other artists and quilters. She has worked with various groups to make quilts for hurricane victims and Project Linus, a national organization that provides handmade quilts and blankets to critically ill children. She also made five quilts as fundraisers for Joyful Noise Community Music & Arts Center in Weaverville¸ NC and taught art quilting and visual arts at several of their summer camps.
In additional to working with other quilters, in 2015 Lynda was fortunate to collaborate in a multi-media installation with Knoxville, TN composer Dosia McKay. Lynda and Dosia constructed an enclosure of white parchment, painted branches and paper sculpture as a container for McKay’s Endless Immersion musical experience.
From 2015 to 2020 she exhibited her work at 140D Roberts Street and at Eco-Depot Marketplace in Asheville’s River Arts District. She also exhibited at Artisans on Main in Weaverville, NC in 2017-2018.
Lynda was born and raised in Ohio and has made her home with her husband Mark near Weaverville, North Carolina since 2001, where the beautiful mountain and woodland scenery continues to inspire and challenge her. Her work is in private collections throughout the world.
Addendum:
2020 brought new challenges for everyone. For me the challenge came in the form of illness. In December I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer and bone metastasis in my spine, pelvis and femurs. The initial prognosis was terminal. But test results came back and I was offered a plan of six radiation treatments and chemotherapy in the form of a daily pill. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital and 3 weeks in a rehabilitation facility. My husband and I then spent 4 months in a hotel because I was not ambulatory and couldn’t return to our mountain home. In May I began physical therapy to regain the ability to walk. We came home June 16, 2021.
During the time of my illness and recovery I learned that 99% of the people working in the medical care field are called to their profession by God. It is so obvious that they have been given gifts of compassion, physical care and emotional support. I learned that the power of prayer is the most important factor in our healing. And I learned that sometimes, only beauty helps. I was so comforted by the art I would see on the walls of the hospital as I was transported to testing or treatment.
I also reflected on what I would do with my own art going forward. God brings light and life and healing to the world. We can be touched by that light and share it with others, not only through our art but through our words and actions. In my work I’m continuing to explore the landscape and the natural world, the horizon, the seasons of the year and the hours of the day. All of these things have a natural rhythm and progression, the cycle of life and the journey that we are all on. I want my art to illustrate that journey. I want my art to penetrate to the heart of things, to reveal the beauty, goodness and truth of God and the light he brings to the world.
Above all I want my art to bless, comfort, heal and inspire. I want to encourage others to pursue creative expression in all forms.
Education
Miami University (Ohio), 1974 BA in International Studies
Continuing Education courses in Art at Akron University, Edison State University and Miami University
Workshops in design and quilting through Asheville Quilt Guild
Exhibits and Awards
Gathering of Artisans, Ridgecrest Conference Center 2019 – “Illumination I”
Asheville Quilt Show Special Exhibit 2019 – Out of the Box Quilters “With a Little Help From My Friends”
Church Street Gallery, Asheville, 2019 – “Seasons of Green” with Mountain Art Quilters
Asheville Quilt Show Special Exhibit 2018 – “Seasons of Green” with Mountain Art Quilters
Grace Community Church Annual Juried Show, 2016 “Transcendence”, abstract art quilt
Asheville Quilt Guild 2004, 3rd place small pieced quilt, “Have Faith, Trust God, Love One Another”
Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center, Asheville NC 2002 WNC Basket Makers group exhibit
Middletown Ohio Fine Arts Center 1998, “Moey and Russie,” pastel drawing, 2nd place
Middletown Ohio Fine Arts Center 1997 “Salt Fork State Park”, pastel drawing, Honorable Mention
Installations
Asheville Electronic Music Festival, 2015 “Endless Immersion”, collaborative video, audio and fiber installation, with composer Dosia McKay
Organizations and Association Memberships
Asheville River Arts District Artists (RADA)
Asheville Quilt Guild
Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Mountain Art Quilters
Joyful Noise Community Music and Art Center Visual arts and quilting instruction, charity quilts for fundraising
Website
LyndaSondles.com