Since I am an older quilter, I am familiar with many of the early pioneers in quilting, and one of them was Yvonne Porcella (photo above is from 1993).  I just learned of her death after her six year ordeal with ovarian cancer, and thought I would pass on pictures of her creativity.  Upon her death, the Modesto Bee wrote:

I lived in the Bay Area when she was well-known, and it was another quilter, Elinor Peace Bailey who told me about Yvonne and told me I should learn about her and look at some of her work.

So I purchased this book, and fell in love.  You can buy it for a penny on Amazon right now.  And then I bought another:

Here is some of her work:

(from here)

(many images from here)

Asked to reflect on her career, how it began and what drives her as an artist, Porcella says:  “As a child, motherly love taught me to knit and sew, and rip mistakes and make it right. Curiosity led to self education, enhanced by a collection of books, visits to museums, and exploration of textiles from other countries. Imagination generated inspiration and freedom led to invention. I learned creativity comes from making your own rules, understanding the limits of your chosen materials, and having confidence in personal skills.”

I’ll miss your influence and quilts, Yvonne.  Thank you for teaching me not to be afraid of color.