How Quilting has Helped Artist Michelle Wilkie Find Connection, Purpose, and Healing

Michelle Wilkie is a talented textile artist and modern quilt designer who creates beautiful, meaningful quilts by blending traditional techniques with a contemporary, minimalist style.

In this interview, Michelle shares her journey from growing up in a vibrant and diverse community in South Auckland, New Zealand, to using quilting to find connection and purpose after moving to the United States. She talks about the emotional stories behind her work, like the quilt she made for her mother during chemotherapy and how quilting provides comfort and creative expression.

Michelle also talks about significant life changes, including leaving a high-stress corporate job to follow her passion for art. She discusses the challenges of self-doubt, learning to balance rest and work, and finding her rhythm as a full-time artist.

Michelle Wilkie is a textile artist and modern quilt designer whose practice blends traditional quilting techniques with contemporary aesthetics, embracing improvisation and minimalism. Over the past two years, Michelle’s work has been featured in prominent venues, including the North Carolina Museum of Art, the PNW Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, the Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, and CAM Raleigh. She has shown three solo exhibitions at the PAAL Gallery, the Page-Walker Arts and History Center, and the Durham Art Guild. She has participated in notable juried group shows in ArtFields, Truist Gallery, ArtSpace NC, and international exhibitions in France, Italy, and Czechia. Michelle has completed artist residencies at the Ox-Bow School of Art, the Durham Art Guild, and the Penland School of Craft. Her work has been featured in multiple publications and included in Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century.

1. How would you describe your art style, and what inspired you to become an artist?

My Dad is a painter, allowing me to be creative. Growing up, I always liked to do some form of art, so it’s always been part of me. My mum is a fantastic sewist, but I have never had to sew with her. By the time I took up quilting, she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. I am a textile artist (quilter) and like modern, contemporary, and abstract works. I have been inspired by people like Carmen Herrera, Stanley Whitney, Agnes Martin, Frank Stella, Anni Albers, and Donald Judd (to name a few).

My artistic narrative unfolds through a lens that captures my experiences – a visual dialogue shaped by photography, translating moments into textile works.

Michelle Wilkie

2. Can you tell us about a particular piece of art that holds special meaning for you?

The quilt I made for my mother as she went through chemotherapy is probably the piece I hold closely. I made it for her comfort, but now that I have it, it provides me comfort. If I need to feel close to her if I’m not feeling well, or if I need the warmth from the quilt, it’s there. I think that is why I love this medium. It can be art you hang, or it can give you physical comfort.

3. Can you describe a memorable experience or project that significantly impacted your career?

My most memorable experience was quitting my corporate job after 24 years with the company. I had made three goals to accomplish before I left, and I achieved those by July of that year. I still didn’t quit because of fear of the unknown. I managed a team of 65 people at the time. The stress was high, and we had just survived working remotely through COVID. Then, suddenly, one of my younger team members passed away. That was when I realized life was too short; I needed to make the leap and do something I loved. My last day was 31st December, 5 months after reaching my goals. I am thankful for the opportunities and the skills I got from my corporate job. However, I am still processing and healing from the stress of that job. I didn’t realize how stress can change you as a person. I look back now, 2 years, and don’t recognize that person. I have no regrets about becoming a full-time artist.

4. What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge is myself. I am still finding my footing as a full-time artist. I realized I need consistency and a regular schedule, which I am terrible at, but I need it. I’m learning to believe in myself and pushing through the self-doubt. I am learning to rest when I need it. And the most significant challenge is talking about my art and engaging with people.

Each quilt becomes a canvas where emotions and connections intertwine and a story is told.

Michelle Wilkie

5. How do you approach collaboration with other artists or creatives?

I come from a place where the community is vital in my culture. Collaborating with artists is another way to connect to your community and meet others. Everyone has their own experience, and having those diverse experiences and taking the time to understand them and learn from them results in excellent opportunities. I recently just finished a fantastic project where three artists (Aliyah Bonnette, Patrizia Ferreira, and myself) got to bring textile/fiber art to the North Carolina Museum of Art Community. We could take quilt blocks the community made and create three beautiful pieces.

Michelle Wilkie’s journey reminds us that art is more than a creative expression—it’s a bridge to connection, community, and healing. Her quilts, each woven with personal stories and emotions, invite us to see the depth and versatility of this traditional craft in a modern light. To learn more about Michelle, visit the links below.