I was born and raised in Lithuania, a country of songs, amber and rain.
My family lived in a small town far away from big cities. I remember my second grade teacher came to talk to my Mom to see if she would consider sending me to an art school in Vilnius. No, my Mom could not afford to send me there. Vilnius looked very far away.
I never got any education in art besides what I learned from books. My desire for creation got expressed through crafts: knitting, crocheting and sewing. It continued through my life even when I became a medical doctor and worked in a medical field for 26 years.
I was introduced to quilting in 1997. I started as a traditional quilter, I used traditional blocks but I always designed my quilts adding my own details.
In 2002 I moved to live in USA. I remember entering a big quilt shop there for the first time. I stood by the door overwhelmed and overjoyed. That’s when my true journey as a quilter began.
It took a different direction after I moved back to live in Lithuania in 2013. There were no quilt shops here, no where to buy fabrics, or tools, or books. That’s why I started dyeing my own fabrics and this made a big impact on my quilt designs.
Living in USA I learned different techniques but I almost deliberately didn’t take any classes in quilting. I wanted to find my own path through challenges and discoveries. The only two classes I’ve ever took was silk painting and fabric dyeing. I knew I would need these in Lithuania.
I don’t work in a medical field anymore. I am enjoying my journey as a full time quilt artist.