Having painted wild life for years, Sherri Dunbar became enamored with herons and shore birds on a trip to Maine in 1996. “Our friend has a cottage on a tidal river and a heron comes to visit every day. I watched the elegance and patience of that bird as it waded and waited for a fish to come by.”

“Approaching Storm”
36”h x 26.5”w, oil based paints on cotton
Collection of the artist
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 1996

Soon after getting back home, Sherri painted, appliquéd and quilted "Approaching Storm" which remains in her private collection to this day. The sewing on her paintings brings extra dimension to her artwork. Now people seek her out on the art show circuit to acquire new pieces for their collection or commission unique wild life artwork.

“I called Sherri and we talked about commissioning a piece with a similar fox and maybe an adjacent forest. We talked a little about design elements and she sent me a sketch and some fabric swatches, which I liked a lot.” Dr. Stein’s wife is of Cherokee Indian heritage so Sherri worked in her tribal symbol of a raven.

“The Fox and the Raven”
42”h x 54”w, mixed media
Commissioned by Robert Stein, MD
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 1998

“About two years later, we went over to the Winterthur Museum crafts show and stopped by Sherri's display. She had branched out to make several great quilts showing underwater sea life and herons wading in the shallows of a marsh. I asked her to make us two more wall hangings, one of each. (“Sea Lavender” & “Moons Rising”) This time, although she sent us swatches and a preliminary sketch, I knew I could trust her to make something beautiful. My wife and I sat back and waited for Sherri to send us the finished quilts. They have both arrived and are also truly fantastic! Working with Sherri has been a great experience. She has an eye for nature that I really appreciate.”

Most of Sherri’s artwork starts with a sketch. “I take the sketchbook on vacation and I always have a small one in my car. Every summer vacation is recorded in some way. The heron and the gulls and the sand pipers all were sketched on the beach. Sometimes I just get an idea -- otters sliding down an icy bank or a fox eating blueberries -- and the sketch stays in the book for a year or more before it comes to life.

“I use photographs for reference and I use reference books, Petersen and Sibley, to make sure I get the coloring and shape correct. I have lots of ideas in the sketchbook and lots of notes for more work. I need to live to 125 just to finish what's there and spinning in my head.”

Wild bird rescuer Miriam Moyer “met Sherri Dunbar when I was on a craft fair committee for the wildlife rehabilitation clinic. Sherri had just finished a quilted wall hanging "Oil in the Ocean" in response to the Exxon-Valdez oil spill. It was a subtle but moving tribute to the animals that suffered from that infamous example of human carelessness. We featured that artwork in advertising the fair.”

When the Moyer’s renovated their house, Miriam decided to commission an original artwork. “I gave Sherri the bird species I had helped raise at that time, and the approximate size of the finished artwork. Sherri selected fabrics, sent samples with suggestions, and a sketch in scale of the picture. Then I waited. When the quilted artwork was finally finished, I was delighted with the results.”

“It hangs in our new sunroom. Before, this space had been a screened-in porch where I would care for the birds.

“When I was invited to do a one-woman show at the National Wildlife Visitor Center, I did a lot of research about creatures of the Chesapeake Bay area and the mid Atlantic region. That research generated all the artwork in my Shore and Wetlands series and is still driving my work.”

“Shadows in the Rainforest”
appliquéd & quilted
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 2003

Sherri Dunbar is a juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and past president of the Montgomery County Guild of Craftsmen.

Her artwork has been exhibited in the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen's "Best of Crafts" exhibits, and in New England Quilting Association's " Images '97." Her artwork may also be found in private collections in the United States, Europe, Japan, and the Philippines.

Many of her clients, like Elizabeth Gaines who recently purchased "Before the Storm" see her artwork at a weekend art fair and call her months or even years later to order it. Elizabeth met Sherri this past spring at the Patuxent Wildlife Art Show in Maryland.

Sherri always brings along a half finished piece that she works on in her booth. “I had lightly painted the outline of the birds on the painted background, and was appliquéing on the "rocks" when she saw it. I showed her a photo of "Gathering in the Marsh" and [Elizabeth] said she'd like to see a photo of the new piece when it was done.”

"Before the Storm"
18.5"h x 20"w
Setacolor and oil based paints on cotton
Collection of Elizabeth Gaines
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 2003

Dr. Stein, “first saw a picture of a quilt that Sherri had done in a glossy magazine of crafts delivered by mail. The piece she had in that article was a fox in the hollow of a tree trunk. I thought it was fantastic: colorful, with a very natural feel.

“Moons Rising”
52”h x 42”w, mixed media
Commissioned by Robert Stein, MD
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 2000

“Sea Lavender”
51”h x 42”w
Setacolor and oil based paints on cotton
Commissioned by Robert Stein, MD
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 2002

After it was enlarged, I decided to decorate it with a bird motif. The twelve tall windows frame living pictures of trees, sky, and birds. The one high, solid wall opposite the longest window wall is where Sherri's “Celebration” hangs. Now, I can't imagine the room without it.”

“Celebration”
60"h x 49"w
oil based paint on cotton, hand quilted
Commissioned by Miriam Moyer
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 1995

Celebration portrays Chimney Swifts, Northern Orioles, Cardinals, a Catbird, a Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwings, a Blue Jay, a Kingbird, a Yellow-Shafted Flicker, an American Robin, Common Night Hawks, and Mourning Doves.

Asked why she likes creating com-missioned artwork, Sherri responds, “They get me into areas I might not have tried -- different color palettes and all those birds in “Celebration”.

“Summer in the Forest”
oil based paint on cotton, embroidered
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 2003

Sherri’s wild life artwork is viewable at www.DunbarQuiltArt.com

“Summer in the Forest”
7"h x 9"w
oil based paint on cotton, embroidered
© Sherri Young Dunbar, 2002

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Carolyn Lee Vehslage’s award winning artwork is in private, corporate, gallery and museum collections around the world. www.clvquilts.com