While in school art was always Liz's favorite class, but unfortunately,
that was all she wanted to devote her time to! Ultimately, she
wound up ending her formal academic education early. Liz adds,
"After a few years of doing this and that, I decided I was
an artist of some sort. I found one of my callings to be painting,
which is what I make a living at, in the wonderful state of Colorado."
Liz's design vocation has over time become a family affair. Her
husband Ted is a business partner and their daughter Ashley is
already a talented designer in her own right.
CHICKEN COOP PILLOW
Elizabeth Goodrick-Dillon was born in eastern Nebraska, where
her father was a railroad engineer. Her mother was a very creative
stay-at-home mom. She sewed a lot of her daughters' clothes.
Liz adds, "We would go pick out patterns and material together,
then change and alter them to our liking. People would always
ask where we bought our clothes; I think because they would fit
us so much better than store bought clothes."
SANTA'S GINGERBREAD HOUSE STOCKING
Both parents came from Missouri where they were raised on
farms in the Ozark area. Liz has an older brother who decided
to settle back in Missouri with his family and works as a boat
mechanic on the Lake of the Ozarks. Liz's younger sister, who
has a daughter, is also artistic and has her own business as
a cosmetologist in Wyoming. Liz adds, "Its funny, we all
love to do things with our hands and are very creative with any
thing we do. I think it all started back with my great grandma.
She would sew clothes and quilts all the time. What I liked to
hear about most was how she would smoke a corn cob pipe and whittle
on the porch, probably while waiting for her 11 children to either
wake up from a nap or come in from the fields."
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SUNNY SUNFLOWERS PILLOW
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ROSES PILLOW
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Liz's maternal grandmother would make quilts from clothes
that Liz and her sister had out-grown. Liz elaborates, "It
used to just fascinate me how she could make use of the material
cut into different shapes and sizes to make this huge quilt.
I think the patterns on the pieces of material were very attractive
to me. On my father's side, his mother did quilting also and
dad was very creative with drawing and leatherwork." His
leather inspirations came from owning horses and wanting to fashion
his own saddles and belts. Liz recalls, "He was very much
the cowboy. I remember watching and bugging him about what he
was making, how to do it and why. So I learned to tool leather,
which I loved, but haven't done since I left home."
HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL
PILLOW
Liz also went through a phase of wanting to learn to sew.
Her mother proved to be a very apt and patient teacher. Liz adds
in jest, "I don't know how many times that sewing machine
bobbin got jammed up! I didn't pick up sewing again till last
year." It was painting that proved to be Liz's true calling.
At age 13 she completed her first painting and earned her first
paid commission the following year by creating a poster for her
mother's friend. She was constantly sought out by schoolmates
to draw their map assignments, etc.
PATRIOTIC SANTA ORNAMENT
Her church even requested that she paint some murals on the
classroom walls. Liz elaborates, "At 15, I started playing
around with oils, which I kind of mastered, but I didn't like
waiting for the paint to dry. I discovered acrylics and loved
the way the dried so fast and were very versatile." When
her brother got a motorcycle, Liz was promptly enlisted to airbrush
a design on it, which familiarized her with using enamels. But
all these projects were only a precursor to more challenging
endeavors yet to come.
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SANTA & ARCTIC FRIENDS
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SANTA & SNOW LEOPARDS
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STOCKINGS
Liz discovered Tapestry Tent while searching the classifieds
for a stay-at-home job, and, she adds, "A job I could paint
at." That was in 1989. Liz continues, "Only after a
couple of different jobs, getting married, having my daughter,
then finding my job with Tap Tent have I been able to allow my
artistic abilities to shine." Today, Liz and her husband,
Ted, are partners in the business, along with Claire March. Claire
originally bought Tapestry Tent and a couple of years later Liz
came in as designer/partner. Later, Ted too joined in the venture.
LAZY CAT PILLOW
Liz maintains that even after all this time, she is still
learning something new everyday. She explains, "I learned
I could do a little sculpting, which I have figured out could
be used with needle arts as well. Probably the most useful tool
is my camera. I love to photograph animals, people and flowers.
When I need to come up with an idea, I mess around with sketches,
go through my photos and try to come up with a story that I have
to explain in the form of a painting and how do I form it into
needlepoint."
Liz maintains that each design is a fresh challenge, but she
always seems to rise to the occasion. Her personal style is representational
and encompasses realistic motifs and themes. Current designs
lean towards more muted colors because of her fascination with
old-world paintings. Liz also strives for decor colors that will
blend into a room and make it warm and inviting. Her subject
matter reflects her love of nature and she infuses each image
whether of animal, plant or even inanimate object, with a distinct
personality and dramatic flair. Each design also imparts a certain
ambiance, which can range from moody and haunting to whimsical
and light-hearted. Liz's designs retain all their painterly qualities,
which metamorphoses each design into masterpiece of needleart.
CABBAGE PATCH BUNNY BELT
The family tradition of creativity, begun with Liz's great
grandmother, is continuing into the next generation. Ashley,
at 16, already has her own line of needlepoint designs, which
are sold through Tapestry Tent as well. Ashley's been at it since
she was 12! Liz adds proudly, "My husband and I are raising
our daughter, who is an awesome artist." Ted adds, "Ashley's
Line is called 'Ashley,' but we refer to it as the next generation.
I print some of her designs and she has hand painted designs
as well. Liz also has some computer printed designs. These designs
are their actual paintings that I scan in, size, color correct
and print."
RUB A DUB DUB PILLOW
Handpainted by Ashley
Tapestry Tent Designs are available to the trade. Stitchers
can find Tapestry Tent Designs at their favorite needlework retailer.
For more information, contact:
Elizabeth Goodrick-Dillon
Tapestry Tent Designs
561 East Garden Drive Unit J
Phone: (970) 674-0317
Fax: (970) 674-0322
E-mail: taptent@frii.com
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PATRIOTIC SANTA STOCKING
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PATRIOTIC SNOWMAN STOCKING
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Note: For additional patriotic designs by Liz, please check
out the next installment of our Special Designer Tribute to the
Victims of the September 11 Attacks. Part III of our Special
Tribute will be posted on the 3-month anniversary, December 11,
2001.
For a previous Gallery featuring more of Liz's Dramatic Stocking
designs, go to:
http://www.caron-net.com/jul99files/jul99gal.html
Details on Designs by Liz Shown Above:
AXS340 PATRIOTIC SANTA STOCKING
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 23 X 12.5
AXS358 PATRIOTIC SNOWMAN STOCKING
ON 13CT, DESIGN SIZE 21 X 13.5
OR173 PATRIOTIC SANTA ORNAMENT
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 6.5 X 6
AXS327 (STOCKING) SANTA'S GINGERBREAD HOUSE
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 21 X 13.5"
AXS338 (STOCKING) SANTA & SNOW LEOPARDS
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 21 X 13.5"
AXS356 (STOCKING) SANTA & ARCTIC FRIENDS
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 21 X 13.5"
AP374 (PILLOW) SUNNY SUNFLOWERS
ON 10 - 13CT, DESIGN SIZE 14.25 X 16
AP379 (PILLOW) ROSES
ON 10 - 13CT, DESIGN SIZE 15 X 15
AP388 (PILLOW) LAZY CAT.
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 3.75 X 18
AP396 (PILLOW) CAT ON CHINESE RUG
ON 18CT BROWN DESIGN SIZE 18.25 X 10.25
ASP238 (SMALL PILLOW) AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 6.25" ROUND
ASP289 (SMALL PILLOW) CHIKEN COOP
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 4.25 X 12
B143 (BELT) CABBAGE PATCH BUNNY
ON 18CT BROWN, DESIGN SIZE 1.25 X 32.75
B151 (BELT) SAILING SHIPS BELT
ON 18CT, DESIGN SIZE 1.25 X 34
RU110 (RUG) TIGER RUG
ON 14CT, DESIGN SIZE 40.25 X 23.25
AP400 (PILLOW) HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL
ON 18CT BROWN, DESIGN SIZE 9 X 12.5
Details on Ashley's Design Shown Above:
ASH112 THE BEACH CLUB PILLOW
ON 14CT, DESIGN SIZE 13 X 14.5 HAND PAINTED
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