Are you ready, to embrace the creative works of another great artist designing for the FreeSpirit Fabrics Family?

Anna Maria has one line of fabric already out, “Bohemian”, and another one coming your way soon!

Meet Anna Maria Horner!

Anna Maria, according to Donna Wilder, president of FreeSpirit, is a high energy extremely talented young woman who looks like she is barely in her 20’s! In reality, she is all of the above—but in her early 30’s-- and a mother of five children!

Here is Anna Maria telling her story as a guest writer for QuiltersBuzz.

The Who, What, Where, Why, and When!

”I go between being a painter who sews and a seamstress who paints, but designing fabrics for the quilting industry has graciously given me the chance to be just exactly what I am... which is both!

When I'm painting, I employ the use of pattern work inspired by textiles, and when I'm sewing I tend to combine colors as if I were painting a portrait.

Working Studio--Room For Everyone!

I work in a 500 square foot converted recreation room in our home, and its looking more like a business all the time. This good-sized space has allowed me to have designated spots for everything my designing calls for...painting, drawing, planning, sewing, blogging (Click here to read her blog!) , printing, corresponding with clients...and even resting!

It’s a working studio but with all the comforts of home. One of those so-called comforts being my five children and dog running through it frequently. Also there's the very welcome company of my husband who, as a programmer, can support all my technical needs. I'm a lucky girl.

I grew up in a family where if any need presented itself it was answered with making it, growing it, building it or mending it.

Living In A Creative Family

Even when there was no specific need, there was creativity for the sake of it. Our house was filled with my father's untrained yet skillful and vibrant paintings, and my closet was full of my mother's flawless fancies.

Our beds were covered with my Yiayia's (Greek for grandmother) hand loomed wool tapestries and our busy little bodies were warmed by my Grandma Coble's hand knit sweaters.

I had no choice but to be an artist. My earliest artistic endeavors got me more attention than anything else I tried, so pursuing it was natural. My tambourine dance, however, was quite the crowd-pleaser in the nickel-admission shows we put on for our parents...though not much of a future with that particular talent.

Creative Adventures

My official artistic path began with earning a fine arts degree in drawing from the University of Tennessee. During school, I was designing and selling dresses through a local shop. They sold out so fast that I opened my own store (with my mom), called “Handmaiden” -- just 3 months after graduation from college.

I liken that experience to earning a few more degrees with all that I absorbed about designing, developing, producing, marketing, advertising, and selling a collection at retail. I was doing clothing, handbags, hand painted house wares as well as selling designers like Betsy Johnson and also local artists' work.

Eventually I took the Handmaiden line home and put it into a wholesale collection, which, through such a great response, caused some analysis of my endeavors. It seemed taking it to the next level would cause a lot of time away from home, which I wasn't excited about as I was pregnant with baby number 3.

Once I reached the point that I needed to hire out the sewing and take on more of a managerial role, I became less interested and decided to focus on my painting and smaller accessories again. Through the next few years I showed in galleries, and sold handbags and hand painted items through a circuit of home showings that I started. Again the response was great I just couldn't physically produce all that I had the interest in making.

It eventually became obvious to take my love of product, passion for design, and knack for versatility to the gift and house wares market. In the past four years I've had the pleasure of working with more than 20 companies designing collections of products ranging from stationery and giftware to tabletop and textiles. (See some of her goodies here.)

Design Delight

It’s been so wonderful to simply concentrate on the design aspect. It feels now as though I've taken my feet off the bicycle pedals and I'm saying "weeee" all the way down the hill.

More to Come...

Wow, isn’t she a talented one! I am so glad, that she decided that not to become a professional tambourine dancer!

Read more tomorrow about Anna Maria’s relationship and designs for FreeSpirit Fabrics.

(Photos and graphics thanks to Anna Maria.)