How did you get into making art?
Art has always been part of my life. We grew up with the sewing machine at the center of the house—my mom made clothes for herself, party dresses, and Halloween costumes for the three of us kids. I attended an arts high school in New York City, where I studied photography, and later continued that path in college before dropping out and moving to Miami.
In my 20s, I got my first sewing machine and began making functional objects and quilts. I loved upcycling old clothes and textiles into something new and unexpected. Over time, sewing and quilting fully took over my art-making. During Covid, I taught myself natural dyeing, took online workshops, and eventually began working with more permanent dye processes like ice-dyeing and shibori. Today, I also experiment with acrylic and watercolor on fabric, combining hand-dyed materials with reclaimed textiles I collect across Miami.
What are you currently working on?
My first solo show with Baker–Hall, “Everything Mixing Always”, opens September 6 and runs through October 11, 2025. The show brings together a new body of textile-based work made from hand-dyed fabrics, secondhand materials, painted textiles, and a deep dive into the spiderweb quilt pattern—something I’ve been obsessed with for longer than I realized.
The title comes from a phrase I heard on a podcast one morning that just stuck with me. It originally referred to blending music genres, but it opened up a bigger framework for me: politics, music, quilts, gender and sexuality, craft/fine art/design, language, and the messiness of being human. I even went back and listened to that section of the podcast a few times and did a bit of research on the phrase.
The spiderweb pattern carries all kinds of meanings—historical and personal. I’ve been thinking about protection, intuition, movement, and the stories we stitch together over time. Louise Bourgeois used the pattern extensively in her textile works, which have also been on my mind.
Many of the pieces in this show include textiles I created during residencies at the Golden Foundation, KHN Center for the Arts, and Vermont Studio Center—each place left its mark. It’s been a wild mix of music, memory, labor, and play—all woven into these works. I can’t wait to share them.
I’ll also have a solo exhibition at the Miami International Airport, in the MIA Galleries at Gate D31. Curious Geometries opens September 18, 2025, and will be on view through March 9, 2026. This exhibition includes work from 2021 to the present and explores traditional quilt patterns through the lens of Miami’s color and material drawn from its rich cultural landscape.
I’ve been working with abstract and organic geometric quilt patterns for over a decade.
Regina Durante Jestrow
What inspired you to get started on this body of work?
I’ve been working with abstract and organic geometric quilt patterns for over a decade. After COVID hit, my practice shifted more intentionally toward textile wall hangings. I began my Americana Quilt series during that time, using over 50 shades of “flesh tones” to represent the diverse people who make up America. That body of work emerged from researching civil rights, reflecting on what was happening around me, and examining my role as a white woman in society.
COVID also gave me the time and space to begin experimenting with natural dyes—starting with materials I gathered from my own backyard: clusia and bussida leaves, annatto seeds, avocado skins, even a rusty rod I found. The fabrics I dyed during that time, when combined with the “flesh tones” from Americana, became the starting point for my Pieced Landscapes series.
More recently, I’ve transitioned to working with fiber-reactive dyes and ice-dyeing techniques. These dyes are more permanent than natural dyes, and I do my best to exhaust the dye baths and dispose of waste safely. Ice dyeing brings a level of unpredictability that I love—each piece surprises me. I’ve also begun layering in acrylic and watercolor paints on fabric, exploring how pigment can act as both surface and structure. These evolving materials and techniques continue to deepen my relationship to color, meaning, and the symbolic language of pattern.
Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?
Over the past five years, I’ve been focused on geometric abstract quilts that push the boundaries of both traditional quilting and what a painting can be. I don’t usually separate my work into distinct projects—instead, I follow my instincts and let the work evolve naturally. One idea leads into the next, often through experimentation with materials, color, or pattern. I think of my practice as a continuous thread, where curiosity and play guide the direction.
What’s a typical day like in your studio?
I’m very fortunate to have a home studio. In the winter months here in Miami, I do a lot of dyeing outdoors on my screened-in porch, usually with my parrot and dogs keeping me company. I try to produce a large batch of hand-dyed materials during this time, enough to carry me through the year for new work.
I sketch often and keep years of notebooks nearby for reference. I’m constantly researching quilt patterns that catch my attention. I usually start by making smaller pieces as a way to work out ideas before I’m ready to commit to a larger wall hanging. Lately, I’ve been both an early riser and a late-nighter in the studio.
Who are your favorite artists?
Oh my goodness, there are so many. Right now, as I’ve been working with the spiderweb quilt pattern, I find myself returning often to Louise Bourgeois—especially her use of textiles and symbolic structure. I love Agnes Martin—not just her work, but also her incredible work ethic and dedication to her practice.
The Gee’s Bend quilters have had a lasting influence on how I think about form, improvisation, and color. I also look to Anni Albers, Rosie Lee Tompkins, and Gego for their boundary-pushing approaches to material and abstraction.
Looking ahead, I have an opportunity to experiment more with form, so I’ve recently been spending time with the work of Elizabeth Murray, Ritzi Jacobi, and Olga de Amaral. I’m excited by the ways they challenge flatness and bring sculptural presence into their practices.
Where do you go to discover new artists?
I listen to a lot of arts podcasts and subscribe to different Substacks and newsletters. Some examples are:
The Great Women Artists – Katy Hessel
Dialogues: The David Zwemer Podcast
Anonymous was a woman
Hyperallergic
Jerry Gogosian’s Art Smack
Learn more about the artist by visiting the following links:
