Northcott Fabrics

Designer Profile

Lesley Riley

Lesley Riley wears many hats. She is an internationally known artist, instructor, writer and Artist Success coach and mentor who turned her initial passion for photos, color and the written word into a dream occupassion.

Her art and articles have appeared in too many places to keep count. As former Contributing Editor of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, Lesley developed a passion for showcasing new talent in mixed media art. Her first book, Quilted Memories, brought new ideas and techniques to quilting and preserving memories. Fabric Memory Books, combined fabric and innovative ideas with the art of bookmaking. Two more books, Fabulous Fabric Art with Lutradur and Create with Transfer Artist Paper, introduced versatile new materials to the quilt and mixed media art world. Creative Image Transfer and Creative Lettering Workshop round out the list of publications. Her 2013 self-published Amazon best seller, Quotes Illustrated, was expanded and republished by F&W Publications as Inspiring Quotes Illustrated.

In an ongoing effort to find the best ways for quilters and mixed media artists to get permanent photos on fabric, Lesley introduced Transfer Artist Paper™, named the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) 2011 Most Innovative new product, and a line of Reverse Alphabet Stamps for printmaking techniques, like gel plates, that require mirror image lettering.

Lesley is the former host of the Art & Soul podcast, recording over 75 podcasts on art and the creative process through in-depth interviews with contemporary artists. Her passion and desire to help every artist reach their creative dreams and potential has led her to write a trade non-fiction book on the creative process, drawing from her own experience, insight, and a knack for identifying what’s preventing creative dreamers from being creative doers.

Her current work with leaves began three years ago when she moved from the city to a mountain forest, and her eyes and heart were opened to a new, deeper and more meaningful form of creative expression. Inspiration literally falls at her feet. Lesley combines the 150 year old cyanotype process with a little water (wet cyanotype) and modern digital technology to enhance and be witness to the inherent beauty of leaves.

Lesley creates her magic on an idyllic mountain top hideaway in Cascade MD, where she lives with her high-school sweetheart husband. You’ll find her in her creative hideout from sunup to sundown unless, of course, any of her 11 grandchildren come to visit.

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