LAYOUT
Will composes each
Metal Quilt with the
shapes that he has
cut and drilled. Each
work is made without
using patterns. No two
are ever exactly alike.

Metal Quilts and Mirrors are original pieces of art created by Kim Eubank and Will Armstrong. They are influenced by the geometric greats: Mondrian, Frank Lloyd Wright and the architect Hundertwasser. The original idea to make a Metal Quilt came from a combination of classes in the crafts department at Virginia Commonwealth University, where the classic argument of form vs. function was explored. An avid reader of southern literature, Kim was inspired by Alice Walker's Everyday Use. Two daughters disagree on the treatment of heirlooms. One daughter feels that the family quilts are an example of craftsmanship that should be displayed like artwork on the walls; the other uses them for warmth out of necessity. Intrigued by this irony, Kim created a soft-sided metal quilt using scraps of metal. She manipulated copper by using an enameling technique that had been taught in a recent jewelry class. Pieces of copper were sewn with sharp steel pins onto a soft, foam-stuffed form and draped across a simple bed frame. The finished piece was elaborate and beautiful, but not functional as an object of warmth and comfort.

Meanwhile, on the other side of campus Will had no idea that his studies of illustration and graphic design would utilized in the business of contemporary craft. Had he known… he might have been tempted to tell certain professors how he really felt.

Graduation from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts can lead to a garbage can full of discarded projects and drawings. The Metal Quilt from senior studio enjoyed a much kinder fate as a backdrop for Kim’s jewelry booth at craft shows. The sagging, foam shape that hung behind cases of rings and necklaces did not realize its full potential until 1998. A customer walked into the booth and became adamant about hanging the Metal Quilt on his wall. Will, employed at a frame shop at the time, was given the task of giving the quilt longevity as a wall hanging. The framers at the shop dismantled the piece and configured a lightweight permanent work of art. Will’s experience at the frame shop was also the inspiration for the line of mirrors.

Kim began selling Quilts instead of jewelry at art shows, while Will moved in a completely different direction. He became an art director at a local business magazine. Staring at a computer screen for over two years, he got stressed, lost some hair and put on about 20 pounds. Eventually, like a lot of magazines it went under. The out of work graphic designer slugged his way home and took a long hard look at the Metal Quilts that his wife was making. He picked up some of the copper and rearranged the shapes using some simple design techniques. Kim’s compositions were free and organic, while Will’s compositions had an intricate and graphic modern flair. This new style led to wider recognition and awards.

Will and Kim have grown the business from teenage Kim’s simple goal of buying a car to a respected craft business that is consistently represented in the top 25 shows in the country. Kim and Will’s work is constantly evolving. If you only see the work annually, you will find something new every year. Will has an excellent sense of proportion and scale, while Kim’s strongest artistic talents are her gift of color.

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