Darcy Hunter

Dates: September 5 - October 24, 2025

Artist Statement
Nature moves me. It ignites a spark to create art from moments of delight and discovery. When I explore, I use my camera to document inspiring moments in the landscape and its continuous change in form as a response to light and the elements. The way the sun is sparkling through the trees, a bird perching proudly on a high branch, or the ocean waves thundering onto the shore stirs my artistic soul. It might be the same place I have been to numerous times before, but on that day, it evokes a different feeling that I want to capture.

I use my snapshots to guide how I will represent my idea with fabric, thread, and other textiles. I essentially “paint” with these fibres, using my sewing machine as my paintbrush.
I am passionate about upcycling, so there is always a mix of repurposed and contemporary textiles in my pieces. Manipulating fibres, I create interesting textures to mimic the form and shape of the subject. Often, I also add treasures found on my travels. From start to finish, my larger art quilts can take upwards of 50 hours to complete. I use free-motion machine embroidery as my main technique, with hand-stitching used as the final details to emulate the tactile nature of the environment.

I recently completed a Creation Grant through Arts NB, and its purpose was to move my profession forward by completing a body of work for gallery exposure. I explored working in a series, while further developing my skills. I created seven landscape art wall hangings measuring between 20 by 30 inches and 29 by 44 inches, reflecting the theme “Beautiful New Brunswick”. It was focused on some of the natural treasures that can be found when exploring the province. I draw inspiration from the Group of Seven, who painted landscapes that reflected the untouched beauty of the wilderness. I travelled to different areas throughout the duration of the grant, documenting my discoveries with photos, and used these photos as inspiration. I believe I have captured the feeling of each location as I experienced it, through the resulting artwork.

Artist Biography

Darcy Hunter is a contemporary quilt artist based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. She transforms fabric and thread into expressive landscape wall hangings, using her sewing machine as a paintbrush to craft intricate, vibrant compositions. Drawing inspiration from her profound love of the natural world and her background in Biological Sciences, her representational fiber artworks capture the vivid colours, dynamic movement, and unique sense of place that define her surroundings. Committed to environmental sustainability, Darcy incorporates upcycled textiles into her creative process, infusing each piece with added meaning.

A juried member of Craft NB and recently retired Regional Representative for Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA)—a dynamic network of over 3,700 fiber artists worldwide—Darcy is recognized for her contributions to the art form.

Her successful practice has led to artist residencies with the Fredericton Arts Alliance (2023) and the City of Fredericton (2020, 2021, 2024), as well as exhibitions at numerous Canadian venues. Her work is also featured in private collections across North America.