Ester Lee

by Christi Marsico
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:49 PM MST

Some artists like to paint. Some like to quilt.

Ester Lee loves to incorporate both types of art into designs to capture illustrious landscapes.

Lee and her husband, Earl, own and operate Buzy Bee Quilt and Sew Shop, located at 1831 E. 12th St.

"We wanted to do something that we both can do together, so we opened a shop," Lee said.

Born in Alaska and raised in Casper, sewing and quilting has been a family tradition going back to both of Lee's grandmothers, her mother and her aunt.

Lee has sewn on her own since the fourth grade and worked as a tailor for 13 years at Dahle's Big and Tall store prior to its closing.

"When it came to sewing things, I made everything," Lee said.

"Lately, my arthritis got to where I couldn't sew anymore, and when I worked at Dahle's I got into quilting. That was my hobby,” she said.

“I painted and quilted, so I just decided I would combine the two," Lee continued. "If I could paint with paints, then I could do it with material."

Uniting the two art forms has given Lee license to paint her fabric as she sees fit.

"I have these ideas in my head that I want to put down on canvas or pin down with fabric," Lee said.

Visual reflections

She has copyrighted patterns for sale of her first quilt creation, "Bear Country," which depicts numerous bears around a tranquil lake with a detailed mountain scene in the background.

Lee incorporated numerous tactics to create this design by painting rocks with pastels and using acrylics to accentuate the shore line. She also brought to life the water that splashes up around a bear in the forefront.

By using fabric markers, she enhanced some of the trees, creating vivid foliage while integrating metallic thread to add flow to the water.

Her second quilt, "Autumn on Jenny Lake," creates a serene scene of fall colors reflecting off a lake centered on the Cathedral Mountain of the Tetons.

"I love painting mountains, especially the Tetons," Lee said.

Lee uses a variety of fabrics as well as batiks to create her landscape designs.

"I can look at a piece of fabric and picture what I want to do with it," Lee said.

Her process for creating landscape quilts develops organically, as she pins the original concept of the design together and then hangs it on the wall so she can reflect visually.

"I have to look at it for a few days and decide what I want to do with it or where I want to go with it," Lee said.

So far in her design process, finishing a quilt usually takes a couple of weeks as she makes changes to the piece until she feels it’s where it should be.

At present, Lee is working on a new piece, not titled yet, which depicts a view out of a window of billowing curtains of a European countryside along the Mediterranean coast.

According to Lee, her inspirations can come from anything from a flower to a bush.

With future ideas for a farm house and a water wheel in the works, Lee has plenty to keep her buzy as bee.

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