PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
The QUILT ARTIST
ELLEN GILLETTE PHOTOS
Kim Laffont combines her love of nature, art and fabric by creating colorful quilts using Florida birds, animals, marine life and other images in her designs.
A retired teacher, she volunteers with Ocean Research & Conservation Alliance to help preserve the Indian River Lagoon.
Nestled between Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, a
sewing machine hums, creating colorful peeks into
nature by quilt artist Kim Georgina (“Geo”) Laffont.
Her journey to the craft is as interesting and varied
as her quilts.
This summer she and her husband, Julian, traveled through
Europe, discovering Ostia Antica, a seventh-century archaeological
site outside Rome. “There are amazing mosaics
everywhere,” says Laffont. “I decided to recreate some of
them in quilting.” It would keep her hands and mind active.
A much-loved job had recently ended, and Laffont hoped to
avoid an emotional black hole during the adjustment.
“I challenged myself to produce a quilt a day.” Going public
with small quilted projects on social media to keep herself
accountable, she didn’t expect the positive response. “It’s like
a new job, and it’s wonderful.”
After 30 days, Laffont branched out into larger projects, requiring
more time. After designing the pattern and selecting
fabrics – often gleaned from forays into Port St. Lucie’s many
thrift stores for clothes and remnants – Laffont machinequilts,
using a laborious free-form technique.
There was a learning curve. After announcing on Facebook
that her quilts’ outer-edge bindings “are the bane of my
existence,” her technique has improved. The more photos
she posted, the more friends encouraged … and asked if they
could purchase her work.
Mosaic artist Anita Prentice is a long-time friend. “We’re
karmic sisters,” says Laffont. “Anita said, ‘Just do it! Don’t
worry if it’s perfect!’” Prentice’s artwork also inspired Laffont
to venture into fabric mosaics; she arranges tiny scraps of material
on fusible webbing and irons into place before quilting.
Like her colorful creations, Laffont turned the scraps of her
own life into something beautiful. Born in south London, Laffont
and her younger sister lived with their father. “Mum left
42 Port St. Lucie Magazine
>>
BY ELLEN GILLETTE