Patricia B. Campbell, of Dallas, Texas was a quilt artist, teacher, lecturer and author known for her unique style of Jacobean applique. She was known for non-traditional style appliqué patterns and bold colors. Her effervescent personality and sharing spirit are what change students from fearing the "A word " to appliqué lovers.
Pat did not grow up in a family of quilt makers. She did not take her first quilting class until 1984. But she soon learned that the precision of piecing was just too confining. Living in Florida at the time, appliqué allowed her to create the botanical designs that she loved. She had done theorem painting, so adapting those designs of baskets filled with fruits and flowers to fabric seemed only natural. But realistic flowers were not that appealing to her. She had always been drawn to the fantasy botanicals of the Jacobean style crewel embroidery designs. Adapting these graceful curves and stylized leaves to appliqué designs won Pat many awards over the years. Pat was the recipient of 3 Best of Show awards, one in Lancaster, Louisville, KY, Dallas, 2 Founders Awards in Houston, and 2 Pride of Dallas awards at Dallas Quilt Celebration.
Not only was Pat an award-winning quilter and pattern designer, and author of seven books on appliqué, but she had developed two fabric lines, Fossil Fern and Impressions for Benartex. When asked about her use of bright colors and how she puts the bold colors together, she laughed and replied "When magenta is your neutral, what else CAN you do?" Pat's first nationally recognized quilt, Jacobean Arbor, taught the world that all backgrounds don't have to be white or pale. Pats daring use of bright electric colors on a black background helped break the mold for "standard quiltmaking," allowing us all to be more creative with colors.
Pat's generous spirit along with her zeal for life was evident in every design she created. From the fabric lines to the theorem designs to stylized Texas wildflowers, her unique sense for color and balance were felt in every stitch. She never hesitated to take a few extra minutes with a student that might be having difficulty getting that tiny point just so, or that circle really round.
The quilt world has lost a shining star.