Boats have long been the focus of Ellen Piccolo’s work. While her earlier paintings were representational, her fiber work embraces abstraction, reducing boats to simple, flat shapes that express memory and a sense of place rather than exact form. Each quilt begins as a painted paper collage, where she explores composition before translating the design into fabric. She is inspired by the quiet strength of working boats, their weathered surfaces, and the rhythms of life on the water. Through cloth she seeks to capture their essence, creating work that reflects her connection to the coast and invites viewers to bring their own memories and experiences to the work.