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Silverthorne says, “In grade school, my aunt taught me to knit and crochet. I still knit hats for the homeless and the underprivileged children in Spokane. My career in sewing started in the six grade. My best friend had a sewing machine so we created look alike dresses. In high school sewing class, we had to pick a project for our final grade. I decided to make a full length lined double-breasted coat. I sewed and ripped out stitches over and over again to make it perfect (I did receive an A).”
Walking past a Stain Glass studio in Boise Idaho, Silverthorne saw a gorgeous lamp in the window and went in to see how much it cost. At that time, the amount was out of reach. As she turned to leave the owner of the studio said, “I’ll teach you how to make one.” This started her 25-year career in Stain Glass.
Silverthorne’s career in stain glass began when she went into a quilt store in Salt Lake, Utah and saw a double wedding ring quilt hanging on the wall. She thought quilting was similar to Stain Glass; there is a pattern and small pieces put together to make one beautiful piece. Eventually, she read about embroidery machines and thought it would be stunning to embroider on quilt pieces. She went online, learned how to embroider and bought a machine.
The inspiration for her use of water color and alcohol ink came from her visits with a close friend in Arizona. Every time they are together, they complete a new art project, allowing Silverthorne to express her artistic ability through new mediums.