Tell us about yourself.

Hello! My name is Barb Tourtillotte (pronounced Tour-till-oh), and I have loved creating art since I was a wee one… drawing on walls, doodling, painting, crafts, sewing, and drawing. I got my degree in graphic design and illustration (long before we had computers!). I then started a graphic design studio called Graphicworks which I worked at for 20 years. Towards the end of that chapter, I moved into illustration for book publishers and then began licensing my artwork to manufacturers for giftware, paper products, dinnerware, home décor, and FABRIC. I have loved this career, feeling so very blessed to get to be creative every day and working with wonderful companies and art directors for the last 35 years.

I live in Washington State with my husband and am grateful to have my adult children, their spouses, and grandson nearby.

What inspires you?

Inspiration comes from EVERYWHERE! If you look closely enough you will be amazed by the way shadows lie, the reflection of light on water, the details in flowers, the many colors and patterns of bird’s feathers, the changes of seasons, etc. Taking a walk through an art gallery or home décor store is also a great inspiration for me. When I work with art directors, they either have something in mind for a new collection (like a sweet snowmen collection), or I come up with an idea myself for a collection, present it, and hope that it will be picked up and go into production.

Tell us about your fabric.

I have a new collection called Surf’s Up with Henry Glass Fabrics that shipped last month. I typically paint in watercolor, but wanted to step a bit outside of the box by creating a more graphic/retro look. I did research on retro colors of the 60s and 70s, vehicles, and funky patterns. I love the retro vibe of it! I have seen a couple of darling quilts made with the fabric already and delighted with the results.

My next collection, Snow Crew, is my traditional look. Cute snowmen interacting with winter critters on snowy backgrounds with lots of versatile coordinates. This collection turned out really cute with its red, white, and grey palette. It will ship to shops in July.  Brand Ambassadors for Jaftex have made some adorable quilts using this collection.

On my Facebook page, Barb Tourtillotte Illustration – I offer a ‘cravin to create’ giveaway to my followers to which the winner gets a big fat quarter bundle of the new collection and then creates wonderful products that I show on my social media. Such creativity!

I have several other collections in the queue for 2025, with Henry Glass Fabrics to which I am very thankful. They are a great company to work for!

What advice do you have for the new maker? 

NEVER STOP LEARNING! There is so much information on the internet to glean, both for creativity and the management of your business. I like the site, Skillshare, that offers thousands of classes for a small monthly subscription fee.

NEVER STOP CREATING!  Sure, there will be days when your creative juices have run dry and you may need to step away from the canvas/sketchpad/sewing machine/laptop for a while. Get outdoors, thumb through some magazines, or walk around a fabric store to get those juices flowing again.  Start doodling in a fresh new sketchbook. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just one of many tools for your imagination. Doodle, stitch, paint away! It takes time and a lot of experimenting to find your style so be patient but enjoy the journey.

Connect with Barb!

Website: www.turtlecrossings.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbtourtillotteillustration
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/barbtourtillotte/