Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leanne McGiveron. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Leanne, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

In 2016, I once again found myself bored. After a break from quilting, I returned to the studio and designed a new Celtic knot. When it was finished, I thought … I just want to be surrounded by the colors of Ireland.

It wasn’t feasible to hop over to Ireland, but I realized I didn’t need to. I had already accumulated thousands of images from my travels. From those photographs, an idea began to grow—one that, without my realizing it at the time, would become the foundation for a long-term collection: “Quilt Your Adventure”

That collection has since evolved into multiple bodies of work, each bringing color, pattern, texture, and place to life through quilted textiles. As the collections evolve, so do the techniques and artistic approaches I use to tell each story.

The “Quilt Your Adventure” collection currently include work inspired by adventures in Ireland, Antarctica, and the Galápagos Islands, with work underway on Jordan—and more destinations still to come.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Leanne McGiveron is the designer, photographer, educator and storyteller behind Sumac Studios. Blending discovery, research, and design, she transforms global adventures into narrative quilts – rich with color and texture. Her work celebrates exploration, resilience, and the uniqueness of each location, reflecting where art, science, and landscapes intersect. Leanne’s continues to expand her #QuiltYourAdventure collection, featuring work that includes Ireland, Antarctica, and the Galápagos Islands, with upcoming additions of Southern Africa, and Jordan.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

There are two forces driving my creative journey—both separate and deeply intertwined.

As women reach what society often calls a “more advanced age,” we are subtly encouraged to slow down, stay home, and often step into the role of caretaker. At the same time, artists can easily fall into repetition. Learning new techniques takes time and energy, so many of us continue creating within familiar boundaries. We repeat what we already know. Eventually, we become bored.

What generations before us often lacked, however, was access. Today, we can explore the world, learn from it, and bring those experiences back into our creative practice in ways that were once more difficult.

When I first traveled solo to Ireland, I was strongly encouraged to stay home. Yet, I went. In Africa, I sat at the edge of Victoria Falls. In Antarctica, I slept on the continent itself and took a polar plunge in the Southern Ocean. According to society’s expectations, someone my age should slow down. Instead, I chose adventure. This choice extends directly into my design work.

Through “Quilt Your Adventure”, I continue to explore new techniques, shift color palettes, experiment with texture and composition, and allow each destination to reshape my artistic voice. The work evolves because I evolve.

After many of my presentations, women approach me and express the same frustration with their own creativity. They feel stuck in repetition but cannot see a path forward. What I hope to offer them is not simply inspiration, but permission—to explore, to experiment, and to rediscover curiosity in their work.

My mission is to help others find new life in their art and craft while understanding that age does not need to define our limits. There is still more to discover, more to create, and more stories to tell.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

One resource I wish I had understood earlier is the importance of tribes. Most people hear that word and assume it simply means finding your community—but let me put a different spin on it.

Surround yourself with multiple tribes.

I have multiple quilting tribes, a surface pattern design tribe, a travel tribe, and professional tribes. Each tribe brings together people of different ages, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. They are a gift. They inspire me, challenge me, and expand the way I see both creativity and the world itself. I learn from them every day.

When you need to learn a new technique, there is likely someone in your tribe who has already explored it. When you want to navigate traveling to a new country or continent, someone has ‘lessons learned” that they are willing to share. Tribes exchange knowledge, encouragement, failures, discoveries, and possibilities. More importantly, tribes remind us that growth does not happen in isolation. They help us see beyond our own limitations and encourage us to keep evolving—both creatively and personally.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sumacstudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sumac_studios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SumacStudios
• Other: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgiveron/