CityView Magazine

Fellows of the American College of Surgeons American Board of Ophthalmology Certified • Routine eye exams for adults & children • Specializing in no-stitch/no-needle cataract surgery • Expertise in fitting multiple styles of contact lenses • Laser surgery for complications of diabetic eye disease & other retinal diseases • Diagnosis & treatment of corneal & conjunctival diseases • • Laser and incisional surgery for glaucoma, treatment of lazy eye, & crossed eyes • Plastic surgery of the eyelids Valley Eye Wear Optical Shop On Site! Committed to Eye Care Excellence! George L. Cooper, MD Mary B. Kansora, MD w w w.v a l l e y e y e s i g h t. c o m 910 - 323-20 02 • One Village Plaza 2139 Valleygate Drive CityViewNC.com | 25 soldiers. Her quilting style mimics her motorcycling – fast and furious. "I put the floor pedal wide open, drop the feed dogs, and let 'er roll," she said. Fittingly, one of her favorite pieces is a floor-dragging jacket she affectionately calls her chicken coat. "I think it helps not knowing how to sew properly," she said. Without a firm grip on the rules, she didn't have to give much thought to breaking them. And break them she does. She sketches out a design then twists, stitches and layers her fibers into submission. Using anything she can shove through her machine, she creates complex underwater scenes and one-of- a-kind sea turtles. Three layers of tulle, plastic wrap, and free motion embroidery become coral. In her charge, even a hand- stitched Victorian crazy quilt is pushed to its limit. A slender manila folder holds only a few photos of quilts she has sold, and one or two reminders of awards she has won. For Brockelsby, satisfaction is not in prize ribbons or sales slips. She refuses to sell the last quilt from her sea turtle series, even at offers well-exceeding the sticker price. Instead, proof is in the process – turning visual concepts into a physical reality is her ultimate gratification. When she looks through her materials stash, she doesn't see fiber. She looks at a bolt of fabric and envisions trees, dragonflies, or ladies hidden throughout a landscape. She also knows about working through pain. Osteoarthritis – and definitely not a lack of ideas – recently forced her into a quilting hiatus. She can't work like she did before, all-nighters fueled by Mellow Yellow and artistic vision. But she is starting to find her way back. "I've never been a normal person, but I had a little gift from God to be artistic," she said. "I am the happiest and most functioning when I am creating." Like Flaherty, Brockelsby finds a transformative power in her art. The process may be healing for her, but the product is balm for the viewer. Wherever she unveils her new pieces, there is certain to be a line of people waiting to ogle, admire, and – if she will let them – buy. CV

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