Mary Louise Gerek has been involved in needle arts as long as she can remember. Her grandmother taught her knitting, her brother moved her into needlepoint, and she took off from there. After 35 years of knitting, spinning, needlepoint and embroidery, she started quilting in 2005. Her fascination with art quilts and design moved her quickly away from traditional patterns and into the world of creating original pieces. She has studied with Katie Pasquini Masopust, Carol Taylor, and Janet Root.