Rhonda Cole

ECAA Member Highlight

We are excited to feature one of our amazing members and master quilling artist, Rhonda Cole!

Rhonda enjoys making various things from paper, using quilling as the base, adding in other forms of art so that it sometimes is more mixed media than quilling. Hence the name Paper as Art.

Rhonda comes from a long line of artists on both sides of her family. The creativity runs deep, from drawing, painting, cake decorating, sewing, and metalwork to dancing and everything in between. Rhonda’s passion is creating jewelry, miniatures, flowers, plants, 3D pieces, cards, and scenes from paper. While she enjoys exploring other arts, her true love is quilling, which she also competes in.

Her quilling journey began around 1999 with a kit her mother gave her back in 1974. For years, that kit traveled with her, untouched, until she finally decided to either use it or give it away. She opened it, followed the book’s directions, and was instantly hooked.

Rhonda started by copying designs from books and quickly began creating her own. She always credits the artists who inspire her. Her husband, a professional photographer, helps showcase her work beautifully through his photos.

In 2000, Rhonda discovered the North American Quilling Guild (NAQG) and attended her first conference in 2001. It was an amazing experience, and by 2005, she hosted one herself. Since then, she has attended over 16 conferences, each time learning new techniques and tools while admiring the creativity of other quillers.

The Guild’s competitions are especially meaningful to her because they are judged by peers who understand the skill involved. Rhonda has been fortunate to win many awards, which can be seen in her Competition Pieces gallery.

In 2003, she began teaching and loved sharing her knowledge with others. Though she later returned to full-time work, limiting her teaching time, her love for quilling never faded.

Rhonda uses papers from around the world, including American, Dutch, English, and Australian. Each type has its own look and texture. Her work features everything from bright colors and pastels to metallics, pearls, and two-tone papers. Every piece reflects her creativity and attention to detail.

Rhonda hopes her galleries inspire others to explore quilling and create their own unique designs.

See more of Rhonda Cole’s work here:

paperasart.com