Linda Dilling examines some pieces of glazed porcelain she painted around 40 years ago. “I had good eyesight back then,” she remarked. (Photo by David Hazledine)

WARSAW — Among the art and quilts on display at the Feb. 29 Annual Charity Auction fundraiser for Habitat For Humanity will be a unique work by a unique woman.

Tessellations Garden/Patio Quilt is the latest creation of Linda Dilling, a former Warsaw High School math teacher, who holds degrees from Grace College in mathematics, Spanish and fine art. The work reflects a lifelong love of geometry as well as interests in stained glass and landscaping.

Born in Long Beach, Calif., Dilling first came to Kosciusko County when her father attended Grace Theological Seminary. She spent much of her early life in northern Mexico where her parents performed missionary work and Dilling learned Spanish in Mexican grade schools.

In 1966, she returned to Grace College to major in mathematics, which is where she met and married her physics professor, Richard Dilling.

“Geometry was my favorite subject,” she recalled, “but I only learned about tessellations later when teaching geometry.”

Artist Linda Dilling will be auctioning Tessellations Patio/Garden Quilt at the Charity Auction fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, Feb. 29. Above are 16 of the 25 paving stones composing the “quilt,” which may be auctioned individually or in groups. (Photo provided)

A tessellated square is an arrangement of shapes, often polygons, fitted closely together in a repeated pattern, wherein every intersection equals 360 degrees. It is a favorite of quilt designers; however, Dilling decided to apply tessellations to paving stones, with shapes of stained glass embedded into them using glue, grout and sealant.

As an added bonus, she found the stones provided strong, durable foundation for her glass designs. “If I embed them, they don’t break.”

Previously, she created hanging sun catchers and even turned bowling balls into reflective, spherical mosaics: A disco ball for the garden.

“Tessellations” covers 25 stepping stones, which may be purchased individually or in groups. However they are sold, Dilling is happy to see her labors supporting Habitat For Humanity, whose founder, Jimmy Carter, she counts as an “inspiration.”

Dilling has always been interested in art, but it was not until Richard was earning his doctorate at Purdue University in 1974 when she picked up the art of china painting, decorating small, glazed porcelain objects with exquisitely-wrought images. “I had good eyesight back then,” she remarked. As it worsened, the vases and plates got bigger. Dilling still has shelves full of blank vases collected before her attention shifted. “I am a craft hoarder,” she admitted.

In both her work and artistic life, Dilling has walked many paths. Her love of proofs in geometry also led her to computer programming which she then pursued professionally. She later taught Spanish in Scottsboro for three years, following a lengthy convalescence from numerous health problems including breast cancer and Grave’s disease. (She credits Duke Fitness and Health Center for much of her recovery.) She also volunteered in the Lakeland Art Association office and, from 2010 to 2013, she ran Pierceton Art Gallery and Ceramics Studio.

“I’ve done many things in my life,” she reflected. “I capitalized on my talents and then moved on.”

In 2014, after selling the studio, Dilling, then 66, walked a different sort of path: The holy pilgrimage route over the Pyrenees Mountains and across northern Spain to Santiago De San Compostela, a 500-mile trek.

“It was a life changing time for me. It told me I was an independent woman relying solely on my creator,” stated Dilling. “God’s hand is in everything all the time … I have been so blessed.”