Hi Matt,
Welcome, from NYC, to the wonderful world of quilting and to the Quilting Board! I've found the members to be very generous and helpful with feedback.
I love handwork, especially hand quilting and embroidery, but typically make quilts by machine. I also love free motion quilting by machine but I'm planning to branch out into mixed media art quilting.
I first began quilting when I saw an exhibit of quilts by Paula Nadelstern. That's the first time I realized that my paradigm of what a quilt is was way too narrow. I would encourage you to feed your eyes and your spirit by exploring quilts of all stripes (Ha! Joke!) on the internet. You will soon learn that the possibilities are endless!
I hope you enjoy everything about your new pastime for many years to come!
Mitch