by Pem McNerney, Living Editor, Zip06
Traditional quilts are usually made of three layers, including a cover, then the padding, then the backing.
But when the craft evolves into art, it doesn’t always have to be exactly that, says Diane Wright of Guilford, a studio art quilter who is one of the curators of the upcoming quilt show at the Guilford Art Gallery, Local Color.
“Traditionally it’s three layers of textiles held together with a stitch. That is the most basic thing. But there can be a lot of variety by any measure. What art quilting has evolved to is referencing that. It doesn’t always have to be that. So you may have paper as one of the layers. It can be stitched in any way. It can reference stitching, using a pen and making it look like stitching. Just referencing the traditional allows for maximum creativity.”
The upcoming juried show will feature a variety of fiber art created by members of the Studio Art Quilt Association (SAQA) in the Connecticut region. It will be on view at the Guilford Art Center, 411 Church Street, Guilford, from Friday, Feb. 5 to Sunday, Feb. 21. The opening reception is Friday, Feb. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m.; it is free and open to the public.
