More from Artistry of Quilts in Gig Harbor

Detail from "Art Doesn't Have to Match Your Sofa,"
by Pat Rosenthal.

Let's get right down to it -- individual quilts from the Artistry of Quilts exhibit at the Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor, WA. I gave a little overview in the last post, and here are some details. I'm sorry the photo quality isn't that great, but we couldn't use flashes.

My advice is to see them in person, and you have until Dec. 4. See the museum's web site here -- http://www.harborhistorymuseum.org/  -- for directions, hours, etc.

"Yesterday," by Ruth Newell Reilly.

The show has everything from antique to traditional to contemporary art quilts. Above is a superb tumbling block quilt by Ruth Newell Reilly with 936 different fabrics. (She works at the local quilt shop, which might explain her access to that much fabric.)

"Louise," by Ruth Newell Reilly.

Here's a different style of quilt by Ruth. "Louise" is colored with crayons and embellished with hand embroidery, like we did with our guild's raffle quilt shown in the last post.

Detail of "Louise"

"Christmas in WaCAMONGA," by Carol Arnold.

Here is an example of beautiful applique and hand quilting by Carol Arnold, who started the Comfort Quilt Project that I've blogged about often. I thought WaCAMONGA was an exotic real location, but Carol said it's a name she made up using Washington and California. Look at all those circles and movement!

Detail showing fine applique and hand quilting.

"My Garden of Wool Flowers," by Susan Lester.

Here is a folk art applique quilt, above, by Susan Lester. She made hers with wool instead of cotton.

Detail of  "Nostalgia," by Kat Baasch.

Kat Baasch makes beautiful hand embroidered quilts, like this sweet one called "Nostalgia."

"Nostalgia" embroidered quilt by Kat Baasch.

Antique crazy quilt, "Signs of the Times," circa 1880s.

Here is a more complex type of embroidered quilt, above. It's an antique crazy quilt with a dazzling variety of embroidered stitches between the crazy patches. The quilt is one of Janet Larson's many antique quilts that are on display in the exhibit.

"Crazy Safari," by Janet Larson.

Janet Larson is one of our queens of crazy quilting, and you can tell why from the detail of her hand embroidery on this African inspired crazy quilt.

Detail of "Crazy Safari"

There is a large display of African inspired quilts and authentic African art in the show, including this:

The sculptures seem right at home next to Peter Gaunce's quilt, "African Beauty."

Detail of "African Beauty," by Peter Gaunce.

"African Eye Dance," by Pat Rosenthal.



I couldn't get a closeup of the quilt above because it was hung so high, but it vibrates with energy. You can almost feel the African drum beats when you stand below it. It's by Pat of the red sofa art quilt.

"Summer's Sudden Shower," by Delaine Gately.

The quilt above is a dazzling example of Delaine Gately's art. She's known for her shimmery, sparkly, embellished quilts and wearable art. I thought I had a closeup of this, but I don't. You'll have to see it in person.

Detail of "Finding Fishy," by Andrea Van Outryve.

I had the opposite problem with "Finding Fishy," above. I have a great closeup but somehow missed getting a photo of the entire quilt. Again, you'd better get down there in person. It's a really fun, beautifully colored quilt that caught the attention of all of my friends who I took to the show.

"Organza Four Patch," by Sherrie Spangler.

Here are two of my contemporary abstract art quilts, above and below. These are made with sheer white silk organza that I painted and layered to create shifting colors.

"Organza Four Patch" is a takeoff on the traditional "four patch" quilt block, which is a simple square patch made with four smaller squares.

"Searching" also has some painted cotton and metallic fabrics. They're both machine quilted, as opposed to many of the other quilts shown that were hand quilted or embroidered.

"Searching," by Sherrie Spangler.

Detail of "She's Come Undone," by Sherrie Spangler.

I hope this little taste of the exhibit will entice you to come down to the harbor and see the entire show in person. It's not huge, but it's well done. The museum and other organizers did an excellent job of giving viewers plenty of information about each quilt, as well as a good understanding about the art of quilting in general. Hope you enjoyed it!

Have a colorful day