Iowa Art Quilters exhibit opens Friday

The Fairfield Art Association announces the opening of a new exhibit by Iowa Art Quilters on Friday, Oct. 4, in the Main Gallery at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center.

A reception for the artists and guests is 6-8 p.m.

The Art Quilt Exhibit will include a special project of 14 Iowa Buildings comprised of the following: Postville, Iowa State Capital, Lynnville's Wagaman Mill, Lewis' Hitchcock House, Nashua's Little Brown Church in the Vale, Ames' Morrill Hall, Charles City's Carnegie Legacy, Sioux City/Woodbury County Courthouse, Fairfield's Bonnifield Cabin, Corning's Opera House, West Bend's Grotto of the Redemption, Chariton/Lucas County Courthouse, Lansing's Old Stone School, and Creston's Phillips 66 Station.

The Iowa Art Quilters began meeting in 2005 in Grinnell to encourage and support one another in making art quilts. A simple definition of an art quilt is 'a quilt you hang on the wall” instead of a quilt to lay on the bed. Art quilts are designed and constructed by the artist and are original. Art quilts can be abstract or representational, portraying landscapes, faces or objects, or modifying traditional quilt blocks.

Usually art quilts are considered more decorative than functional, with artists frequently using a variety of fabrics, threads and embellishments such as beads, sequins, buttons, metal, wood and other materials. Surface design, like altering the fabric itself, is a common feature. One might add or remove color using dye, paint, or bleach with brushes, stamps or stencils. Artists might go further by selectively damaging the cloth with fire or rust, or less drastically by folding, scrunching or gathering the cloth.

There are about 30 members in Iowa Art Quilters, most of whom live in central Iowa. At monthly meetings they gather to teach and learn new techniques and to share ideas for projects. Some members have formal art education and experience, some coming from a background of sewing and quilting. Some are business women who market their work (patterns, cloth completed pieces) or receive a commission for art work. Other members are hobbyists who make art for the pleasure of creating, and several have won regional and national acclaim.

Iowa Art Quilters is open to anyone interested in quilting arts and currently live in Iowa. Beginners and advanced are welcome and can make contact through email at iowaartquilters@gmail.com

The 19 artists participating in this exhibit include: Janet Bergeron, Tricia Coulson, Mary Cecil, Karen Grimes, Linda Nelson Johnson, Sue Kluber, Jane Knapp, Judy Ludwick, Norrie Macllraith, Susan McIntyre, Sal Miller, Janet Pittman, Wendy Read, Sandy Rieber, Barbara Riggs, Lois Sheriff, Jean Taft, Carol Trumbull and Patricia Weber.