Fairfield Art Association to host exhibit on Iowa Art Quilters and Fiber Artists

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Art Association has put together an exhibit featuring “Iowa Art Quilters and Fiber Artists” that will debut on Friday, Sept. 1 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center.

The show will begin with an open house from 6-8 p.m. at the arts center, which overlaps with the monthly Fairfield First Fridays Art Walk. It also will be the final night residents can bid on their favorite downtown art installation that’s part of the “If the Show Fits” series.

Fairfield resident Wendy Read is among the 10 artists from Iowa who will be featured in the quilters and fiber artists exhibit. The other nine are Barb Stewart, Jean Taft, Sue Kluber, Carol Trumbull, Rebecca Loew, Barbara Riggs, Kathryn Roe, Karin Grimes, and Susan McIntyre.

“The simple definition of ‘a quilt that you hang on a wall’ no longer addresses the complexities of some of the art quilts, or their artistic originality, which is lacking in the beautiful traditional quilts that have kept us warm for many generations,” stated a news release from the Iowa Art Quilters. “Our members currently include artists that work with felted wool, as well as fiber sculptures.”

This group of quilters from across the state began meeting in Grinnell in 2005. After some time, its members had expanded into other forms of fiber art that in 2021 they changed their name to include “fiber artists” as well. The news release from the group stated that it includes professionals and those who are just starting out. Its monthly meetings include time for teaching, learning, and experimenting with new materials and techniques. The group can be reached at iowaartquilters@gmail.com.

“The group is open to anyone interested in fiber arts, from beginners to advanced; all are welcome,” the group stated. “Our emphasis is to learn from one another with a spirit of helpfulness, as we share techniques and discoveries.”

Fairfield Art Association Volunteer Director Suzan Kessel said the FAA tries to host an exhibit on quilters and fiber artists about every other year or sometimes every third year, on a similar timeline to how often it hosts its Iowa watercolors exhibit.

This exhibit will remain up at the arts center’s main gallery for two months. Kessel said she’s tried to rotate in new exhibits every month, but that pace came to be a little too fast.

“I was wearing out, and I think ICON Gallery was doing the same,” she said. “Now we try to have the exhibits a little bit longer, like two to three months. It’s a lot of work to organize everything and hang it.”

Kessel said she is booking art galleries at the arts center a couple of years in advance, and she has already booked exhibits into 2025.

“You have to catch the artist if they’re traveling around,” she said.

Kessel will have the chance to show off her own artistic talents when her artwork goes on display at Art Domestique in Washington. Her show will begin Sept. 29 and run through October.

“I haven’t done one of these for years, but I used to do them a lot,” she said.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com