Stitching California

Regional Exhibition

California is known as the Golden State, but what makes it so? This is the question that was asked of Studio Art Quilt (SAQA) members in Northern California and Northern Nevada. The art quilts in the exhibit are their interpretations of the State’s People, Life, and Land.

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Catalog

Stitching California

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Grace Hudson Museum

Stitching California

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Artwork by Lynn Crook and Carol Larson

Stitching California

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Artwork by Eileen Searcy

Stitching California

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Artwork by Ann Sanderson and Barbara Kibbe

Stitching California

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Artwork by Ann Horton and Cassie Elberg-Gibson

Stitching California

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Artwork by Barbara Confer, Susan Else, and Giny Dixon

Stitching California

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Artwork by Katie Pasquini Masopust and Franki Kohler

Stitching California

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Artwork by Adriane Dedic and Pixeladies

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Artwork by Jennifer Landau

Stitching California

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Artwork by Jane Haworth and Gerrie Congdon

Stitching California

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Artwork by Nancy Ryan and Denise Oyama Miller

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Artwork by Adriana Dakin and Laura Fogg

Stitching California

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Artwork by Adriana Dakin and Patricia Reed Porter

Stitching California

 

Curated by Holly Brackman and Jennifer Landau, and juried by Katie Pasquini Masopust and Karen Holmes, forty-two pieces were selected that reflect the diversity, illusions, realities, and hopes that define — or at least help us better understand — the richness and contradictions of the Golden State. A printed exhibition catalog was created by Pat and Bob Porter.

Familiar with California, and with an eye for composition and innovative techniques, we were on the lookout for pieces that told a story and would make a compelling exhibit. As we went through the entries, we found ourselves reminded of the wonders—and woes—of our multi-faceted state. The submitting artists notably paid tribute to striking iconic places we ourselves had enjoyed (San Francisco, Marin, Yosemite, Hollywood), and to the beautiful native flora of California (oaks, poppies, grapevines, wildflowers, and redwoods). But we also saw distinct, darker themes emerge: the impacts of climate change on our state, such as drought, floods, and fire; the long-lasting detrimental effects of the Gold Rush; the persecution of and challenges faced by California’s Indigenous peoples, its Hispanic population, and the Japanese Americans interned during World War II. There were references to industry, economy, geography, and topography, to despair and hope. In short, a well-rounded picture of complex California began to form, and it was up to us to choose the works that best conveyed that picture printed imagery, and sewn fibers, are a seemingly ancient combination. At their confluence, thee is pigment and pressure, woven layers, and borders sewn with fiber. There is color as well as texture, form, intention, ingenuity, and many stories. Textile and print go hand in hand, and the combinations are constantly being reinvented. We invite you to create new work using both techniques for this exhibition. -Karen Holmes and Katie Pasquini Masopust