In partnership with The Quilt Shop, a local quilt store, The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is proud to feature Fiber Optics ’05, a juried exhibit of regional quilts and other exciting fibers work by local quilters and fiber artists. This exhibit identifies new concepts and quilting ideas that build upon the longstanding tradition of quilt making in the Appalachian region. The exhibit will present works from artists of skill levels ranging from beginner to expert. Pieces will include utilitarian creations as well as more abstract, conceptual works that challenge the traditional definition of quilting. The works juried into this exhibition acknowledge the historical functionality of quilting while emphasizing the expressive nature of the art.
About the juror
Joe Cunningham “Joe the Quilter” was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. After high school he played guitar and wrote songs professionally for a decade. In 1979 he met Gwen Marston and Mary Schafer, who introduced him to quilts. Cunningham decided to study quilt history and to learn how to quilt so he could write the text for a catalogue of Mary Schafer’s quilts. Cunningham and Marston worked together throughout the 1980’s producing over 150 quilts, dozens of magazine articles, 8 books and a series of videos.
In 1991, Cunningham resumed his solo musical career in New York and Vermont. He moved to San Francisco in 1993 to work with Julie Silber in her new quilt exhibition company, The Quilt Complex. In 1995 Joe married Carol LeMaitre, a dancer and Pilates trainer. Their first son was born in 1995, the second in 1998. Since moving to San Francisco, Cunningham has written for Threads magazine, Quilters Newsletter Magazine, and Quilting Today among others. Recently, he has contributed essays for books by the University of Michigan and Rodale Press. He makes quilts in his studio at the Phoebe A Hearst Preschool, where he is the artist in residence. Cunningham’s latest project is a musical quilt show entitled “Joe the Quilter,” about an 18th century quilt maker named Joe Hedley. He travels widely to lecture and conduct workshops on the subject of quilt making. You can visit Joe’s website for more information at www.joethequilter.com.
Winning entries
Here is the list of the 2005 winning entries:
- Joe Bigley; Boone, NC; Palm Quilt; palm bark and sinew
- Lorie Bush; Banner Elk, NC; Joyful Connections; cotton, silk and handyed cotton, machine pieced and quilted
- Lorie Bush; Banner Elk, NC; Reflection 02; cotton, silk and handyed cotton, machine pieced and quilted
- Kathryn Carini; Banner Elk, NC; Rising Sun Revisited; pieced with Broderie Perse application; (Reproduction of Rising Sun which hangs in the Smithsonian)
- Cindy Cook; Beech Mountain, NC; Cellular Diversity; 100% cotton, pieced, reverse appliqué
- Cindy Cook; Beech Mountain, NC; Fragometry; 100% cotton, pieced, original design by artist
- Posie Dauphiné; Blowing Rock, NC; Shirting Prints & Clothing Scraps – Fabrics dating 1895-1910; 100% cotton
- Posie Dauphiné; Blowing Rock, NC; Nathan’s Pick; 100% cotton
- Posie Dauphiné; Blowing Rock, NC; Whitewater Passion (T-shirts from the ’70’s); 100% cotton
- Posie Dauphiné; Blowing Rock, NC; Chateau d’…lyseé; 100% cotton
- Angela LaTourette Dunn; Chilhowie, VA; Fractured Blue Kaleidoscope; machine pieced, free motion quilting (templates individually designed)
- Theresa Early; West Jefferson, NC; Circle of Life; 100% cotton
- Krista J. Essler; Boone, NC; In Consistency of Being; hand dyed fabrics, 100% cotton, Original prose
- Krista J. Essler; Boone, NC; Fibonacci 2; hand dyed fabrics, 100% cotton
- Patricia Germann; Mountain City, TN; Get to the Point; machine pieced, hand quilted
- Patricia Germann; Mountain City, TN; Photo-Opp- F400; machine pieced, hand quilted
- Patricia Germann; Mountain City, TN; Rush Hour; machine pieced, hand quilted
- Maggie Harmon; Vilas, NC; Bear’s Paw; 100% cotton
- Maggie Harmon; Vilas, NC; Big Brother/Little Brother; 100% cotton
- Linda Saint Denis Harnett; Boone, NC; Pursonality; mixed fabric and objects, machine and hand quilting
- Linda Saint Denis Harnett; Boone, NC; Cows and Moons; Dutch fabrics and mixed media, machine and hand quilting
- Pam Hoffman; Blowing Rock, NC; Moving Around the Block; commercial fabric, and mixed fabric items
- Pam Hoffman; Blowing Rock, NC; Whimsy Blocks; commercial fabric
- Carole Jacobs; Boca Raton, FL; Floating Moons; quilting fabric
- Carole Jacobs; Boca Raton, FL; Sunny Winter Day; quilting fabric
- Carole Jacobs; Boca Raton, FL; Old Glory; quilting fabric
- Rheta Kirk; Deep Gap, NC; Flower Pot; flower pounding with embellishment
- Jeana Eve Klein; Boone, NC; Although They Grew Up; cotton and recycled fabric, dyed, printed, painted, embroidered and quilted
- Jeana Eve Klein; Boone, NC; Sake; cotton and recycled fabric, dyed, printed, painted, embroidered and quilted
- Jeana Eve Klein; Boone, NC; Empty; cotton and recycled fabric, dyed, printed, painted, embroidered and quilted
- Jeana Eve Klein; Boone, NC; Soot; cotton and recycled fabric, dyed, printed, painted, embroidered and quilted
- Jeana Eve Klein; Boone, NC; Tract; cotton and recycled fabric, dyed, printed, painted, embroidered and quilted
- Jeana Eve Klein; Boone, NC; Just; cotton and recycled fabric, dyed, printed, painted, embroidered and quilted
- Mark Mueller; Boone, NC; A Great White Wave; 100% cotton
- Mark Mueller; Boone, NC; … Unto Me; 100% cotton
- Mark Mueller; Boone, NC; Hurricane Frances; 100% cotton
- Tod Prescott; Boone, NC; Swatches Quilt; 100% cotton
- Kurt Prescott; Boone, NC; Dancing to the Music; batik panel, cotton and fabric
- Kay Preston; Deep Gap, NC; Autumn in the Mountains; 100% cotton
- Kay Preston; Deep Gap, NC; Mission Accomplished?; photo transfer, hand dyed cotton and commercial fabrics and mixed media
- Jean Roberts; Boone, NC; Suzanne’s Girls; Inspired by Laurel Burch; hand dyed fabrics and beads
- Candace St. Lawrence; Butler, TN; My Universe is Still Expanding; hand dyed fabrics
- Candace St. Lawrence, Tod Prescott & Jeff Prescott; Boone, NC; Momentum; 100% cotton
- Corinne K. Schroeder; Boone, NC; Colors; 100% cotton
- Corinne K. Schroeder; Boone, NC; Swoosh; 100% cotton
- Susan Sharpe; Vilas, NC; Self Portrait as a Robot; hand dyed cotton, machine quilted
- CJ Millington Sheets; Boone, NC; Don’t Go Breaking My Heart; commercial and hand dyed fabric, mola squares, machine quilted
- CJ Millington Sheets; Boone, NC; Breaking Away; hand dyed fabric with original designs by artist, hand quilted
- Freda Smith; Vilas, NC; Linear Creations; machine pieced, machine quilted batiks
- Juanita Smith; Boone, NC; The National Star; hand quilted
- Linda Dease Smith; Blowing Rock, NC; Leaf I; quilted and beaded
- Linda Dease Smith; Blowing Rock, NC; Leaf II; quilted and beaded
- Linda Dease Smith; Blowing Rock, NC; Self Portrait; quilted and beaded
- Reva Stewart and Ethel Roark; Boone, NC; Little Brown Birds; original design, hand and machine quilted
- Mary Underwood; Boone, NC; Lines; hand dyed fabrics by various artists, machine pieced and quilted
- Mary Underwood; Boone, NC; Seeking Balance; hand dyed fabrics by Lunn Fabrics and Cherrywood Fabrics, machine pieced and quilted
- Julie Willis; Ferguson, NC; All Chutes, No Ladders; machine appliquéd, pieced and quilted textiles
- Julie Willis; Ferguson, NC; Wobble (March Winds); machine pieced and quilted textiles
- Julie Willis; Ferguson, NC; Games; machine appliquéd, pieced and quilted textiles