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Portland, OR – Quilting has long been at the core of Oregon history. According to the Oregon Encyclopedia, for women who were preparing to embark on the Oregon Trail, “quilt-making was an important part of the preparation for moving west, as women focused on the need for bedding and to make sure they had something to keep them emotionally connected to their past.”
Fast-forward 150 years, and makers continue to create quilts that document the stories of our time. The evolution of the Art Quilt Movement has pushed the boundaries of what one envisions from a quilt, moving these sources of comfort and tradition off beds and onto gallery walls.
The Oregon Historical Society is proud to host an original exhibit of art quilts developed by local Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) artists titled On the Edge. In Oregon, whether staring down from the top of a mountain or standing on a beach, we are all on the edge — be it physically, geographically, emotionally, philosophically, in personality, or in style. SAQA invited members to interpret, either in a representational or abstract way, a response to this theme, and the selected works are part of this two-gallery juried show, open now through August 15, 2019.
“We wanted a theme that would be unique to Oregon, would have wide resonance with the SAQA artists, and allow them to push the limits of their art-making,” said On the Edge curator Karen Sunday Spencer. “Where else do people pride themselves on being “edgy” while living on the edge of a continent and regularly setting foot on the edge of a mountain peak or body of water? The wide array of interpretations of “on the edge” and the stellar quality of the work are a testament to the skill and creativity of the artists involved.”
Visitors to the exhibit, even those unfamiliar with quilting, will appreciate the original interpretations of the theme as well as the technical skill employed to design these works of art. Many SAQA artists incorporated their experiences as painters, photographers, weavers, printmakers, or sculptors into their quilts. This diversity in backgrounds leads to amazing surface design techniques one would not anticipate on fabric. The broad choice of design styles, rich colors, and sumptuous fabrics used by each member of the group redefines quilters as artists versus crafters.
“From 7 ½ foot tall dripping urban landscapes to metal “stitching” layers together to 3D sculptures, portraits, and abstracts, we push the boundaries on what one envisions from the term Art Quilt,” said On the Edge exhibition coordinator Amanda Snavely.
On May 23 at 6pm, the public is invited to meet some of the featured artists at a free lecture and reception. In her talk, Quilts on the Edge, artist Ann Johnston will show her evolution as a quilt maker, and at the same time, illustrate how her quilts express different ways of being on an edge.
On the Edge: An Exhibition by SAQA Oregon Artists is open now through August 15 at the Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland). The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is open seven days a week, Monday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm and Sunday from 12pm – 5pm. Admission is $10, and discounts are available for students, seniors, teachers, and youth. Admission is free every day for OHS members and Multnomah County residents.
About the Oregon Historical Society
For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms & website (www.ohs.org), educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
About the SAQA Oregon
Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development, documentation, and publications. Founded in 1989 by an initial group of 50 artists, SAQA now has over 3,400 members: artists, teachers, collectors, gallery owners, museum curators and corporate sponsors. SAQA Oregon currently has 135 members participating throughout the state.