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Monday, February 27, 2012

A Peek at "Quilts in Color" part 1


I drove down to the Anderson Arts Center to see the quilt exhibit again, and to take all the photos that I didn't have time for the day of the opening.  It's a lovely old mansion, filled with light and beautiful views. I will begin showing you the exhibit Quilts in Color, one artist at a time.


January 29-March 25, 2012
6501 Third Ave.
Kenosha, WI  53143
262-653-0481
hours 1-4:00 Tuesday through Sunday

View from one of the upstairs galleries.  Lake Michigan was very churned up on Sunday.

I'm going to begin with Gloria Hansen's gallery. Her work was lighted, gloriously, get it?  I have always been attracted to the color and movement in her work. Years back I was quite taken by a tiny piece called "Blushing Triangles."  I liked the colors, her threadwork and the visual impact of the quilt.  This was my chance to see more of her work in person.
Circles Collide, by Gloria Hansen.  Here is one of her medium sized pieces over the lovely Italian marble fireplace.  



Gloria Hansen lives and works in East Windsor NJ.  She is considered a pioneer in uniting the quilt maker with the computer, and in 1996 she co-authored The Quilter’s Computer Companion, a ground-breaking book published by No Starch Press. She also wrote or co wrote 13 titles in the Free Stuff on the Internet series publishing by C&T Publishing. Her latest book Digital Essentials, the Quilt Maker’s Must Have Guide to Images, Files, and More, published by Electric Quilt Company.

Color Fields 1 by Gloria Hansen.  Candace Hoffman, the curator adds 3D pieces throughout the galleries.  

Detail of above quilt showing the metallic thread use.

The above quilt was the smallest in her gallery.  It was my favorite because of her expert use of a flat iridescent thread, probably Sliver or Glitter.  The twinkle that the metallic thread added was beautiful.


Gloria’s work has been exhibited throughout the country and abroad for over two decades. She says “My work is about geometric shapes, photographic imagery, and visual ambiguities expressed in cloth and stitch. In this collection of work, I’ve selected quilts spanning nearly a decade in time. The common thread among the pieces are bold color and geometric pattern. I designed each quilt using computer software."
Perspectives II by Gloria Hansen.  This is machine pieced and hand quilted. When I stepped back from this quilt, the dramatic perspective was a surprise.
"The oldest piece is from 2001, and it features fabrics that I hand painted or dyed. The remaining works all feature fabric that I digitally painted using computer software and then digitally printed with archival ink onto silk or cotton fabric. The surfaces also include some traditional media, such as fabric paints and pastels. The oldest work is machine pieced and hand quilted, the other seven pieces are machine pieced and quilted.” Her work has been included and appeared in shows, competitions and galleries around the world.

Upper--Squared Illusions IV,  Lower--Witley Decay 2, by Gloria Hansen
 
Upper--Going in Circles, Lower--Going in Circles II, by Gloria Hansen




  
This is the end of the Gloria Hansen exhibit. Be sure to visit both her website and blog to learn more about how she works. Thank you Gloria for sharing your work with us.

My next installment will feature quilt artist Marcia Stein.

Ann Fahl

3 comments:

Kay Koeper Sorensen said...

Thanks for posting this.
Makes me feel better about having to miss the show.

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Hi Ann...so nice to meet you. I am taking the FMQ Challenge this year. I am a longtime hand quilter; and love it. But I want to try new things...not always be stuck in the past....lol. So;here I am!! I just read your instructions for this month...and am excited about it. You put so much info in the few pages...I'm amazed...and will do my best with what You have given me...thank you

annieQ said...

Good luck to you. It is a big transition to go from hand to machine. But, it is an exciting journey.