Material Conversations: Topeka

Ruth Powers, Bignonia

The Sabatini Gallery at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

is hosting an exhibit until September 22. Two of our members have quilts in the show, Ruth and Janet.

"Material Conversations is a juried competition showcasing 19 works by 10 artists. This selection of contemporary explorations in fiber arts comes from the Kansas-based group, EDGE, an organization with regional to international membership consisting of fiber artists, art quilters, and mixed media artists."

http://tscpl.org/gallery/exhibitions/material-conversations-an-art-quilt-competition/

Janet L. Perkins

Twister Paths

Jo Fitsell, Challenges

Dora Agbas, Water

Louise Kent, Log Cabin detail, 1940

There's a separate small exhibit of quilt watercolors from

the 1940 Index of American Design, a WPA project.

They also had a workstation with a Community Quilt Project.

The results were colorful

and they are adding to it everyday.

August 19th & 20th: Deb Rowden, Improvised Quilts

Housetop by Deb Rowden

Improvised Quilts by our own Deb Rowden

Deb's quilt passion is working by improvisation. She's made improvised quilts, collected them, studied them and edited books on the topic for years.

Log Cabin by Deb Rowden

There is nothing new or modern about improvised quilts. They have been with us as long as there have been quilts, sometimes with other labels: rogue, maverick, utilitarian or thrift shop quilts.

Deb will talk about the definition of improvisation, the quilters of Gee’s Bend, Anna Williams, Lucille Young, and more. She will also explode a few popular myths about who makes improvised quilts. We’ll examine quilts from Deb’s wacky collection, along with historic samples of improvisation.

Feel free to bring along your own improvised quilts to show and tell.

Deb works from her home in Lawrence writing and editing quilt books for the Kansas City Star and C&T Publishing. She is in her 10th year working as a freelance quilt editor. In that time, she has written 5 quilt books and edited 75.

Log Cabin by Deb

Check out her blog Thrift Shop Quilts here:

 debrowden.blogspot.com