Monday, March 7, 2011

"Small Wonders" Reverse Views

Bridget (reverse view) features swirling hand quilting.
The "Small Wonders" exhibit at Latimer Quilt and Textile Center has concluded, and it was a huge success. Latimer showed 86 of these remarkable little quilts during the month of February. At the open house event, I shared the story of meeting Andrea Balosky and showed 30 additional doll quilts plus two larger quilts by Balosky. While showing the quilts, I presented both front and back. The backs were intriguing, so I decided to photograph the reverse views of all the quilts. Here are a few favorites.

Greg (reverse view) shows a definite Hawaiian influence.
One of the things you notice right away is each back has its own personality. The fabric selections range from dignified, small-scale prints to gaudy, over-the-top florals. One quilt even has a glow-in-the-dark banana back fabric. 

Lottie (reverse view) features glow-in-the-dark banana fabric.
Nelson (reverse view) shows finely hand quilted echoing squares
Audrey (reverse view) is pieced with over-the-top floral fabric.

Delia (reverse view) is Bohemian-chic, as Delia should be.

Rowela (reverse view) - another gaudy, over-the-top floral
Billy Collins (reverse view) - another exuberant floral back.
The whole "Small Wonders" experience, my first in the role of curator, has been the most rewarding I've had as a volunteer. A group of these doll quilts are currently en route to an exhibit at the Lopez Island Library on Lopez Island, Washington. The exhibit, curated by Mary Bywater Cross, is called "The Airing of the Quilts: Why I Make..." and will be on display March 14th through April 22nd. This exhibit will also include woolen quilts by Cross and art quilts by Barbara Nepom. For more information about the Library including location and hours, click here.

If you couldn't make it to Latimer and can't get to Lopez, a full-color, 120-page catalog is available online through Blurb. To order the catalog, click here.

7 comments:

  1. The backs make a fun quilt show too! Thanks for showing them.

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  2. Glad you enjoyed! I agree that the backs would make a fun quilt show. Photographing the backs may prove to be a good thing.

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  3. By the way, the glow-in-the-dark banana fabric still has glow to it. :)

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  4. Thank you for showing these, front and back. I wasn't able to make it to the show in Tillamook, and Lopez is a long shot. Any chance they'll be shown at the Sisters quilt show this year? I will order the book, but there's nothing like seeing them in person.

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  5. We may be showing a small group of them at a shop in Sisters during the Quilter's Affair and Quilt Show, but details for that are still in the works. One of the local shop owners is a friend of the artist, and the shop is a gift shop connected to a coffee shop. Last year, there were quilts of Andrea's on display in the coffee shop. But please, order a catalog, too, because that's the only way to see the entire group of quilts.

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  6. Well, la-dee-da!!

    I had no idea this was out there pro publica. My hidden agenda with these doll quilts was to rid my stash of these embarrassing fabrics. There were good (obvious) reasons for them to be on the reverse side of quilts. Now, here they are front and center on this esteemed blog. I believe this frightful expose brought on the quake & tsunami in Japan!! Truth ...

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  7. LOL Nyima! You may be pleased to know that the glow-in-the-dark bananas still glow! Before I brought the quilts back to Merrily last week, I made sure to photograph ALL the backs!! Will proceed with caution before releasing the photos...wouldn't want to unleash another quake and tsunami.

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