"Gilding the Lily" at the New England Quilt Museum

At the end of September I had the rare opportunity to travel to Boston. While my husband attended meetings for 2 1/2 days, I gave myself the gift of much needed alone time, like a 6-hour date with myself at the Museum of Fine Arts, another date with myself at the Institute of Contemporary Art, and a good hard wander through the gallery at the Society of Arts and Crafts. Did I mention we flew a grandma to Alaska to be with children so this could happen? So many moving parts. So hard to get away.

But the highlight of the trip was driving to Lowell on Saturday morning with the Director of the New England Quilt Museum, Nora Burchfield, to visit their current exhibition "Gilding the Lily: Embroidery in Quilts Past & Present." I was invited to exhibit 8 works for this show in my own "pocket" gallery. In the image below, you can see "Reliquary #8: Scroll through the entryway.

This exhibition will be installed until December 30, 2017. It's beautiful.

It was an incredible honor to be surrounded by 200 years of embroidered quilts in a city known for its long textile history, and have the prestige of representing a facet of this art form's contemporary turn. Work from both the Reliquary and Girl Story series are on display. 

I didn't photograph everything in the exhibition, but below are a few broad strokes encompassing historic and contemporary work. 

I recommend a good hard wander if you're out that way. You, too, might have a whole new shiny outlook.
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I also had the opportunity to talk about my work while Caroline Gallagher created a video of this. I haven't seen it yet, but will link to when it's on You Tube. 

​Thank you Caroline and Nora for coordinating the effort.
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Above is a rare reverse view of the suspended work, "Inheritance," featuring doilies used as "batting" between two layers of silk organza. The "quilting" is done with crewel embroidery wool and a darning stitch.

But enough about my work.

Kelly Cline, Lawrence KS "Champagene & Caviar," 2016. Cotton, silk. Hand embroidered vintage textile, hand-guided long arm quilting (left). Rhonda Dort, Houston TX, 2014. "Second Chances," Cottons, vintage linens, trims & doilies, crocheted pieces, buttons, beads, lace & pearls. Hand embroidery, applique, pieced & quilted. Macine embellished and embroidered.

Violet Cave Connors, Wellesley MA, "Tree of Summer Life," 1963. Detail. Linen, wool. Hand embroidered.

Barbara Korengold, Chevy Chase MD, "Ben's Midnight Garden," 2015. Detail. Cotton. Hand embroidered & quilted; assembled by machine.

Christine Wickert, Penfield NY "My Version of a Persian," 2013. Silk. Hand embroidered, quilted beaded & pieced.

Maker Unknown, Pennsylvania. "Odd Fellows Coffin Cover," c. 1900. Wool, cotton. Hand pieced, embroidered & quilted. Pilgrim & Roy Collection.

Maker Unknown, "Fairyland Crib Quilt #47, c. 1960. Cotton. Hand embroidered, machine pieced, hand quilted.

Rebecca C. Ayers Mack Heywood, Winchendon VT, "Embroidered Summer Spread, c. 1850. Wool, cotton. Hand embroidered, pieced and quilted.

Also, this happened: I ran into fellow Alaskan artist, Beth Blankenship, who happened to be in the museum on the same day, while visiting her daughter in Boston. Must've been the magnetic north pulling us toward one another, even when far from home.

One year ago on this blog:

How to wake a dragon.

Two years ago on this blog:

A second box of mystery.

Three years ago on this blog:

Get your label on.