Author: Co-produced by Lark Books & The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center

Publisher: Lark Books, a division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., C 2007

ISBN-13: 978-1-57990-944-4

ISBN-10: 1-57990-944-2

Even after 14 other exhibits of “the best of contemporary quilts,” the quilts gathered for Quilt National 2007 and showcased in the print version of the entries, also entitled Quilt National 2007, still represent innovative ideas and techniques. These works defy the adage that “there’s nothing new under the sun,” for they adhere to the definition of quilt, yet take that form to new levels.

This, the first exhibit since the passing of Hilary Morrow Fletcher, who guided the project for 23 years, is truly a feast for the eye, albeit rendered as ink on paper. Although Ms. Fletcher intended to retire, her death in 2006 left an unexpected void that has been competently filled it seems by Project Director Kathleen M. Dawson. Ms. Dawson’s background as finance manager of the Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center, where the exhibit is housed, gives her a good handle on the underlying structure of conducting a show of this magnitude—which in the case of the biennial Quilt National, amounts to more of a worldwide talent search—and with a considerable cast of supporters, this first show under her aegis should withstand critical scrutiny.

The quilts chosen for the 2007 display in Athens, Ohio, represent selections winnowed from a pool of 1,151 entries by 545 artists from 45 states and 19 foreign countries. Jurors Tim Harding, a studio artist and quilter; Paula Nadelstern, known in the quilting world for her kaleidoscope quilts; and Robin Treen, a textile arts curator, pulled together a varied range of lavish color, bold graphics, and unique materials.

This year’s crop of textile treasures runs the gamut from the realistic/pictorial to the wildly abstract and includes sculptural pieces as well. The content taps into nature, the psyche, politics, urban life, and other subjects both deep and simple, but all rendered thoughtfully.

I was not aware that Quilt National accommodated anything but wall hangings, so I was pleasantly surprised to see “Rising Water” by Mary Beth Bellah, a three-dimensional textile sculpture complete with armature, and “Utility Quilting Series: Ironing Board” by Julie John Upshaw, which won the “Most Innovative Use of the Medium” award and consisted of a real ironing board with quilted surface.

Although not three-dimensional, the pictorial quilts such as those by Denise Labadie (“Dun Aengus Stone Fort,” which earned the McCarthy Memorial award) and Inge Mardal and Steen Hougs (“The Palette’s View”) create a third plane by their accurate use of perspective.

It would be difficult for me to name a favorite work from this group. I admire fabric artists who can select commercially-printed fabric that answers the need for their piece. To me, fabrics manipulated with dyes and inks, paints and airbrush are handled best by fabric artists who might also have a painterly background. However, the artist who can find a fabric that fits the composition without resorting to painterly enhancements has blended a touch of engineering into their work that I find fascinating. So I had to marvel at Lori Lupe Pelish’s “The Gift,” a somewhat dark work that appears to be comprised entirely of fabrics right off the bolt. The subtle shading achieved with these limitations is remarkable, as it also is in “Song” by Tammie Bowser and “Chinese Characters” by Robin Schwalb. To pull a print from one’s fabric stash and create a realistic shadow on a cheek or a lock of hair is a feat that I find amazing.

I’ve touched on only a fraction of the beauty to be found in the pages of Quilt National 2007. If you can’t view the actual show (on display through September 3, 2007, at the Dairy Barn and then traveling in part or entirely to St. Louis, MO; Houston, TX; Lancaster, PA (two exhibits); and Bloomingdale, IL, through 2009), then by all means visit it vicariously through the pages of this book.

The above review was contributed by: Beth Burke. Beth is freelance editor, a fiber artist, and a stay-at-home mom. Previous hats she has worn include procedure and proposal writer for government, commercial nuclear, and environmental services concerns; advertising copywriter; newspaper reporter; and college-level writing instructor.