Highlights of the Road to California Quilt Show! part 2

Welcome to the Road to California Quilter's Conference and Showcase! The Road to California, as it is called, takes place in Ontario (Southern California), and features over 1,000 quilts by artists from all over the world. Around 40,000 people gather to see the show, take classes, and shop. Join us in admiring some of the stunning quilts from this year's show.

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Cody's Cubes by Beth Nufer, Oregon. Quilted by Clem Buzick

Honorable Mention winner in the Abstract Quilts category, Beth remarks, "I wanted to make a modern design quilt with a 3-D effect to it. I love tumbling blocks, so that worked out for this quilt."

Because the different faces of these blocks are separated with dark background fabric, the three-dimensional effect is even more pronounced. We really admire this expertly designed and constructed geometric quilt with brilliant rainbow colors.

Sonoran Desert Sunset by Kathy Adams and Joanne Baeth, Arizona

Third place winners in the Naturescapes Quilts category, Kathy and Joanne explain, "Original design [is] inspired by several photos we took of the Sonoran Desert which were collaged to make our pattern. Bold colors and Southwestern sunsets inspired our fabric choices. We divided the pattern horizontally into 6 sections and each created and quilted an alternating section."

The quilters add, "Work was done independently, sharing progress via phone and email. When complete, sections were mailed back and forth to be joined, as we live several miles apart." With their use of vibrantly-hued fabrics and intricate thread work, Kathy and Joanne have created a gorgeous quilt which depicts the sunset illuminating mountains, the cacti, and the wildflower-strewn floor of the desert.

The Eggs of the Rainbow Serpent by Jenny Bowker,  Australia

Jenny writes, The Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve is a site in the Northern Territory of Australia, which is the subject of an Aboriginal legend, which explains how the Rainbow Serpent carried water across the Australizan desert from coast to coast and left its eggs in the desert.The Rainbow Serpent is the creator of all things in the Dreamtime stories."

Jenny continues, "I wanted a strong sense of our traditional owners in this piece, but Australians of European heritage are not permitted by use Aboriginal symbolism. To avoid offense, I used Aboriginal fabrics in some sections of the quilt. Still playing with the idea of extending a landscape with patchwork blocks, I used an altered Kaleidoscope block in the rest of the quilt. The heat of Australia's desert swirls through the sky."  This is an amazing creation by Jenny Bowker, whose circular images and quilting motif give a dynamic energy to her work.

Untitled by Lynn Czaban, Oregon

Blue ribbon winner in the category of Human Images, Lynn notes, "This 1936 photograph by Arthur Rothstein, a photographer for the Famr Securities Administration, depicts a laborer at the Chopawamsic Recreational Project in Virginia."

For her design inspiration, Lynn used a copyright-free photograph from the Library of Congress. Her ability to capture in cloth the distinct, clear, facial features and expressions of her subjects is amazing. She has done other portraits from the Great Depression, and they have all turned out beautifully.

Digital Interface by Zoe Williams, New York

Zoe comments, "The beautiful, intricate, dexterous, miraculous human hand never ceases to fill me with awe. So much of our interaction with the world and our connection to others is done through our hands."

 

Zoe continues, "This quilt is an enlarged tracing of the proportions of my own hand, which allows me to express myself and function in countless ways."

She concludes, "Quilted into this piece are 122 words, given to me by friends and loved ones, of the meaningful things we do with our hands." We really admire Zoe's excellent workmanship, elegant use of complementary colors, and innovation in selecting such an intriguing and original subject.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Road to California show.