Connecting Our Natural Worlds - SAQA Global Quilt Exhibit (day 2)

The Connecting Our Natural Worlds exhibit by SAQA showcases art quilts that illustrate the natural wonder of habitats around the globe. Through their own unique artistic interpretation, each artist has identified danger to flora and fauna in their own backyards. The selected pieces inspire viewers to get closer to nature and become better stewards for our environment.  We recently visited this outstanding exhibit at the Brigham City Museum in Utah.

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Treelines by Deborah Boschert, Texas

 

Deborah explains, "The long lines of trees I saw in the Denmark countryside this last summer reminded me of the cypress trees in my Texas neighborhood. Several were lost in recent years to disease and other stress factors. There are ways to treat these problems, but the reality is that the Texas climate is not ideal for this species. "

 

Deborah continues, "Careful choices must be made in landscape planting. The orange trees at the top of this art quilt are shaped like the cypress in my neighborhood. The gaps in the line suggest some trees have been lost, reminding me of those that have been removed from streets and yards near my home." 

 Deborah's creative, pretty quilt shows the importance of the growth cycle of trees, as it relates to water and weather, as shown by the gently painted raindrops here.  Her techniques include fused applique, surface designs, paint, free-motion quilting, and hand embroidery

Vanishing Sanctuary by Holly L. Cole, Virginia

Holly writes, "Habitat loss for trees and wild animals is an escalating problem in the ongoing urban sprawl of Washington, D.C. into northern Virginia where I live. The woods surrounding my house offer sanctuary for me and many creatures. Fall foliage provided both inspiration for the imagery and the leaves for printing this quilt." 

Holly adds, "Sadly, new condominiums are quickly eliminating my neighboring woods. Using the model set by the Nature Conservancy, our best defense against habitat loss is to purchase and nurture the land and participate in local, public, re-zoning meetings to raise concerns.

 Holly's lovely quilt in vibrant colors is enhanced by her use of silk organza, whose delicate transparency is symbolic of our fragile eco-system. Holly also used skeleton leaves, screen printing, free motion quilting, applique, and Pojagi-style construction with covered seams in her patchwork.

Protected Finch by Maria Billings, California

Maria states, " Every year, finches migrate through my back yard, seeking shelter under the cover of green leaves. The "leaves" in this piece are shown as over 200 individually dyed and sewn folder rectangles that overlap. Like in nature, where no two leaves identical, these rectangles vary in material, size, and color. Some species of finch are endangered, others less so' but all of them require our protection and care."

In this close-up, you can see the image of the little finch hidden among the components of the tree. Maria's quilt has a very intriguing texture, showing a highly tactile composition.   If we were ever tempted to touch a quilt (which we would never do !), it would be this one. Maria's techniques include dying, folding, basting, and machine quilting on recycled cotton, cheesecloth, silk, and polyester.

House Home Hive Habitat by Linda M. Kim, Texas

Linda notes, "Some years back, I replaced a large swath of lawn with native plants and learned to garden. I was thrilled with the abundance of new wildlife. Blooming flowers drew bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds."

Linda continues, "This abstract house represent the bees' habitat as well as the home shared by all creatures on earth. An hourglass on the door links to the dire warning, ' If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, humans would have only four years to live."

Linda's quilt makes a very timely statement about the importance of supporting habitats for pollinators. She uses machine piecing, hand-quilting, and hand-embroidery, on cotton, feedsack fabric, recycled clothing, and film strips.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Brigham City Museum in Utah. As of August 2021, many of the pieces can be purchased at the Connecting Our Natural Worlds web page.