Partners join for quilting exhibit

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) is partnering with Arts Central to host the first juried exhibit of art and contemporary quilts in Central Oregon.

"Fabrications - The Art of Quilting" opens at Arts Central, on Friday, February 3, 5 to 8 p.m. to coincide with the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Bend.

More than 100 quilts were submitted by artists primarily from Central Oregon and juried by Pat Clark, owner of Atelier 6000, and Cate O'Hagan, executive director of Arts Central, for inclusion into the show. The exhibit, sponsored by Bank of the Cascades, includes 33 art quilts, showcasing 24 different artists. "These may not be quilts like your grandmother made, but many of them were designed and created by grandmothers", says Ann Richardson, executive director of SOQS.

"The artists pushed the envelope on the varied use of surface design and manipulation of the fabrics," said Clark. "The artistic vision and environment of Central Oregon is greatly enriched by this art, craft and

process."

"Viewing the quilts as a complete display is reminiscent of looking through a kaleidoscope - it's filled with color and dimension," said jurist O'Hagan. "I focused on color, design and style, some of the basics of visual art, in selecting the quilts to be

exhibited."

About a third of the quilts are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting both Arts Central and SOQS, both of which are 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

The quilts will be on display until February 25 at Arts Central (875 N.W. Brooks St. - the building between the Mirror Pond parking lots in downtown Bend, hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Art quilts by local artists will also be on display in February at the Sisters and Bend branches of Bank of the Cascades.

During SOQS in July you can view more contemporary quilts at Clearwater Gallery in Sisters who will be displaying the work of Rosalie Dace, a contemporary quilt artist from South Africa.