May Issue 2000
Quilt National - General Information
Background:
In the late 1970s Athens, Ohio, was home to numerous talented artists including Nancy Crow, Françoise Barnes and Virginia Randles. These and other area artists were using fabric to create works that were pieced, layered, stitched and stuffed. These works were "quilts by virtue of their structure, although they were intended to be viewed on a vertical plane. The original designs and use of innovative techniques and color combinations made them unacceptable to the organizers of traditional quilt shows who were most interested in beautifully crafted bed covers with recognizable patterns. The only exhibit opportunities for these artists were in mixed media fiber shows alongside baskets and weavings.
Crow and Barnes recognized the need for an appropriate showcase for what are now known as "art quilts." Fortunately, this need coincided with the efforts of a coalition of artists and others in the Athens community to preserve an abandoned dairy barn. Built in 1914 as part of a farm complex situated on grounds belonging to the state-owned mental health facility, the barn had housed a prize dairy herd until the late 1960. These people convinced the Governor that the barn had the potential for a second life as a much-needed regional cultural arts center. They didn't see a dilapidated building with trenches in the floor and rows of cattle stanchions. Rather, they saw a lovely example of early 20th century architecture sitting quietly on the crest of a gently sloping hill. The natural amphitheater formed by the hills and trees behind the barn created a backdrop of serenity and beauty. In 1978, with the arrival of the wrecking ball just nine days away, the demolition order was reversed. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and The Dairy Barn Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center, a nonprofit corporation, was born.
Purpose And Philosophy Of Quilt National:
Quilt National was intended to demonstrate the transformations taking place in the world of quilting. Its purpose was then, and still is, to carry the definition of quilting far beyond its traditional parameters and to promote quilt making as what it always has been - an art form.
The works in a Quilt National exhibit display a reverence for the lessons taught by the makers of the heritage quilts. Many of the works hold fast to the traditional methods of piecing and patching. At the same time, however, the Quilt National artist is intrigued by the challenge of expanding the boundaries of traditional quilt making by utilizing the newest materials and technologies. These innovative works generate strong emotional responses in the viewer while at the same time fulfilling the creative need of the artist to make a totally individual statement.
The Selection Process:
The entry requirements for Quilt National state that the works must possess the basic structural characteristics of a quilt. Work must be predominantly fiber and be composed of at least two full and distinct layers that are held together with stitches.
All work must be an original design of the entrant, not a copy of a traditional design nor a variation on the original design of another artist. Although traditional design elements may be incorporated, these should be executed in an innovative manner that reflects the individuality of the artist.
Each entry is represented by two 35mm slides: a full view and a detail of the front. These provide the jurors with information about the design and technical characteristics of the work. Preliminary acceptance is granted on the basis of the slides. The final decision, however, is delayed until the work itself has been seen by a jurors' representative
Each Quilt National exhibit represents the collective opinion of the jurors. The three-person panel is composed of two established quilt artists and a third member whose expertise is in a related area of contemporary art. Together they view the thousands of entry slides and carefully make their selections.
Quilt National '97 juror Jason Pollen noted, "What strikes me deeply is the overwhelming number of quilts which embody a strong point of view, both visually and conceptually. Sometimes humorous, sometimes profoundly introspective, sometimes somewhere in between, the majority speak, sing, shout, or whisper with individual voices, almost all worthy of listening to, as well as looking at."
About The Entrants:
In 1978, one-hundred ninety artists submitted slides of 390 works. Fifty-six works by 44 artists were selected for that first show. Quilt National '99, the eleventh biennial competition, drew more than 1321 entries by nearly 650 artists from 47 states and 20 foreign countries. Among the more notable developments is the increasing number of international artists indicating a that quilt making is becoming an international language through which artists are able to share something about themselves and their worlds. Quilt National '99 includes, for the first time, work from Slovenia.
The inspiration for the artists' work comes from many sources, although fewer and fewer of the entries reflect a direct influence of early quilt makers. While some artists are exploring totally new avenues, the "fabric sandwich" format remains an integral part of the work. Many contemporary quilt makers are just now reaching the stage at which they have produced a body of work which represents their particular style.
About the Artists:
While quilt making remains predominantly a women's activity, more and more men are choosing to express their creative energies in this way. The demographics of the Quilt National artists indicate that quilt making is a vital part of their lives. Very few of them have been making quilts for less than five years. Most of them have been making quilts for nearly 15 years. Many have been making quilts even longer. While some are quite prolific, more than half make fewer than six quilts a year.
Many consider themselves "folk artists" because they work intuitively without formal academic training. The majority of the Quilt National exhibitors have had some academic training in the visual arts. For some, there has always been a love of fabric; for others, the interest in fiber is an offshoot of an earlier interest in painting, sculpture or architecture.
The Quilt National '99 artists represent 27 states and 13 foreign countries. Many are professional quilt makers whose livelihood is dependent on lecturing, teaching, designing, making and selling quilts. For all, quilt making is an activity which provides pleasure and satisfaction. Fifty-one percent of the artists included in Quilt National '99 have never been in an earlier Quilt National exhibit. Many others have been included in several previous Quilt National exhibitions.
About the Works in Quilt National '99:
The quilts in the '99 collection continue to reflect the artists' interest in using their medium to give voice to a concern for either the world at large - as in the numerous environmental issues addressed by the works - or to express feelings relevant to the particular quilt maker's inner world. For many of today's quilt makers the graphic and technical elements are the foundations which support the primary concern - the content of the quilt's message.
Technically, the works run the gamut from a series of related blocks carefully executed in commercial fabrics to a single over-all image employing self-dyed fabric, vinyl cloth, ink and found objects. The development of photo-transfer materials and techniques has enabled artists to marry surface design and photography as never before. The possibilities for today's fiber artist are limitless. If the desired pattern, color or subject matter is unavailable as a commercial product, the artist takes advantage of newly available techniques (and opportunities to learn how to use them) to create exactly what is needed to convey the specific message. The majority of today's quilts represent a combination of hand and machine techniques. For an ever increasing number of artists, the challenge and versatility provided by the latest generation of sewing machines has allowed them to create special effects by quilting with a hand-guided electric needle.
For some artists, quilting the layers together is far from the final step - now it's time to embellish the beautifully textured surface. Embroidery, paint and the painstaking addition of buttons and beads further enrich the overall effects of color, texture and shape - the staples of the quilt maker's art.
About the Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center:
Organized in 1978 as a non-profit corporation, the Dairy Barn Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center is dedicated to producing programs that feature both traditional and contemporary arts.
During its first decade, the Dairy Barn was transformed from a makeshift exhibition space to a first-rate art gallery with climate control, security systems, lighting and display apparatus, and a neutral environment in which to showcase art in countless different media. The twelve-month program calendar includes juried international exhibits, festivals and programs of regional interest, and unique performances, a full series of classes for children and adults, and activities that appeal to visitors of all ages.
Although used primarily as a site for visual arts events, recent years have seen an increase in the use of the facility for performing arts events as well. There are often outdoor concerts which coincide with other events.
The Dairy Barn is supported by admissions, memberships, corporate sponsorships and various grants. The staff is assisted by community volunteers who work tirelessly to see that "their" Dairy Barn is able to provide the kind of quality programming which has come to be expected.
The purpose of the Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center is to promote the arts, crafts and cultural heritage of southeastern Ohio by serving as a showcase for the best of what is available in the region. Through the many exhibits of new or historic work of national and international importance, The Dairy Barn provides residents of the area with opportunities to experience the arts and culture of individuals from whom they are separated by miles or generations.
The Dairy Barn Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center is one of the area's leading tourist attractions. Its close proximity to Ohio University and its reputation in the international art community makes it a "not-to-miss" stop on the itinerary of visitors from all over the world
For more information about Quilt National or The Dairy Barn contact:
Hilary Fletcher, Quilt National Project Director
c/o Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center
8000 Dairy Lane (delivery address)
P0 Box 747 (mailing address)
Athens, Ohio 45701
Phone: 740/592-4981
Fax: 740/592-5090
E-mail: (info@dairybarn.org)
Dairy Barn World Wide Web site: (http://www.dairybarn.org)
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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