“Bee Modern” Show at Bay Quilts
The latest exhibition at Bay Quilts in Richmond, California, presents 22 wonderfully varied quilts in the first half of a two-month group show called “Bee Modern: From Moderately Modern to Really Out There!” You can see the first group of quilts through September 27th; after that, a second group goes on display through November 1st.
Bee Modern is a group of 12 friends (including me) who enjoy making liberated quilts and nurturing each other in our explorations.
We share a fascination with reimagined traditions, solid fabrics, improvisational piecing, bold graphic design, contemporary prints, inventive negative space, breaking the rules, and social issues. At the same time, each of us occupies a very different spot on the broad spectrum of modern quilting.
Some of us “work modern” by enlivening traditional blocks with contemporary fabric. Others tweak familiar blocks with a modern design twist. Some reinterpret Asian influences. Others mix modern and art quilts. Some quilt with their hand-dyed fabric. Many of us design original blocks. And a few of us don’t use blocks at all!
We meet monthly (but exchange emails almost daily!), seek advice, share techniques, tour museums, make studio visits, shop hop, and most important, help each other find our own voices.
Quilters with work on display throughout September include Tish Chung, Damm, Dianne McCutcheon, Claudia Shearer, Barb Strick and Lorraine Woodruff-Long. In October, quilters Joan Anyon, Holley Arbeit, Anna Chan, Joy-Lily, Karen Stern and I will take over the gallery.
Many thanks to Sally Davey of Bay Quilts for the opportunity to display our work.