The Riffe Gallery | Ohio Arts Council

Thirty quilts from the tenth biennial Quilt National Collection will be on display at the Riffe Gallery January 21 through April 3, 1999. This exhibition is produced and circulated by the Dairy Barn Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center in Athens. Quilt National '97 is a juried international exhibition of the work of innovative contemporary quiltmakers that showcases transformations in the world of quilting.

The works in Quilt National '97 were chosen from more than 1,250 entries submitted by nearly 600 artists in 26 states and Australia, Austria, Canada, England, France, Japan, Israel and New Zealand. Each work in the exhibition had to satisfy several criteria including mastery of technique, overall design and concept. Each quilt was chosen because it has depth of style, content, technique or emotion.

"Today's quiltmakers are simply doing what has always been done: making choices and shaping available materials into objects that give us a glimpse of something meaningful," said Hilary Fletcher, Quilt National project director.

Although their materials, techniques and messages may differ from those of the heritage quiltmaker, today's quilts are products of the same creative energy responsible for great-grandmother's Double Wedding Ring. Quilts have always been personal expressions, and the works in this collection are no exception.

Quilts in the 1997 collection reflect the artists' interest in using their medium to give voice to concerns about environmental, social and political issues, or feelings relevant to the quiltmaker's inner world. Techniques such as painting, burning, transparency, color removal, surface design, embellishment and elaborate stitchery often are enhanced by the artist's own words, explaining the work and heightening the impact of the imagery. This diverse and beautiful exhibition will enrich everyone's perception of a great American tradition.

Contemporary Quilts, published by Lark Books, Asheville, North Carolina. The full-color, 122-page volume includes photographs of all the quilts as well as statements by the jurors and artists. The book will be available for $20 at the Riffe Gallery during the exhibition.

The Riffe Gallery, operated by the Ohio Arts Council, showcases the work of Ohio's artists and curators and the collections of the state's museums and galleries. The gallery is in the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, State and High Streets, Columbus, OH. Hours are Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m. and Sunday 12-4 p.m. Admission is free. For information or to schedule a tour call the Riffe Gallery at 614/644-9624.

The Ohio Arts Council, a state agency established in 1965, builds the state through the arts-economically, educationally and culturally-preserving the past, enhancing the present and enriching the future for all Ohioans. The Council believes the arts should be shared by the people of Ohio. The arts arise from public, individual and organizational efforts. The OAC supports and encourages those efforts.

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