Hanging a Show

It seems as though I have been awol for the last several weeks. In reality I have been planning for, and then hanging, a quilt exhibit in a local gallery, ArtSpace Herndon.

Yesterday, with a small team of helpers, 78 quilts got put up on the walls gallery style. Yes that sounds like a lot, and it is, but most all of them are on the "wall hanging/display" size. In all the hustle and bustle yesterday my camera stayed quietly in the bottom of my bag and so I have no action shots to share.

But today I went back and took a few photos.

 Oh, here is one action shot after all! The installation of the banner I made for the show required a little more ingenuity than most exhibits they hang there. This is the view as a visitor arrives through the front door - of course most visitors will not be greeted by the volunteer up a ladder!

 And as they turn to the main front desk they'll see my quilt "Don't It Make Your Brown Eyes Blue" paired with a lovely one made by Anne Smyers titled "The Five Elements: It All Begins in the Water".

Entering the main gallery space you'll see this; and indeed, that is my big quilt "The Blues and the Greys" from the Barbara Brackman Civil War BOW done back in 2011. The center large quilt on the back wall is an applecore quilt - the top was pieced by Susan Shaw's great grandmother in the 1940's and then hand quilted by Susan last year.

 To the left is an alcove with a number of small pieces. The nine pieces arranged in a random oval are all 12" pieces made for a challenge I issued to a few quilters in early December. The requirement was to make a quilt inspired by, and titled with, something you heard from your Mother. That challenge is named "My Mother Always Said". There are some fun pieces to see in that one.

 The main feature of the exhibit is The June Bride collection. Beginning in 2011 I gathered a group of 13 other quilters and issued them a challenge. I would give them a vintage quilt block (one that had been made as a block but never got beyond that stage) and they were required to make a piece, 24" x 24" using that block. There were five sections to the project and all had as a theme something to do with a wedding.

The first section, A Bridal Shower, was hung in a show I co-curated here at ArtSpace in January 2012. For this show the four other sections are displayed. Because of space restrictions not all of the quilts in all of the sections are here...but 39 are!

Above you can see two rows of four quilts (i.e. 8 quilts) that come from the "Baskets for the Bridesmaids" section. Then, overlapping, (and looking at the photo below) there are another two rows of four quilts from "The Brides Wedding Day Album". On the longer straight wall are nine quilts from "The Rehearsal Dinner".

 Tucked in on that short wall on the extreme right of the photo above are a couple of "story boards" that briefly describe the project and display the vintage blocks that everyone started with.

 Now on the longest wall (above) we were able to hang all fourteen of the quilts from the "Tuxedo Rental Time" section.

Then as you turn to leave the show you'll see this corner which demonstrates the variety of styles that comprise the show.

If you're counting, yes, you did not see 78 quilts. Amazingly, we ran out of the hanging wires and a hasty order was placed for more. In a week or two I'll show you the balance of the pieces.

On exhibit from today, January 14 until Sunday March 2, the show should surely provide a dose of color for the winter months. There is a catalog with details of all the quilts to walk you round the show and a visitors book for you to leave your comments in. And if you have a case of the winter blues, then do make a visit to see the show, titled "Something Blue", and come away feeling refreshed and buoyed by seeing quilts given the gallery treatment.

The opening reception will be on Sunday, January 26 when we'll have refreshments, a mix and mingle with many of the quilt artists and I will present an informal talk about the show and related quilt topics.It would be great to see you there!

Thanks to all who helped me by lending their quilts for the show and, for the assistance in getting it up and ready for primetime yesterday.

Am I forgiven for not blogging much lately? A new Barbara Brackman BOM will begin on Saturday January 25 which I will be doing so watch out for that. And maybe now this show is up I'll have time to finish off last year's The Dixie Diary.

Promises, promises!