GRAND JUNCTION — The Art Quilt Association’s (AQuA) new exhibit, appropriately titled “Encrusted,” opens at the Western Colorado Center for the Arts on Friday, Aug. 1. The opening reception begins at 6:30 p.m. with artist introductions.

The dictionary quite simply defines “encrusted” as something covered with a hard coating or decorated richly. But those two definitions don’t go far enough to describe the quilts designed by members of AQuA.

Jan Rickman, well-known national quilter and Gateway resident, juried this show. Rickman said she kept in mind the theme of the show: Instinctively humans gravitate to things that shine. Sparkle, gloss, glisten, glow, radiance, reflection, luster, embellish, brilliant, adorn, garnish, ornament.

Eighteen quilts will be displayed and their “crust” runs all the way from Angelina fibers to yarn, with a little bit of everything else in between.

Four quilts were chosen by Rickman for the special honor of Juror’s Choice. Grand Junction resident Sandra Lee’s “Ecstatic Wisdom” runs the gamut of embellishment with such diverse materials as foiled velvet, wired coils, Tyvek, silk and freshwater pearls. Lee’s quilt was also chosen as the postcard image which is used by AQuA to advertise this event.

Marla Ferguson of Palisade created “The Radiance of Compassion” and adorned her quilt extensively with ribbons, beads, Angelina fibers and stamped images.

Susan Strickland of Grand Junction titled her piece “No Harm, No Foul.” Using hand batiked and hand dyed fabrics, Strickland enhanced her work even more with beads, Kumihimo-style cording and extensive machine quilting.

Clifton resident Eldrid Schaefer took a whimsical look at the theme with her “Future/Past” entry. Schaefer fashioned denim fabric into a pair of embellished jeans and also used beads, cording and fringe on a bright reddish-orange background.

AQuA also voted for Member’s Choice and selected “Vanessa (Bird of Paradis)” by Gwen Trubey of Cedaredge. Trubey’s quilt is heavily encrusted with beads of all types, including abalone and pearls. Because Trubey listened to French singer Vanessa Paradis during the construction of her quilt, she thought it appropriate to name the quilt in Paradis’ honor.

Other quilts exhibited show the versatility of the members, featuring silk flowers, constructed wire forms, cheesecloth, sea shells, starfish, antique photos, keys, upholstery fabrics, sequins, leather, felted wool, fabric markers and crystals. If it’s possible to apply something to a piece of fabric, it was applied.

Rebel quilters

In 1996, a group of quilters, tired of traditional quilting methods and rebelling against quarter-inch seams, got together and decided that a new group was in order — one that ignored the rules and created their own. Thus was born The Art Quilt Association.

Since that time, the group has grown to over 60 members, hailing from all over the Western Slope of Colorado. Residents of Alaska, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah also signed up and are active participants. Anyone, no matter their location is welcome to join.

AQuA meets at 9:30 a.m. the third Saturday of every month in the Community Room at the Goodwill Building, 630 24 1/2 Road, Grand Junction. Dues are $25 per year and members also can buy a gallery page on the Web site
www.theartquiltassociation.com to showcase their quilts for $20 per year.

The organization has proudly mounted many shows, with the very first at Grand
Junction City Hall in 2006. Since that time, exhibits have traveled to Chicago, Denver, New Jersey and Virginia.

AQuA has been invited to exhibit at the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, Calif., in 2009. An exhibit of southwestern-themed quilts “Canyon Voices as Heard by The Art Quilt Association” is hanging in the Chapin Mesa Museum Art Gallery at Mesa Verde National Park.

More at the Art Center

Also appearing at the Art Center until Aug. 23 is “Garden Party,” a celebration of gardens, public and private, presented by Alpine Bank. This exhibit showcases artists who work in various media with a common theme of inspiration of gardens interpreted in paint, collage, sculpture and batik.

In addition, the Art Center’s Instructor and Student’s exhibit opens Aug. 1 and runs through Aug. 23. This exhibit focuses on artists at all levels who work in a wide range of media and regularly use the Art Center as a point of inspiration, creation and community. Clay, painting, collage, sculpture and drawing are what goes on in the building all day long and into the evening.

The Art Center is located at 1803 N. Seventh St. in Grand Junction and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information about this show, contact Rita Faussone at 245-6590 or e-mail info@theartquiltassociation.com. Information about the Art Center is available at info@gjartcenter.org, www.gjartcenter.org or telephone 243-7337.