The Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center will host an exhibit of intricate and meaningful quilts created by the Textile Artists of Virginia from Nov. 1 to Jan 4.
Textile Artists of Virginia, or TAVA, is a group of fiber artists in Southwest Virginia whose mission is “to support each member as a fiber artist, to explore the boundaries of the medium, and to educate and increase public awareness of fiber art.”
Paula Golden founded TAVA in 2010 because she wanted to create a group of passionate quilters who were eager to learn more about the medium while supporting each other as artists. Since then, the group has flourished.
“It’s a positive, nurturing environment,” Golden said in an announcement of the quilting exhibit.
The theme for the art center exhibit is ‘TRANS+.’ Each artist chose a different word with the prefix ‘trans’—and in some cases, made up their own words—and then expressed that word through the elements of their quilt.
Golden herself found inspiration from her experience as a blood-bank specialist and chose the word “transfusion”, manifesting the theme in her gradual infusion of color in her elaborate floral design.
Another artist, Judy Madigan, chose the word ‘transplant” and crafted a brightly colored kidney, complete with kidney donor ribbons to emphasize the importance of organ donation and transplantation.
Artist Nancy Oldham made up the word ‘TRANS+free+mation’ to depict the challenges of a young girl searching for truth and knowledge while living in a country that limits opportunities for women. Her design features the young student who is so life-like, it’s hard to believe she’s made of fabric and thread.
The quilts in this exhibit are diverse in style and theme.
“They include matters of the contemporary world, environmental concerns, and other relevant issues,” Golden said. “They each offer an interesting approach to the ‘TRANS+’ theme while showing incredible artistry and workmanship.”
Golden’s favorite thing about the exhibit is “the diversity and creativity of ideas, thought processes and techniques… These aren’t your grandmother’s quilts,” she said.
The exhibit’s reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 1 at the Montgomery Museum (300 Pepper St.) in Christiansburg.
— Staff reports