Quilt Eye Candy

Image 1: "Hope" Quilt by Kikuyo Miyashita 宮下季久代 from Japan

There was a fantastic exhibit at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, USA, that ended January 5, 2014. Titled "Japanese Influences in Fiber Arts", the exhibit features, (among other things), award winning quilts from a major Japanese Quilt Show, the 11th biennial Nihon Quilt exhibit. 
[The quilts are now being exhibited at the New England Quilt Museum through April 12, 2014.]

Image 2: "Connected Squares" Quilt by Anco Brouwers-Branderhorst
from the Netherlands

The Japanese show attracts many outstanding international quilts from around the world, and over 35 of the top quilts from Quilt Nihon were displayed at the museum in Cedarburg.  

Image 3: "In the Blue" Denim Quilt by Soo Hee Lee from Korea

I have been to five quilt shows in the last three months, and yet the museum's exhibit has quilts whose design, workmanship and fabrics stand out among the many other quilts I have seen.  I think that the international competition to be in the Japanese show gets a much more diverse body of work then local quilt shows.

Image 4: Quilt by Maya Chaimovich from Israel

In this blog post I am sharing a few of my favorite quilts from the museum exhibit.  There are many more quilts from the exhibit I'd like to share, but for now these will have to do.

Image 5: Close-up  of the Kikuyo Miyashita quilt, lots of Keiko Goke fabrics

I love seeing quilts in person, because then you get to see not only the overall impact of the quilt, but the small details, fabrics, and quilting choices that make up the quilt.  The quilt above has so many cheerful fabrics I have never seen before.  The impact of the colors in the quilt is amazing in person.

Image 6: Close-up detail of the Anco Brouwers-Branderhorst quilt

The color and construction of the geometric quilt above really caught my eye.  The simple block construction, with the white squares offset, is enhanced by the quilting and the embellishment.

Image 7: Close-up detail from the Soo Hee Lee quilt

This denim masterpiece has to be one of my favorites.  The use of zippers and belt loops and the arrangement of colors of denim is just fantastic in the sections of little houses, and then the overall arrangement of the houses in the quilt with a section of leaf pattern is just so creative.

Image 8: Close-up detail from the Soo Hee Lee quilt

I find myself just stunned sometimes at the talent, skill and time poured into some of the quilts.  There is something exciting about seeing masterpieces, and being able to appreciate them.  I can't quilt like these quilters, but I can enjoy their efforts, in the same way that I can enjoy a concert even though I can't sing well.

Image 9: Detail 1 of Maya Chaimovich's quilt

This last quilt is so different, I can look at it and study it, and still not know where one fabric ends and the next starts.  But it is lovely to see.  

Image 10: Detail 2 of Maya Chaimovich's quilt

I would encourage anyone interested is seeing this show to make the effort.  Traveling to Japan to see a show like this is much harder then traveling to Wisconsin (or Massachusetts).  People from as far away as Texas made arrangements to come and see this exhibit, and I can see why.  These quilts traveled all over the world to get here.

If you are interested in seeing more quilts from this exhibit, leave a comment saying so. If there is enough interest, I post more photos.

 

Click on the images to see them enlarged 
(Yes, you can see these images even larger!). 



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Quilts Part 2

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Mosaic Heart

Butterfly Bling

I am linking up to these memes:

Quilt specific links:

Colorful life: Really random Thur (Entry 5 of 26.)
Pretty bobbins: Quilt linky party (Entry 15 of 22.)
Hotpinkquilts :Finished Fri (Entry 26 of 43.)
Richard/Tanya quilts: Link a Finish Friday 93 (Entry 4 of 27.)
Quilt story: Fabric Tuesday (Entry 37 of 70.)
Freshlypieced:Work In Progress Wed (Entry 100 of 165.)
Quilt Infatuation: Needle-and-thread Thur (Entry 1 of 69.)
Marelize: Anything goes Monday 42 (Entry 45 of 45.)
ihavetosay: Show-and-tell Tue (Entry 15 of 18)
Fabric addict: Whoop Whoop (Entry 40 of 67.)
Connie: Linky Tuesday (Entry 42 of 44.)
Blossomheart: Sew Cute Tue (Entry 27 of 28.) 

Others I Love:
Mod Vintage: Mod Mix Mon 127 (Entry 47 of 58.)
Boogie Board: Masterpiece Mon 149 (Entry 92 of 98.)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 250 (Entry ?)
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tues 187 (Entry 143 of 245.)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues 190 (Entry 204 of 304.)
Uncommon Slice: Tues Treasures 159 (Entry 126 of 211.)
Cedarhill Ranch: The Sun Scoop 92 (Entry 159 of 259.)
Lavender Garden: Cottage Style (Entry 19 of 33.) b
Savvy Style: Wow Us Wed 144 (Entry 192 of 390.) * 

Handy: Wicked Awesome Wed 136 (Entry 72 of 104.)
Family Home: Wow us Wed (Entry 71 of 101.)
Snap: Show and Tell (Entry 122 of 175.)

Ivy and Elephants: Whats it Wed 100 (Entry 110 of 215.)
Someday Crafts: Whatever Goes Wed 196 (Entry 206 of 391.)
Katherine: Thurs Favorite Things 114 (Entry 66 of 271.)
Jan Olson: Share your Cup of Tea Thur 81 (Entry 70 of 139.)
From my Porch: Treasure Hunt Thur 132 (Entry 64 of 137.)
Girlish Whims: Your Whims Wed 137 (Entry 180 of 199.)
No Minimalist Here: Open House (Entry 85 of 170.)
Sew Much Ado: We Did It Wed 182 (Entry 144 of 221.)
Brambleberry Cottage: Time Travel Thur 174 (Entry 51 of 109.)
Col Lady: Vintage Thingies Thur (Entry 12 of 26.)
A Delight: Home and Garden Thur 55 (Entry 61 of 110.)
Knick of time: Knick-of-time Tue (Entry 86 of 87.)

Adorned from above: Adorned Wed (Entry 144 of 153.)
Sand yellow door: Home (Entry 26 of 38.)
Charm of Home: Home Sweet Home 145 (Entry 18 of 129.)
Thrifty Grove: Thrifty Things Fri 135 (Entry 44 of 79.)
French Country: Feather Nest Fri (Entry 153 of 316.)
* Common Ground: Vint Inspiration 164 (Entry 14 of 225.)
* Romantic Home: Show and Tell (Entry 20 of 249.)
Chic: Flaunt it Friday 180 (Entry 140 of 190.)  
Tatertots: Weekend Wrap Up (Entry 680 of 1038.)
Create-with-joy: Inspire Me Mon (Entry 258 of 259.)  

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 other links I found:

 

2015 Quilt,  2022 Quilt,  hokkaidokudasai, jonellepatrick.

Tokyo kimono, Tokyo Wisteria, Tokyo Plum, Japan Flowers