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Any group of artists’ first exhibit poses a number of challenges. For Creative Fiber Artists, an offshoot of the Diablo Valley Quilters Guild dedicated to art quilting rather than traditional quilting, there was one challenge in particular to getting their first exhibit in 2017 off the ground, however.
“We had to convince people they were good enough,” said Margaret Winter, longtime quilter and organizer for Creative Fiber Artists.
Winter said that, following the warm reception of their 2017 show, this lack of confidence no longer posed an obstacle to the 12 original members of the group when it came to organizing their current exhibit “Threads of Change,” which opened at the Village Theatre and Art Gallery in Danville earlier this month.
“It was a lot easier to convince people that a show was in order,” Winter said.
By all accounts, the group’s newly found confidence following their 2017 exhibit “Uncommon Thread,” and additional five years of work developing personally and collectively as artists, has led to an entirely new experience in the new exhibit, and increased cohesiveness and creativity in the new works on display.
“They really flow together,” said Marija Nelson Bleier, program coordinator for visual arts at the Village Theatre gallery. “I’ve hung them based off of color but also some of them have a theme, so it seems like ocean and ocean life has been an inspiration this time around. There’s a good level of outdoors-as-inspiration as the subject matter for these quilts.”
Getting outdoors, and being inspired by the local scenery, has long been a key aspect of Creative Fiber Artists’ endeavors — which have been grounded in no small part by regular retreats, in which the members are able to fully engage with their work, and “competing” in artistic challenges inspired by them.
This unique approach, driven by an overall atmosphere of creativity, experimentation and expression, were key to what founding member Susan Dillinger wanted in a smaller offshoot of the Diablo Valley Quilters Guild.
“At our first meeting, we decided we wanted to be different from other groups,” Dillinger said.
While the larger guild, and the quilting world in general, are generally focused on traditional quilting using patterns that have been passed down and repeated through generations, the founding members of Creative Fiber Artists were seeking a new group focused instead on art quilting, in which experimentation and new approaches take precedent over traditional methods.
Winter said that with traditional quilting, sometimes “you wish there was more of yourself in your quilts.” In contrast, art quilting is aimed at creating pieces that are “entirely original, not from someone else’s brain,” Dillinger said.
“It (art quilting) is totally from the maker,” Dillinger said.
This approach means not just unique methods, but experimenting with unique materials as well. One challenge the group took on involved incorporating wire mesh, and the materials used for their projects range from cheesecloth to used teabags.
“Our families all know: ‘Do not throw this away without asking’,” Winters said.
In the five years since their last show, the group members — all retired — have had time to experiment and continue finding their voices through the medium, and teach each other new methods in the process, which has been key to how the group functions since its inception.
The wealth of time, experience and shared education meant that the group was able to put together pieces for “Threads of Change” within approximately six months, after it had been delayed for two years due to the pandemic.
“Ironically, because they weren’t working so much in person as a group, it’s almost like their work is more thematic in colors … Everyone’s work is really complimentary with everyone else’s work,” Bleier said.
“Threads of Change” opened on Jan. 20 and is set to run through March 11 at the Village Theatre and Art Gallery at 233 Front St. in downtown Danville.
The gallery is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Winter and Dillinger recommend visiting during the Fridays and Saturdays hours, when they and others with works on display will be serving as docents.
More information on “Threads of Change” is available here.
