Arboreal Quilts

As unabashed tree huggers, Jesse and I loved Linda Beach's exhibit of art quilts called "Arboreal Musings," which is on display at the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center until Sept. 23.  We enjoyed hearing the artists discuss her work  Besides us the rest of the audience was women quilters.  I love fabric, but my hands would never take the beating that quilting would demand.

The art quilts reminds me of stained glass, as the panels of color are separated in a similar way, only thread instead of lead.   I liked was her use of  patterned fabric,  some trees or mountains with polka-dots or plaids, like an eccentric pen and ink drawing.  Beach said the smallest piece she quilts is 1/4 inch.  If anything smaller is needed she will "cheat" and use a bead.  She starts with a sketch, to which she pins the pieces of fabric, numbering each one.  Imagine what a breeze through the window might do to an orderly pile of tiny pieces.

Jesse especially enjoyed hearing about the traveling  life she and her husband lead now that he has retired.   They have moved from Alaska to Estes Park.  I hadn't considered Estes Park having a mild climate.   She has been an artist in residence at numerous National Parks, including the Rocky Mountain National Park.  The artist gets a free cabin, leads a couple workshops or lectures and donates one piece of art to the park for permanent display.

Warning:  Linda Beach's work is so gorgeous one visit is not enough.