International Quilt Festival, Long Beach

It was six or seven years ago that Mancuso decided the cancel their annual quilt show. It took place every August in Long Beach. The Palm Springs quilt show wasn’t doing too well, all that was left was Road to California.

So two years ago, there was an announcement that the show was coming back. Needless to say, that didn’t happen until this year. Also, it’s not Mancuso anymore but Quilts Inc. This is the group that puts on the big Houston show every fall.

I went with a non quilter friend, and the show was not at all what I expected. Near the entrance was Eye contact. All of these ‘quilts’ are the same size and all Have eyes. well except that one grey strip, I’m not seeing eyes, but maybe it’s just the pupil. Interesting idea, interesting display

Then there is: reclaimed wood mosaic art by Troy Murrah. Working with reclaimed, recycled wood his is making quilts. I didn’t realize till later that the show has a new owner. Anyway, Troys mother, Judy Murrah, was a well known quilter and worked for Quilts Inc.

So he is using a new medium to create traditional ‘quilts’. As I continued through the show, I learned that Quilts Inc is 45 years old – so most of the quilts are from their extensive collection. They also have a quilt museum, and many of the quilts on display were from there. There weren’t a lot of individual entries. I actually liked it that way.

I missed hearing Troy talk about his quilts. He gave a talk, but I think my friend and I were in the middle of lunch. Convention center hamburger – not great food, but I didn’t want to go out and waste time at a better restaurant.

There were themes this year. To celebrate southern CA beaches there was a group challenge Life’ a beach, it was fun seeing the different interpretations of So Cal beaches. All of these were wall quilts

A celebration of color, this one is wool appliqué. The last show I went to was a small local on in the South Bay, I’m reminded of a wool appliqué quilt there. I am also very aware, that the caliber of quilts here was really the cream of the crop – the best of the best.

I’ve seen other people make this quilt, it is a pattern available for purchase. This is bright and colorful and happy.


From the SAQA group – Studio Art Quilt Association. Many of these quilts are owned by the makers and some of them are available to purchase.

This one speaks to me – The Passover seder – I love the perspective, a drone over the table, capturing the image from above. Fun colorful and relatable. I took a picture of the description, lets just say that artists always have to input all kinds of unnecessary information about their work. to me, it’s just about enjoying a lovely fun image.

Carol Breyer Fallert -Gentry. What a mouthful., She had at least 6 quilts in the show – this one won many ribbons. This is very recognizable as her work, the curves, the color. Others were from the museum collection, and it was fun to see her evolution through the years. The best one, which I didn’t capture on my camera was images of her female ancestors, all the way to her – from baby until now – at age 72. It was wonderful, but it demanded very close study – so I didn’t take a picture.

Anyway, this is be a whole series – of images from this show.

Leah

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