“Forming Our Lives: Three Women, Three Phenomenal Stories” July 26-Sept 14, 2014 San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA
I drove down to San Jose Sunday afternoon to be in position for a Monday exhibit install at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. Sadly traffic patterns control my schedule in this part of the world so I knew it wise to position myself outside of my commute zone.
I stayed at a wonderful Air BnB place which was a treat. This cute little house with the beautiful garden is owned by a fun and friendly gal who frequently rents rooms to finance her home improvements. And it was a scant 10 mins from my morning destination.
We arrived just as SAQA regional members deconstructed their beautiful ‘Northern California Expressions’ exhibit (the one for which I made the two Vineyard pieces that sold right off my design wall in spring, so I couldn’t enter the exhibit). We began to unpack and lay out our work on sheets placed on the floor and as soon as they patched and dabbed paint on the walls, we got to work!
Bonnie J. Smith‘s husband was our main ladder man as he has much experience hanging her work. After a couple OSHA-inspired tool juggling tricks we got down to team-work and in no time had installed the first wall which is a mix of all three women’s work and the artist statement for the exhibit. Forming Our Lives: Three Women, Three Phenomenal Stories was starting to transform the space and in a beautiful way.
This wall shows work from each of us and the artist statement about the exhibit
four pieces from Tall Girl Series: A Body of Work
Next we hung work from my Tall Girl Series: A Body of Work
then pieces from Bonnie’s Swimming Upstream series…about her rehabilitation from a debilitating work comp injury.
from Bonnie J. Smith’s ‘Swimming Upstream’ series
and finally five pieces from Cristina Velasquez‘ Dresses series… a fabulous and inventive parody on all the ‘shoulds’ society & culture put on women.
Christina installing her ‘Dresses’ series
We finished early enough that I had time to hit the highway home rather than staying another night. Of course I was in time for the “pre-commute” traffic!
the joys of living in the ‘burbs
“Forming Our Lives” at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles July 26-Sep 14, 2014 . (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays) Do see it…and while you are there check out the ITAB exhibit.
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