Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue WA

Bold Expressions: African American Quilts 

Ends October 7, 2012

My favorite

This exhibition showcases more than fifty quilts made throughout the American South between 1910 and the 1970s. Stunning color combinations and distinctively free patterns epitomize an artistic vision that is unique to the American folk art tradition. African American quilts, made entirely by women, are celebrated for their bold improvisation and modern take on traditional quilting patterns. Many of the quilts are made from materials that were readily available to the makers, including flour sacks, old blue jeans and work clothes. This early form of recycling and reuse was a necessity that became the foundation for unique expression. The exhibition also explores a variety of construction techniques and quilting.