Biography of
The Art Quilt Association
Members of The Art Quilt Association, AQuA, are fiber artists living on the Western Slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Specializing in quilts as art rather than bed coverings, they explore textile manipulation and diversity of mixed media as an art form.
Art quilting has exploded in interest with national focus groups like Studio Art Quilts Association and Surface Design Association growing in membership. The Art Quilt Association in Grand Junction was ahead of the curve.
Established in 1996 the group has grown from a handful to 62 members. In January 2004, the group decided to “get serious” about their work and have had many successes since then.
Their first juried themed exhibit was at Grand Junction City Hall in 2005. Later exhibit venues have included the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, Colorado, the Creamery Art Center in Hotchkiss, CO and the Johnson Gallery at Mesa State College in Grand Junction. They were invited to exhibit at the inaugural Denver National annual quilt event and continue to exhibit at that venue each year. Their works were invited by this same organization to travel to other quilt related shows resulting in their art quilts appearing in Chicago, IL., Hampton, VA., and Somerset, NJ. Other local exhibits included the offices of the United Way and major works created especially for the Mesa County Department of Human Services Building. Minor works were donated to this building and appear throughout.
Recently the group’s work was featured in Quilters Newsletter, the most well known quilting magazine in the US. It has also been featured in the Daily Sentinel and Free Press newspapers of Grand Junction as well as the Delta County Independent and other small western slope papers.
Future exhibitions include returns to Denver National and the Creamery Art Center, as well as an exhibit at Mesa Verde National Park in 2008. They are also invited to exhibit at Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, CA in 2009. This is the largest and most prestigious quilt show on the west coast.
A website was developed in 2006 to publicize the group. In addition to pages obvious to visitors, member only pages are viewable by clicking “AQuA” at the top of the “About” page. www.theArtQuiltAssociation.com. In addition to pages about the group, the site makes available pages to members in the “Galleries” section.
Members meet monthly and enjoy programs, demos and technique discussions. Workshops led by national and international teachers are usually held twice a year. An electronic newsletter goes out monthly and can be viewed at the website.
Contact: Marge Fox, 970-241-5523, foxhaven@bresnan.net
2580 Fox Run , Grand Junction, CO 81505
“A brief history of a fledgling art group” as told by their accomplishments:
2004 We decided to “get serious”
2005 United Way Offices
2006 April “Fibers of the Purple Sage” City Hall
“TXT” Denver National, Inaugural show
“Pick of the Litter” at The Creamery Arts Center in Hotchkiss
Selected “Fibers” pieces go to Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden
“TXT” pieces travel to Greater Chicago Quilt Expo – Chicago
2007 “Bridges” Denver National II
“Stories of our Ancestors” Mesa State College
“Postcard” at the Creamery Art Center
2008 “Pick of the Litter II, Creamery Arts Center, Hotchkiss
“Bridges” pieces travel to Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival, Hampton, Virginia
“Bridges” continue traveling to Quilt Fest of New Jersey, Somerset
“Free Range Fibers” Denver National III
“Encrusted” the Art Center of Grand Junction
“Canyon Voices” at Chapin Mesa Gallery, Mesa Verde National Park
2009 Denver National IV
Pacific International Quilt Festival, Santa Clara CA
“Pick of the Litter III” the Creamery Arts Center, Hotchkiss