Quilts and Color from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

November 7, 2015-February 7, 2016

Celebrate the beauty and vibrancy of American quilts in a special exhibition organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Quilts and Color spotlights nearly fifty quilts with bold palettes and inventive designs from the acclaimed Pilgrim/Roy Quilt Collection. Influenced by twentieth century art developments such as abstraction, optical art, and the color field movement, Paul Pilgrim and Gerald Roy collected quilts from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries with similarly bold and striking designs.

The exhibition begins with the vividly colored quilts that first drew the collectors’ attention and started their life-long passion. Exploring principles of color theory, the exhibition’s sections focus on color contrasts, vibrations, mixtures, gradations, and harmonies in the quilt designs. The exhibition examines innovative optical effects through the use of shape and color, as well as creative variations of traditional quilt patterns. Quilts and Color concludes with a nod to the artistic vision of quilt makers and highlights artists who worked outside standard patterns and designs.

PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS

MODERNS’ PREVIEW: QUILTS FOR QUILTS
Thursday, Nov. 5, 5:30 p.m.
Cocktail reception, gallery talk with Gerald Roy and opportunity to spend time in Quilts and Color. Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase blankets for City Rescue Mission. City Rescue Mission serves the homeless and near homeless with help, hope, and healing in Oklahoma City.
Free for Moderns Members | $5 for guests of Moderns Members

MEMBER’S PREVIEW & LECTURE
Friday, November 6
Jennifer Swope is Assistant Curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston where Quilts and Color was organized and first presented. The lecture will present an overview of how this important exhibition came together and the captivating story of quilts as an art form. Please note that this preview is limited to OKCMOA Members. The exhibition will open to the public on November 7^th. Interested in becoming an OKCMOA Member? Click here!

FAMILY DAY: ART IN COLOR
Sunday, November 15
Enjoy free admission and a host of hands-on art projects and in-gallery experiences throughout the entire Museum.

MAKING MEMORIES
Monday, December 14, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 2-3:30 p.m.
Designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and their caregivers or loved ones.
Free

THE ART OF TECHNICOLOR IN FILM: The Shepherd of the Hills (Henry Hathaway, 1941)
Thursday, January 7, 5:30 & 8 p.m. on 35mm!

CONVERSATION WITH A CURATOR
Sunday, January 31, Meet in lobby at 1 p.m.
Join Quilts and Color Coordinating Curator Catherine Shotick for in-gallery insights about the exhibition.
Free with admission

GROUP TOURS
Reservations required. Group rate available. Call (405) 278-8231 for pricing and availability.

FAMILY WORKSHOP
Family Quilts (Ages 3-5 years + adult), Saturday, November 14
Pre-registration required

YOUTH CLASS
Collograph Quilting (Ages 6-8), Saturdays, December 12 & 19
Pre-registration required

DROP-IN ART (All ages)
Fabric Quilt Collage, Saturday, November 7, 1-4 p.m.
Geometric Felt Quilts, Saturday, November 28, 1-4 p.m.
Paper Quilt Collages, Saturday, December 12, 1-4 p.m.
Free with admission

Quilts and Color Press Image credits
Star of Bethlehem with Pomegranate Trees Quilt (detail), about 1850. Appliqued and pieced cotton plain weave top with stuffed work, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Mary S. and Edward J. Holmes Fund, Frank B. Bemis Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J.
Morse Fund, 2013.69. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Florence Mae Hart Diehl (American, 1864-1941). Log Cabin, Barn Raising Quilt (detail), 1893. Wool, printed and/or discharged and weft float patterned; pieced and quilted. Mary S. and Edward J. Holmes Fund, Frank B. Bemis Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J. Morse Fund, 2013.70. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The Diamond Field (detail), about 1860. Pieced wool plain weave and twill (some printed), glazed cotton plain weave back, wool plain weave binding; quilted. Frank B. Bemis Fund, John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J. Morse Fund, 2014.1862. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Double Wedding Ring Quilt (detail), about 1940. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Gift of the Pilgrim/Roy Collection, 2014.1945. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Touching Sunbursts Quilt (detail), 1854. Pieced printed cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave backing and binding; quilted. Frank B. Bemis Fund, John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J. Morse Fund, 2014.1861. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Mrs. Miller (American, dates unknown). Carpenter’s Wheel Quilt (detail), about 1890. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Frank B. Bemis Fund, John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J. Morse Fund, 2014.1860. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Sunshine and Shadow Quilt (detail), 1880s. Cotton; pieced and quilted. Pilgrim / Roy Collection. Photograph courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Framed Diamond in a Square Quilt (detail), 1920s. Pieced wool plain weave top, cotton plain weave back, wool plain weave binding; quilted. Pilgrim / Roy Collection. Photograph courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Log Cabin, Multiple Barn Raising Variation Quilt (detail), 1930s. Pieced cotton or wool in a variety of structures and silk velvet top, cotton plain weave back; quilted. Pilgrim / Roy Collection. Photograph courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Attributed to Emma Gingerich (American, dates unknown). Double Irish Chain Quilt (detail), 1920s. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Frank B. Bemis Fund, John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J. Morse Fund, 2014.1857. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Tumbling Blocks Quilt (detail), 1920s. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilt. Pilgrim / Roy Collection. Photograph courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Feathered Diamond Quilt/Sawtooth Diamond (detail), 1890s. Pieced cotton plain weave top, printed cotton plain weave back; quilted. Frank B. Bemis Fund, John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, Elizabeth M. and John F. Paramino Fund in memory of John F. Paramino, Boston Sculptor, Helen B. Sweeney Fund, Mary L. Smith Fund, Textile Income Purchase Fund, Joyce Arnold Rusoff Fund, and Alice J. Morse Fund, 2014.1858. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.