Texas Quilt Museum's First National Competition Debuts in Mission

It's difficult for me to consider the beauty of butterflies, flowers and so much more, without giving thought to their designer-creator. It's the same with Butterfly Whirl: Contemporary Quilt Art, a touring collection of twenty-six original works of art selected by Dr. Sandra Sider, curator of the Texas Quilt Museum. The quilts that made the cut for this national exhibit represent the best of some of today's most innovative American artists working in the medium.

“This is not your grandmother's quilt.”

Sharon Buck, creator of the Impressionist-inspired piece titled, What Butterflies See, has a background in painting. The beautiful scene depicted in her quilt shows a landscape dotted with butterflies made by the artist's own hand.

“I really gravitate toward organic themes,” explains Buck, who splits her time between Tennessee and Florida. “This particular scene portrays summer in the Smoky Mountains. I dyed much of the fabric myself, and screen printed some of it with leaves. Much of this was done outdoors, so my quilt is truly connected to nature.”

Buck makes up to twenty quilts each year; perhaps five of those are made in a more traditional fashion for the quilt ministry at her church.

“My friends are fairly methodical and I am definitely the oddball in the group,” states Buck. “I do not use patterns or buy fabric according to them, I just get what I like when I see it. When inspiration strikes, nothing is safe around me. The technique I have developed over the years is truly transformative. For example, the ridge for the mountain range in this quilt is made from the ruffle off a Diane Von Furstenberg dress I found in my closet. I knew it would fit and give the desired effect; so here it is, recycled and re-purposed.

“Years ago, there was a show called Redirecting the Ordinary, by the Studio Art Quilt Associates. This is where I found my people,” Buck continues. “They affirmed my view that everyday sights can be spectacular and quilting can be an excellent medium for helping others see things differently. I hope you actually feel the altitude when you experience my quilt, and that it transports you to the Smokies. Although the butterflies depicted are mostly mythical creatures from my own imagination, I hand-colored them to resemble some that may seem familiar.”

This challenge has motivated Buck to begin a series of similar quilts based upon her “gaudy” summer garden in Florida.

“I just love the showy, sub-tropical colors; the hot pinks, reds and oranges that stand in stark contrast to the blue-green Smoky Mountain forest,” adds Buck. “I may do some ocean scenes, too.”

When asked whether she accepted commissions, Buck confessed she usually does not because she fears disappointing a client; however, many of her works—including this one—are for sale. To inquire about the acquisition of quilts in Butterfly Whirl, one may contact the Texas Quilt Museum.

Something for Everyone

Whether you prefer the photographic realism of Jennifer Day's Garden Wonder, or the abstract expressionism of Deborah Boschert's Winged Return, you are sure to find a quilt in this exhibit that intrigues and delights. I am partial to the pop art styling of Sara Sharp's Amazing Symmetry of Butterflies, as well as Charlotte Noll's Milkweed to Monarchs in My Mosaic Butterfly Garden.

Noll began quilting off and on, in the early 1980's, when she had a full-time job and children at home; however, she's become a full-time quilter over the last fifteen years.

“When you say 'quilts' people think squares,” asserts Noll. “Well, everyone loves squares! They're my favorite, too, but sometimes you have to break out of your comfort zone. This challenge really did it for me. It's the largest quilt I've ever made, and I wasn't sure I could get it done. It barely fit on my pool table and I ran out of fabric during the design process. I thought difficulties like this would derail me, but when I found more fabric I figured it was a sign to press on.”

Noll enjoys making mosaics from plates and glass, in addition to fabric with her '”vertical tile” technique. Another quilting challenge called Going to Pieces, inspired her to upend things.

“The more traditional puzzle-piece technique for quilting made me crazy,” explains Noll, “But I found this style pleasing. When my entry for that competition won the Viewer's Choice Award, it told me others like it, too.”

Noll's innovative style continues to win competitions. Today, she has another piece, with hexagonal tiles, hanging in the Grand Central Station Gift Shop in New York City, for the 100^th Anniversary celebration of this historic landmark. Her inspiration for that quilt came from the terminal's giant escalators; while her Butterfly Whirl quilt came from photographs taken in her own garden.

“My husband and I are members of Butterfly World in Florida. We visit every week and enjoy walking the grounds,” states Noll. “I have been enthralled by the giant milkweed, which I planted at home. I love to watch the Monarch caterpillars eat the plant down to the stalk, and have been amazed by how the plants grow right back. It's something I've observed and photographed over the years, so when this challenge was announced it hit me: quilt this!”

Unlike Buck, Noll does accept commissions; however, her Milkweed to Monarchs piece is not for sale.

“It's just too close to my heart,” she says. That is something every butterfly enthusiast must surely understand.

A Tribute in Textiles

The quilt contest that resulted in this exhibit arose from the Texas Quilt Museum curator's chance encounter with American Butterflies magazine. This discovery, in turn, led Sandra Sider to the National Butterfly Center's website and Facebook page, where she fell in love with our beautiful photos. We are honored to have elicited this remarkable response from everyone who responded to the contest, and privileged to be the premier site for the twenty-six quilts on tour.

On the significance of Butterfly Whirl, Sider states: “Butterflies symbolize rebirth and metamorphosis. This exhibition exemplifies how 21st-century artists are reworking the craft of quilt making, contributing new techniques, processes and concepts to the historic continuum of quilts.”

To learn more about how you may view these very special works at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, please visit www.nationalbutterflycenter.org. Butterfly Whirl will open to the public September 6, 2014, and remain on display through mid-January 2015, before visiting other venues across the country.

Note: Charlotte Noll's work is visible on her Instagram page @kirkenoll, while Sharon Buck's work may be found on her blog at www.sharonbuckart.weebly.com.