Ninja by Irene Roderick
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Showcasing quilts born from her 50-year artistic journey, Irene Roderick, an Austin-based fiber artist, merges personal creativity with the age-old tradition of quilt-making. Her pieces challenge the perception of quilts as solely utilitarian, drawing inspiration from influential museum exhibitions that redefined quilts as fine art. Mirroring the ‘improvisational’ quilting process of esteemed collections, Irene Roderick invites viewers to contemplate these quilts as both functional bedcovers as well as powerful artistic expressions, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.
“I begin by placing a scrap of fabric in the center of my design wall and then grow the quilt one element at a time. I respond to each ‘step’ until it feels balanced, interesting, and joyful. When I begin a quilt, I do not know what will happen but create through trial and error, literally dancing between the wall, the cutting mat, the sewing machine, and the iron,” says Roderick. “Through this process of creation, I have learned to embrace the joy of creative intuition, and spontaneous expression, embracing a blind trust in the process. ”
ABOUT THE ARTIST
My quilting activities are a mixture of discovery and elation…
I began quilting in 2016 when I retired from my administrative position at the University of Texas at Austin. I was searching for a new creative endeavor and happened on “modern” quilts when I was googling for a new bedcovering. The works of Nancy Crow and Gwen Marsden caught my attention, and I wanted to make what they were making. No one in my family quilted or did any kind of handwork, so quilting was not something I was familiar with. I took a beginning piecework class at a local quilt store and was hooked. I love making “functional” art. I consider my quilts paintings using fabric as my medium. Currently I am working in my studio, teaching Zoom workshops, presenting Zoom lectures/trunk shows, and traveling all over the world teaching in-person workshops. I’ve even [published] a book on my signature style of improvisational quilting, Dancing With The Wall.
EXHIBITION GALLERY
