Quilt shows are always exciting, but when the host city embraces quilting in a way that creates an immersive experience, they become even more engaging.
ach year, the Yeiser Arts Center curates Fantastic Fibers, an exhibit of textile arts, to coincide with and complement the American Quilter’s Society show in Paducah, Kentucky. While some of the pieces in Fantastic Fibers could be expected in a mainstream quilt show, most of the art takes fiber art in a different direction, either through theme or material.
I was excited to see that this year’s exhibit was juried by Rachael Baar, the Curator of the National Quilt Museum. Every piece in the exhibit was engaging and offered a distinct visual experience while also relating to the other works in the space.
The Yeiser is a small space, but the entire area is filled with art, including quilts moved off the walls to converse with the three-dimensional pieces in the gallery.
Select Artwork
Casagrande by Carolina Oneto
Blue Raspberry by Chandra Wu
When There Are 100 by Rachel Ivy Clarke
When There Are 100 bridged the gap between quilting and sculpture by using the rare technique of extending a quilt onto the floor as part of the installation. (I have seen this rare technique employed before as an installation element in Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s Option Expedition.)
Demiurge: Ascend by Wendy Digel
Fantastic Fibers extends beyond the quilt world, including yarn work, plant-based materials, paper, and printing.
Stitching is often employed to offer layer upon layer of texture.
Frozen Water Falls by Linda Anderle
Precarious Vessels (full) by Viviana Lombrozo
Traditionally, 2-D media are even transformed into 3-D forms.
See the Exhibition
One of the best parts of Fantastic Fibers is that it runs for more than a month. Even if you didn’t make it to Paducah, Kentucky, for the quilt show, you can still visit this fabulous exhibit until May 16, 2026.
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