What a wonderful way to take in a quilt exhibition, by following an excursion with visitors into Sonoma Valley. The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, right off the Sonoma town square is hosting an exhibition of quilts from Roderick Kirocofe’s book Unconventional and Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar, 1950-2000, through May 17, 2015.
True to curator and quilt collector Roderick Kiracofe‘s eye for maverick quilts, this show is unconventional. Hung not only on walls, there are also quilts hanging from the ceiling and draped over pedestals and the exhibition includes not only finished quilts, but quilt tops and backs of quilts.
A small subset of the many quilts included in the book, it is a refreshing view of these quilts made by “primarily anonymous, often self-taught women working below the radar of the art world….articulate many of the same issues that have been at the core of the development of modern art during the second half of the twentieth century”.
One day I saw this exhibit and soon after I found myself at Quiltcon viewing the special exhibition of quilts from Gee’s Bend and also quilts from the 70’s. And then on to see the very large exhibition of new modern quilts in the main exhibition…it’s amazing. We’ll be covering all the exhibitions of Quiltcon here in the next several weeks, but if you have a chance to see this show in person, please take advantage of it! With the intense momentum of the “modern” quilting, the collections, books and exhibitions of quilt experts and curators such as Roderick Kiracofe are timely and have an immense value as part of the discussion of the modern quilt movement.
Nine Patch (double-sided) c..1975-2000 Found in Texas from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Nine Patch (double-sided) c..1975-2000 Found in Texas from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Nine Patch (reverse side) c..1975-2000 Found in Texas from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Fan c. 1975-2000 Found in Wood County, Texas. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Fan c. 1975-2000 Found in Wood County, Texas. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Unconventional and Unexpected Exhibition at The Sonoma Museum of Art
Unconventional and Unexpected Exhibition at The Sonoma Museum of Art
String Diamond c. 1950-1970. Found in South Carolina, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
String Diamond c. 1950-1970. Found in South Carolina, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Unique Yo Yo 1964, by Laura Otto (b. 1881 d. 1971) Fairview Park, Ohio, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Unique Yo Yo 1964, by Laura Otto (b. 1881 d. 1971) Fairview Park, Ohio, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Mosaic Rose (based on One Patch) c. 1950-2000, found in Arkansas, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Mosaic Rose (based on One Patch) c. 1950-2000, found in Arkansas, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Star, variation, c. 1925-1950, found in southwest Ohio, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Star, variation, c. 1925-1950, found in southwest Ohio, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
String (unfinished top) reverse side, c. 1940-1960. Found in Ohio. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe.
String (unfinished top) c. 1960-1990. found in Alabama, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Grandmother’s Flower Garden, variation. c. 1950-1975 attributed to Donna Settles, Cook County, IL. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe.
Grandmother’s Flower Garden, variation. c. 1950-1975 attributed to Donna Settles, Cook County, IL. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe.
Double Wedding Ring, found in Altadena, CA., c. 1975-2000, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Double Wedding Ring, found in Altadena, CA., c. 1975-2000, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Original Design. c. 1950-1975, attributed to a Mrs. Sparks, found in Anderson, Indiana, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Original Design. c. 1950-1975, attributed to a Mrs. Sparks, found in Anderson, Indiana, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Courthouse Steps (Log Cabin), variation, c. 1950-1975, Found in San Francisco,from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Original Design, c. 1975-2000. Found in Alabama. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Flag. 1960-1990. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Brick Wall, c. 1950-2000. Found in Akron Ohio. From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
Strips, c. 1975-2000, found in Southern Louisiana, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
X (unfinished top) c. 1950-1970, found in West Tennesee,from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
House c. 1960-1990 Found in Alabama, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
House c. 1960-1990 Found in Alabama, from the collection of Roderick Kiracofe
The Plaid Portico 
You take such good photos, I feel like I was just there. Thank you for inspiring me to go and see for myself. Looking forward to the QuiltCon photos 🙂
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Thank you so much Kristen. I never feel that great about my photos–its impossible to get the color right, etc, but I don’t want to fuss with them too much or I’ll never post them! And yes, many MANY more to come!
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Really does this amazing show justice. Thank you
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