Thursday, August 18, 2016

Quilt art by Betsy Bauman on exhibit at Hiram College, Sept. 9-Oct. 6

“Goose Girl” is one of several pieces, by quilt artist Betsy Bauman, that will be on exhibit at Hiram College Sept. 9 to Oct. 6.
Bauman says her love of fabric, drama and history led her to the theatre and a career as a costume designer.  She brings her knowledge of fashion history and sewing construction together with her sense of color, line and shape to help the actors tell a story that will express something universal about what it means to be human.  These are the same things that draw her to working as a quilt artist.
“I am inspired by the history and tradition of quilting, and I collect antique quilts to study and to enjoy.  This respect for the past is the springboard for the quilts I make. Although I use the same basic structure as quilters from the past, I am not trying to decorate a bed or provide warmth, but rather I seek to tell a story or express an idea,” says Bauman. “My quilts are playful and whimsical, and I think viewers will see my theatrical background in them, as well.”
Bauman was on sabbatical this past spring, studying textiles and quilt history and creating new work.
“I am drawn to the medium of fabric. I love the tactile qualities, the way light is reflected, the range of colors and textures available.  Fabric is essential to human life; it surrounds us from birth through death, and appeals to our senses of sight and touch. Even when we are not touching it, symbolically it feels warm and inviting,” she says.
Bauman began making quilts in 2000, and since then her quilts have been juried into national exhibitions such as the American Quilter’s Society shows at Paducah, Lancaster, and Grand Rapids, Quilt Odyssey in Hershey, Pa., as well as shows in Vermont and Indiana, and locally at Lake Farm Park, the Rocky River Reflections of Nature Shows and Mutton Hill in Akron.   She also lectures on quilt history and other quilt-related topics.
Bauman began teaching at Hiram in 1998.  She holds an M.F.A. in Design from Kent State University, an M.A. in Theatre from The University of Akron, and a B.A. in Theatre from SUNY Brockport.

No comments:

Post a Comment