New Exhibits Feature Stories, Minis,
and Antique Treasures!

The Autumn/Winter exhibits at the Texas Quilt Museum once again showcase the variety and breadth of the art form with three very diverse offerings. The exhibits will be on display from September 23-December 19, 2021 not only during normal hours, but also extended times when the Museum is open every single day from October 21-31 (10 am-4 pm) during Houston’s International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival.

​Left: The Collector (45” x 60”) by Wendy Huhn, photo by Dennis Galloway.Right: Last Suppers (66” x 69”) by Jane Burch Cochran.Both from the exhibit “Storylines.”

Storylines: Jane Burch Cochran, Wendy Huhn, and Joan Schulze will consist of 14 works by the trio of talented quilters under this specific theme. A storyline consists of the narrative threads connecting characters and events, often with surprise twists that can complicate the main narrative as it weaves the events that hold our attention until the end.

Jane Burch Cochran catches our attention with her ornamental embellishment of beads, buttons, and paint, enhancing her narratives with an abundance of texture that keeps our eyes moving around the surface.

Wendy Huhn’s signature techniques of image transfer and screen-printing vividly enable her to present her tales, juxtaposing imaginary characters with mundane objects to pique our curiosity.

Joan Schulze, who is also a poet, gathers her photographs, fragments of text, and other materials into surfaces that make her stories sing, with themes of loss, personal connections, and individuality.

Dr. Sandra Sider, Museum curator, comments, “this exhibition brings you three of my favorite quilt artists, whose works have amused and intrigued audiences for many years. Come see what they have to say!”

​Left: Lens Flare (31” x 31”) by Joan Schulze. From the exhibit “Storylines.”Right: A red and green appliqué quilt from Carolyn Miller's collection. From the exhibit “Hidden Treasures.”

Hidden Treasures: Antique Quilts from the Collection of Carolyn Miller will feature more than 25 quilts showing some of the best of Miller’s pieces, which she began acquiring in the early 1990’s after her own quilting journey began.

Museum Collections Manager Vicki Mangum is the guest curator. And Miller herself will give a special free gallery tour/talk on Saturday, October 2, at 3 pm (with Museum admission free beginning at 2 pm).

While Miller has done her own quilting by machine, she was very intrigued by the pictures of quilts in magazines with gorgeous hand quilting.

In one of those magazines, she saw a small ad for a meeting in Paducah, KY, and immediately signed up for it. It was her first seminar with the American Quilt Study Group and the first session she attended was with Merikay Waldvogel speaking about collectors of early quilt patterns.

Miller has also collected a large library of quilt history books that continue to teach her about the antique fabrics and styles of the different quilts she has amassed. Guest curator Vicki Mangum, says “the depth and breadth of Miller’s collection is awe inspiring!”

​Left: Night Cruise on the River Thames by Kumiko Frydl. From the exhibit “Miniature Art, Grand Designs.”Right: Bouquets with Tudor Rose by Kumiko Frydl. From the exhibit “Miniature Art, Grand Designs.”

Finally, the work of one of the world’s best-known quilters of smaller works is celebrated with the 30 pieces in Miniature Art, Grand Designs, by Kumiko Frydl.

Japanese designer Kumiko Frydl settled in Houston after residing in Canada and Great Britain. With a background in commercial art and dressmaking, she began quilting in 1987 after she moved to Canada. Her first projects were quilted garments, and then she moved on to medium-sized quilts.

But because her husband’s job required her to relocate frequently, Frydl began to concentrate mainly on miniature quilts, which are easy to transport.

She quilts by hand and machine, and has become an expert in ribbon embroidery. Her amazing miniature pieces have won numerous prizes at the major quilt festivals, and Frydl has been honored with solo exhibitions in France, Japan, Russia, the UK, and Spain. Dr. Sandra Sider, Museum curator, says “we are thrilled to share the incredible talent of Kumiko Frydl with our visitors!”