Quilters enter ArtPrize with time-based performance piece

Local ladies Rose Beerhorst, Eliza Fernand, Sally England, Kate Garman and Marlee Grace Hanson have banded together under the moniker "Quilt Mountain" and will be exhibiting a textile based performance piece on the South Division Corridor shop Have Company for ArtPrize. 

"It's kind of celebrating quilting and the history of the technique and just all of us kind of reinventing it- kind of a modern take," says collaborating artist Rose Beerhorst.

Beerhorst has been creating textile art for a number of years, most predominantly making rag rugs and selling them through her website Brave Hand Textiles. Growing up she says her mother kept plenty of craft books around the house that she often would look at. Beerhorst admits that she had always been intimidated by the prospect of quilting. A newcomer to the craft, she says that she's created three quilts in the last year and a half, one completely sewn by hand.

"It's honestly one of the things I've felt the most excited about and proud that I was able to do it myself," says Beerhorst. "I'm really excited to be able to have my work shown in the context of such great artists."

Beerhorst will be doing an endurance performance that involves crocheting one of her rag rugs in the shop window for eight hours straight.   

Another participant, Eliza Fernand, says she has been quilting for about 10 years. Fernand brings with her a performance background and will be producing song and video accompaniment. 

Project initiator Marlee Grace Hanson, owner of Have Company, will be bringing her dance background to Quilt Mountain.

Why juxtapose a stationary craft art with multimedia performance?

"It's tough when you're doing craft- people don't take you serious sometimes," says Beerhorst. "When you add that [performance] layer it kind of makes people think about it more."

Kate Garman will be teaching a hand stitching workshop and Sally England will be displaying her macrame along with quilts. About 10 large quilts will be hung on the walls of the shop with some smaller pieces such as banners.  

A full list of performances and workshops can be found on the Have Company website.

Quilt Mountain wants to raise awareness of textile arts in what has been a traditionally female practice.  

"I want people to think of quilting as art and to appreciate the history that has been in this for hundreds of years. And it's women's work and I want to lift it up to a higher context," says Beerhorst. "And I also just want people to appreciate the time and understand how they are made." 

Quilt Mountain is registered as a Time-based entry and runs from September 24 through October 12. Learn more on their ArtPrize entry page.