Most quilts are not square, so most often even the "art quilts," meaning quilts made more for their artist design and handling than the idea of covering a bed, have not been square.

However, when artists are involved there will be some who break the rules. Such was the case with the quilt, "Bourrée," made by Michael James that was purchased by Penny Nii of San Francisco. Inspired by the concept of a square quilt, not designed for a functional use, Nii asked other quilters to work with the 48 x 48 inch format. In this way she also acquired quilts by Nancy Kemper-Cullen, Judith Lazalere, Libby Lehman, Theresa May, Jane Sassaman, Joan Schulze, Leslie Gabriëlse, Nancy Herman, Jonathan Shannon, and Shizuko Kuroha. This is the first time the Nii Collection has been exhibited.

In tribute to the level and extent of quilting activity in the Gualala area, the showing of the Nii Collection will be augmented by nine of the 36 x 36 inch artworks by the local quilters who have been selected through a process of jurying submitted proposals by Suzan Friedland, Iris Lorenze-Fife and Penny Nii.

Each contemporary artquilt will be an original design. The choice of fabric, stitching, colors, embellishment, or binding is left entirely to the artist. The only restriction is the size of the quilt. Quilters whose work has been chosen for this show are: Mary Austin, Bonnie Beckett, Suzan Friedland, Kathye Hitt, Iris Lorenz-Fife, Janet C. Sears, Carol Tackett, Bonnie Toy, and Janet Windsor.

You read it here! The code to the meaning in the numbers in the show title has been broken. The answer is that twelve of the quilts are four feet by four feet, and nine of the quilts measure three feet by three feet.

4 x 4 x 12 by 3 x 3 x 9 Art Quilt catalog

In addition to the mounting of this show, Gualala Arts has issued a catalog of an exhibit for the first time. Each work has been professionally photographed and given one page with a full color picture. Photographs of the Nii Collection are done by Sharon Risedorph and the juried quilts by Ron Bolander. Included in this catalog is a short explanation of how the exhibit came to be along with an essay by David 'Sus' Susalla, Executive Director of Gualala Arts connecting Gualala Arts with quilting. The 4x4x12 by 3x3x9 catalog measures 8.5" X 7", has 28 pages, and sells for $12 plus tax (shipping and handling will be extra).

Gualala Arts Center is located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, and is open from 9 am to 4 pm weekdays, and weekends from noon to 4 p.m. Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information.