Current Exhibition

Maine Fiberarts presents our current exhibition “Current and Coming: Elizabeth Busch Art Quilts" 
Dates: June 15–August 15, 2018. 
Reception: Sunday, July 22, 2-5 p.m. 
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11-4; Saturday, from 11-2

Writes Elizabeth Busch: "Having been an artist all my life and an 'art quilter' since 1983, I've come to realize that my art work is all about process. Whether I am airbrushing, spreading Textile Paint on canvas taped to my table top, hand quilting or weaving painted acetate strips through plastic netting for one of my large kinetic sculptures, I am responding to that voice within that tells me today it's time to make art.

The subject matter for my art quilts is very personal and timely: it comes from something that is happening in my life at the moment. This may not be visible to the viewer, but for me, it is the source of the piece: it is this source, I believe, that connects my work to the viewer. I must be fully present physically, mentally, and emotionally when I pick up canvas and paint and begin, or the piece will not work. The muse lets me know: some days I just need to mow the lawn.

Viewers have often said that my work has an architectural sense. Perhaps this comes from the fact that I worked for architectural firms as a designer for 18 years. Envisioning space, geometry, layering transparent and transluscent planes, contrasts in temperature all pique my interest. 

Why Art Quilts? Why not simply paintings? For me, it would be like having a meal without the dessert. I could do it, but sewing together a composition and hand quilting the three layers (backing, batting, a painted composition top) is definitely the final, very satisfying part of my process. I've put the whole aesthetic story together. My passion for each of these processes leads me to the next work, and I never know when that will be, but I do know that I can trust the process, that I will be notified."