Liberated Log Cabin quilt.

Broken Dishes quilt.

Medallion quilt.

Lopez Island is fortunate to welcome Gwen Marston, nationally recognized quilter, teacher and author of over 20 books. Gwen will be at the Lopez Island Grange Friday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m. to give a lively lecture, “Ideas and Inspirations, Abstract Quilts in Solids”, liberally illustrated with her abstract quilts in solid fabrics. Quilts made in solids have an impressive history and are the first quilts to be taken seriously as art. In 1971, Amish quilts from the collection of Jonathan Holstein and Gail van der Hoot constituted the first major museum exhibition of quilts shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Gwen’s talk would be of particular interest to quilters, textile and visual artists and anyone who would want to be inspired by beautiful quilts.

Since 1981, Gwen has had 19 solo exhibits and participated in many group shows and maintains a busy teaching and lecture schedule both nationally and internationally. For the past 25 years, she has conducted quilt retreats on Beaver Island, Michigan, her year round home. Her most recent books include Mary Schaefer, American Quilt Maker, Ideas and Inspirations, Abstract Quilts in Solids and the newly published Freddy & Gwen Collaborate Again, written with quiltmaker and author Freddy Moran.

Gwen will also be teaching a workshop, Liberated Log Cabins, at Port Stanley School on Lopez Island, Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7. The public is invited to stop by between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to see Gwen’s liberated log cabin quilts and workshop participants’ quilts-in-progress.