Complementary Curves: Modern Quilts by Audrey Esarey and Kelly Spell
My joint exhibition with Audrey Esarey is now open!
Complementary Curves is on view at the McLean Textile Gallery in McLean, Virginia through July 28, 2022. The show features a selection of 14 quilts, comprised mainly of works from Audrey’s Radial and Watercolor series and my Modern Rings and Swirl series. (Felicitous Pickle is also in the show.)
As our friendship has grown and we’ve become more familiar with each other’s quilts, Audrey and I realized our work shares some of the same creative DNA—we’re both drawn to bold, abstract designs that feature curved lines and circular shapes. This exhibition is a reflection of our artistic journeys, which currently follow a similar path despite their separate beginnings.
While we both show our quilts frequently in a variety of venues, this is the first duo exhibition in a gallery for each of us. It’s a joy to share this moment with one of my quilty best friends!
I found the call for entry on SAQA’s website in October 2021, and Audrey and I managed to compile a joint submission less than 24 hours before the deadline. Our show is one of more than a dozen selected by jurors Cindy Grisdela and Eileen Doughty to fill McLean’s exhibition schedule for a year. (Side note for those of you interested in exhibiting your work: SAQA compiles dozens of calls for entry throughout the year. Their website is an excellent resource!)
Quilter and educator Lauren Kingsland of the Smithsonian Studio Arts program recorded a gallery tour and interview with us; watch the video below to learn more about our quilts and how we met.
