EXHIBITION: Quilted Impressions

Quilted Impression is an exhibit in the Milliken Art Gallery of quilts created by Columbia, SC artist Janet Swigler. Her process of cutting free-hand and working intuitively without the use of templates honors the tradition of quilting and shows the versatility of the medium. Swigler has worked in this style for over five years while studying with Nancy Crow, a Renwick Alliance Master of the Medium. Observations of daily life, attentiveness to nature, and reflections on personal insights provide the inspiration for her abstract creations. The use of color, improvisation, and imaginative re-structuring of a simple shape are important components.

Since retiring from a career in music education, Swigler has been exploring art through quilting. She has worked with fabric since she was a child, sewing things to look at, wear and use. Much of her quilt work has been representational, trying to capture in fabric what she sees in nature and everyday life. Her work has been exhibited throughout South Carolina, including Gallery West in West Columbia, SC, juried into USC’s McKissick Museum twice, and ArtFields for five years.

Quilted Impressions will run from February 25-March 18, 2021. Swigler will present an online discussion and Gallery Talk in March.

The exhibition is located in the Milliken Art Gallery and is free of charge. Gallery hours are Sunday 2:00-5:00pm, Monday – Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. The Gallery is closed during the school holidays.