Curated by Matthew D. Davids, administrator of art collections
Take a virtual tour.
Enjoy the quilts of longtime Altus resident Jeannette Glasgow in this special exhibit that features just a small sample of the hundreds of quilts she has made by hand over the years. She carefully selects patterns and fabrics that mean something to her, and the ones she has selected to show at the Wigwam Gallery showcase the range of her work and her growth as a quilter. Here is more information about the exhibit and about Glasgow.
Curator’s statement
Quilts represent a sense of warmth and unity, whether you see them as a way to keep warm or as keepers of memories. With the care that it takes to make a quilt, each stitch and patch unite to represent a moment of time. A quilt conveys the care from the quilter to the loved ones enjoying it.
The theme or patches that compose a quilt often hold sentimental value or meaning to their owner or creator.
In some cases, a collaboration between quilters creates the quilt, and each artist adds their own personalized style, fabric and patches to the creation. A quilt collaboration can have an agreed-upon theme, creating that unity out of different pieces of fabric.
Questions to consider
What do you see in this exhibit’s quilt patterns? Besides the pattern that makes up the whole quilt, do you see any unique or unusual patches? Did your family have any quilts that you can remember? Do you have any? Are they from a family member?
ABOUT JEANNETTE GLASGOW
The beginning
Originally from Collinsville in northeast Oklahoma, Jeanette Glasgow lives in Altus, is a mother of three and has been married for 50 years.
She learned to sew from her mother, who made clothing for herself and her daughters. Glasgow would accompany her mother to fabric stories and from her learned color coordination and basic quilting.
Glasgow first began quilting in 1975, when she and her husband bought their first home. She made three patchwork quilts over the next five years but had little time for quilting when her children were little and pursued her interest in cross-stitching during those years. In Altus, she had a small cross-stitch shop called “Making Memories Count” for several years.
Quilting as an art form
Jeanette Glasgow began quilting in earnest when her youngest child left for college in the fall of 2003, frequenting Oklahoma Quiltworks in Oklahoma City for inspiration.
She made 30 that year, some of which were smaller wall-hangings and stepping up her tours of quilt shops throughout the area.
Over the years, she has participated in workshops and studied with well-known artists and designers. She has attended major quilt displays like the International Quilt Festival in Houston, QuiltCon 2020 in Austin, TX, the annual quilt show in Sisters, OR.
As of Sept. 1, 2020, Glasgow has made 321 quilts, giving many to family and friends, donating some to charity and displaying them throughout her home.
In Glasgow’s own words
“My infatuation with fabric has been a constant in my life and days spent at my sewing machine have brought much joy and tranquility into my life.”
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“I try to challenge myself now by making some improvisational quilts of my own design and to mix fabrics of several designers in one quilt. I seldom purchase fabric for an entire quilt at one time; instead, I purchase the fabric I love and add it to my stash to be used for future projects. My fabric is organized by color on comic book boards in bins.”
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“Journaling all of my quilts has long been a practice of mine, and it has given me the opportunity to recall many of the stories behind each one. “
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“The quilts I have chosen to exhibit here are not necessarily all favorites but reflect my growth as a quilter. I have tried to include a variety of techniques used and feature fabrics of my favorite designers.”
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