A New Perspective on Quiltcon 2016: Molly Upton and Gwen Marston

Editor’s Note: Q-bies Jim Carnevale and Rod Daniel were part of our eyes and ears at the recent QuiltCon in Pasadena (thanks, guys!), and today, we share their thoughts about two quilters who helped pioneer the modern aesthetic in quilting: the late Molly Upton and Gwen Marston. Both exceptionally talented artists have had a dynamic impact on quilting. We celebrate the life of both of these quilters, and wish Gwen Marston all the best during what we understand to be the conclusion of her active teaching career.

(P.S. In our fall issue, we will dig more into the roots of modern quilting, featuring 25 of the “original” Modern Quilters, who have all inspired quilters to push through conventional thought about design, color and construction. Don’t miss it!)

By Jim Carnevale and Rod Daniel

Experiencing the sights and textures of QuiltCon 2016 was truly a feast for the senses. Much has been written about the competition winners, the classes and all the other wonderful aspects of QuiltCon 2016.  We were particularly swept away, however, by two quilters who were featured at QuiltCon, and who have had a strong influence on the modern quilt movement.  The first is Molly Upton, and the second is Gwen Marston.  Molly, in her very brief years on earth, was one of the first artists whose work marked the beginning of the modern quilt movement. And, Gwen Marston over her decades of work and her many publications, continues to inspire quilters with modern and abstract quilt design.

Molly Upton

Let us first look at Molly Upton. Martha (Molly) Neill Upton, (Sept. 30, 1953 Pittsfield, Massachusetts – March 30, 1977, San Francisco, California) was a watercolorist, sculptor and studio quilt artist. Her quilted tapestries helped quilts become understood as fine art, rather than craft work, during the early 1970s.  Her quilts were shown in 1976 in the first major museum exhibition of non-traditional quilts, “The New American Quilt” at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design, then known as the Museum of Contemporary Craft.

Nocturn Regalis, Molly Upton, 1974

Molly was 21 when she created her first quilt, Nocturn Regalis, and she was 23 when she completed her last quilt, Alchemy.  In that brief amount of time, she created more than 27 quilted “tapestries” and her work was shown in museums in New York, Tokyo, Amsterdam and Los Angeles. She was quickly recognized as a quilt artist, raising quilts to the level of fine art in the minds of many art curators.

QuiltCon 2016 featured an expansive exhibit of Molly’s quilted tapestries. The options for quilting fabrics were limited in the early 1970s, so she worked with materials available at the time. Her quilts incorporated many different textiles, including fine cotton, rough corduroy, polyester and silks. Her use of fabrics in creating her images reflected a creativity not yet discovered by others in the world of quilting. The photographs that follow are among our favorites on display at QuiltCon 2016.

Summer Pine, Molly Upton, 1974

Trip Around the Block, Molly Upton, 1976

The Overcoat, Molly Upton, 1976

Watchtower, Molly Upton, 1975

Alchemy, Molly Upton, 1976

Construction, Molly Upton, 1975

Gwen Marston

The legendary Gwen Marston has been teaching for more than three decades, and she has published nearly 30 books. Her 31st book–a retrospective of her work as a quilt artist–will be released this summer. As she approaches her octogenarian years, she has announced that she will retire from teaching at the end of 2016. QuiltCon 2016 provided us with one of the last opportunities to take a class with Gwen, so we both signed up for her class titled “Minimalist Quilts.”

Gwen Marston

There is something awe inspiring about spending time in a room with Gwen and soaking in the knowledge that she so easily shares. In her class, she shared her process for taking a quilt design from concept to completion. A one-day class did not allow time for most of us to complete a project. We worked jointly on one project so we were able to move along a bit faster than most in the class. Still, we were only about two thirds finished when we packed up at the end of the class. We quickly completed the minimal quilt after returning home a few days later.

(Note: All quilts that follow are from Gwen’s special exhibition at QuiltCon.)

Before going to QuiltCon, Gwen’s students were encouraged to study the designs of early 20th Century designers such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh for inspiration. At the beginning design stage, Gwen asked her students to sketch a basic design for a minimal quilt, and then determine the most efficient way to construct the parts of the quilt. Solids were recommended, but with these free form designs, print fabrics could also be included. Basically, there were no rules, no patterns. It was a liberating experience to work so freely in design and process.

Gwen wrapped up the QuiltCon 2016 weekend as the keynote speaker on Saturday evening. The sold-out audience was treated to a first-person retrospective of her lifetime of quilting, followed by a trunk show of some of her iconic work and, finally, questions and answers. Gwen shared her life story with quick wit and humorous recollections. Spending time with Gwen in a class and hearing her keynote address was like the proverbial mountaintop experience for a quilter. We gained wisdom and renewed excitement about future quilt design projects.

Photography by Jim Carnevale

Our thanks to Jim and Rod for sharing their impressions of these two important special exhibitions.

Quilt. Sew. Live. Breathe.