Fantasy and reality came together in the Perspectives Exhibit during Road to California 2013. This exhibit showcased quilts that were inspired by maps, aerial views and topography of actual or imaginary places. Curated by Sheila Frampton-Cooper, twenty one quilters had three months to create their interpretations of the theme.
Sandra Lauterbach from Los Angeles used traditional and non-traditional pieces for her Map of Shanghai. Inspired by hearing stories of her family who escaped from the city during World War II, Sandra created a linear map using graphics and textiles. 
Kathy Velis Turan’s quilt had an illustration/cartoon feel. A perspective of life in the city, it was cute how Kathy incorporated plastic shrinky dinks for miniature cars driving through her make- believe town.
A sentimental favorite was a quilt depicting the Jersey Shore. It was completed days before Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012. The area pictured on the quilt no longer exists today because of the damage from hurricane.
One quilter demonstrated a new technique in appliqueing while using recycled blue jeans as the foundation of her quilt. Instead of floating the thread in the background, different shades of the denim were used, creating an image of being “stuck on.”
For some of the participants, the map theme was more than just an exhibit entry. It is inspiration for their regular style of quilting. Take for instance, Valerie S. Goodwin. Her quilts are always inspired by maps and archeology.
In fact, Sheila Frampton-Cooper was first approached by Carolyn Reese to be the curator of Perspectives after Sheila had won 1st place in Houston in 2011 for her quilt, A View From Above. Inspired by her garden, A View From Above is an aerial view from a plane looking down on a Midwest farmland.
Whether you can imagine yourself in a spacecraft flying over an undiscovered planet or taking a trip along a vast sprawling highway, the exhibit Perspectives proved that any dream can become reality on the top of a quilt.
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Tags: Jersey Shore, Perspectives, Quilt Exhibit, Shanghai
