Allison Wilbur
Stitching global textiles, color combinations, and design elements together with traditional American piecing, Allison Wilbur creates art quilts that celebrate the international language of fiber shared by women around the world. She is an internationally recognized curator of fiber art exhibits, with an eye to raising awareness on global women’s issues.
Allison’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, the United Nations Visitor Center in New York, the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Human Rights Gallery at Kean University in Union New Jersey, the New England Quilt Museum Lowell, Massachusetts, and in major national quilt festivals and art galleries.
Quilt for Change
Allison is the founder Quilt for Change, which used challenge art quilt exhibits to raise awareness on issues that affect women globally. Allison curated group exhibits with a slate of national and international artists focusing on issues related to women around the world including health, security, entrepreneurship, and human rights between 2009 and 2019.
Women's Voices, Women's Votes, Women's Rights
Allison worked with Curator Dr. Allida Black to invite 16 nationally recognized quilt artists to create art quilts as part of the exhibit, Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes, Women’s Rights — a vibrant, multimedia exhibit exploring the risks women and their male allies took to win the vote, expand democracy, and elevate human rights. The exhibit is on display at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas from September 10, 2022 – April 30, 2023.
daily practice
My mother, watercolor artist Virginia Avery, taught her students to “Paint every day.” I carry this philosophy of a daily creative practice into my quilting studio. Constant connection keeps your creative spirit nimble and engaged.
art vs craft
My quilting practice straddles both the art and craft worlds. Some quilts are based on age old designs passed down through generations. Others spring from my imagination and the borrowed vocabulary of pattern, imagery and texture. All are executed with years of study of techniques, skills, and theory.
raising awareness
From time immemorial women have used stitching not only to decorate themselves and their homes, but to celebrate the natural world around them and build connections. My quilts not only celebrate the female tradition of stitching but also raise awareness on issues that affect women’s empowerment and human rights.