Heftler Visiting Artist Gallery
Kaleidoscope Quilts: The Art of Paula Nadelstern
Monday, March 26 - Friday, June 15
Reception and Booksigning: Wednesday, April 4, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Lecture/Presentation: Wednesday, April 4, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
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The Center for the Arts at Endicott College is the next stop for Kaleidoscope Quilts: The Artwork of Paula Nadelstern. The exhibit will be on display from March 26 through Friday, June 15. Ms. Nadelstern will be at the Center for the Arts on Wednesday, April 4 for a reception from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. followed by her lecture/presentation starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Rose Performance Hall. The exhibit, reception, and lecture presentation are free and open to the public.
Paula Nadelstern (b. 1951) is a native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, where she still resides. The two-bedroom apartment she shares with her husband and, until recently, her daughter has also served as her studio for more than twenty-five years. She is the author of Paula Nadelstern Kaleidoscope Quilts: An Artist’s Journey Continues, Kaleidoscope Quilts: The Workbook, Puzzle Quilts: Simple Blocks, Complex Fabric, Kaleidoscopes & Quilts, and Snowflakes & Quilts. Nadelstern was the recipient of fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts in 1995 and 2001. She designs textile prints exclusively for Benartex, Inc. and travels extensively teaching her unique kaleidoscopic quilting techniques.
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Over the years, Paula Nadelstern has developed a highly technical system of designing her kaleidoscope quilts with an eye toward facilitating the precision of piecing thousands of minute slivers of fabric. The underlying geometry is basic: the pieces of each completed kaleidoscopic motif must equal a 360-degree circle that is set into a constructed field, but within this geometry Nadelstern’s approach is improvisational. Each circle is typically divided into a number of triangular wedges and each wedge is further subdivided into any number of pieces using transparent gridded plastic templates for consistency. The selection and arrangement of fabrics in each wedge have a cumulative effect, as they are multiplied and assembled to form the illusion of concentric rings, and the angle of each wedge must be exact, as any imprecision is also amplified. These motifs must then interact with the field they inhabit; often, there is an element of unpredictability until all the pieces are in place.
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The exhibit at the Center for the Arts will consist of Paula Nadelstern’s handmade quilts and quilt blocks; along with a historical 19th Century quilt, a telescopic kaleidoscope, and a selection of photomicrographs. The exhibit is organized by the American Folk Art Museum, New York. The tour of this exhibition is supported in part by the Leir Charitable Foundations, in memory of Henry J. & Erna D. Leir, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. The exhibit at Endicott College is supported by the Bruce T. Halle Family Foundation, the Lion’s Pride Foundation, and the van Otterloo Family Foundation.
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Dean of Visual and Performing Arts, Mark Towner, says of Kaleidoscope Quilts, “It is a perfect union of contemporary art, traditional medium and technique, aesthetics, and natural science. It furthers the Center for the Arts goal to bridge communities through artistic practices.” He adds, “I was floored by this exhibit when I entered the American Folk Art Museum during its world premier, and have worked to bring it to the Boston area and share with our communities.”
If you have any questions regarding Kaleidoscope Quilts: The Art of Paula Nadelstern, or any of the programming related to this exhibition, please contact Kathleen Moore at 978-232-2655 or kmoore@endicott.edu. Our website is: www.endicott.edu/centerforthearts for further information on future exhibits and lectures opportunities.
Located in Beverly, Massachusetts on 235 acres of oceanfront property, Endicott College offers Master and Bachelor degree programs in the professional and liberal arts. Founded in 1939, Endicott provides an education built upon a combination of theory and practice, which is tested through internships and work experience. Studying at the Beverly campus, regionally, and internationally are approximately 2,200 undergraduate and more than 2,400 adult and graduate students