The Quilting Bee/Artist Salon Project

The idea for the project is modeled on traditional quilting bees. In which women brought fabric scraps to each other’s homes and assembled the scraps into quilts. They worked side by side creating functional objects of great beauty. This is no longer a common practice in our culture. In fact, there are few opportunities for side-by-side making. Working with our hands in the presence of others is a condition that creates intimacy and a feeling of comfort. Even amongst strangers. The level of engagement and enthusiasm of participants in the salons surprised me. Confirming my idea that there is value in creating opportunities to make in the context of community. I am very grateful to the artists who donated their work and or the many people who came to help stitch. For the organizations that hosted the events and the exhibition.

Artist Mary Bergs

Mary Bergs is a Minneapolis artist who works with found materials and objects. Combining them into installations, collage, and community-based art projects. Bergs works with objects that have been discarded or devalued, through careful selection and arrangement she examines the poetic nature of the material world and the beauty found in everyday experience. She has shown her work in solo and group shows in the Midwest. Her work is included in the artist registry of the Drawing Center in New York. She is a recipient of a 2013 Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant, Jerome Travel Study Grant, and an MSAB Artist Opportunity grant.

Susan Hensel Gallery

The focus of Susan Hensel Gallery is on compelling objects, meaningful use of materials, and engaging sculpture. It is a gallery where experimental ideas and works of the hand join to create unique sensory experiences. Opened September 10th, 2004 Susan Hensel Gallery is a gallery/ workspace presenting 5-6 shows per year in an intimate space, with hardwood floors and high tin ceilings. In 2013 the interior space reverted to a working studio for Susan Hensel where she continues to work on small and largescale artwork that engages both sculptural and cultural space. You can find her current work at www.SusanHenselProjects.com.