The Contact: Quilts of the Sierra Nevada

The range of mountains in California called the Sierra Nevada is a place of power and fascination for many people who have experienced it. In geology, the word “contact” refers to a place where geologic units touch each other. The word also conjures a human connections and influence on the landscape. Ann’s series of quilts explores the sunlit white granite peaks as well as the dark mines and machinery of the California Gold Rush of which she is a descendant. “The Contact” is comprised so far of 14 quilts, all seven feet tall, of various widths. This book shows each piece overall and in detail, with her concise text about her relationship to the place and her understanding of its geology and history. It also documents some of the processes involved in creating these pieces: fabric dyeing, construction techniques and sewing. Ann uses a broad array of literal, abstract, and purely imaginative imagery and envisions the quilts viewed all at once, as one body of work. These quilts are currently being exhibited in the United States and internationally at the same time as she continues making more.