Familiar forms found in nature are taking a patchwork approach for Oklahoma City University’s next art exhibit, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. April 11 in the Norick Art Center. The exhibit, “Threaded Discoveries: The Intersection of Fiber Art and Science,” by mother-daughter duo Vicki and Shannon Conley, will be on display through Sept. 13.
Gallery Director Heather Lunsford said the exhibit is a strong representation of a growing trend in textile art.
“Vicki and Shannon are at the forefront of a media that is showing more and more movement throughout the world,” Lunsford said. “With each individual stitch, square and texture, their patterns provide us with their vivid observations of the natural world.”
According to the Conleys, art and science have always been intertwined, and until recently the ability to draw what one observed in an experiment was a primary skill for communicating scientific findings. Science and quilting have likewise been connected, both artistically and technologically, for centuries.
Their works carry on the traditional approach to “quilt blocks,” which utilize many mathematical and geometrical concepts. This selection of contemporary art quilts draws attention to a wide range of topics including cardiovascular health, inherited retinal degeneration, ecosystem diversity, habitat preservation and planetary geology.
The Norick Art Center is located at NW 26th Street and Blackwelder Avenue. For more information about the exhibit visit okcu.edu/artgallery.
