This compelling and personal exhibit is the creation of Shawn Quinlan. “Falling In Love During The End Times” opens Friday, January 14 and will continue through Sunday, February 6, 2022  in Coleman Hall at Gualala Arts Center.

The content of many of his quilts is loosely based on subjects such as hypocrisy, corruption, self-righteousness, and contradiction; and how these themes often hide behind religion, authority and politics. Quinlan adds, “My partner and I, after troubled long term relationships, found each other before the pandemic. We’ve found hope, love, a new future dream, and a home in Gualala. This exhibit will introduce my catalog of political and abstract quilts to Northern California.”

The everyday influences leading to the theme of the exhibit and the quilts themselves had an effect on the theme. “My day job, as a television news video editor, has influenced many of my quilts. I don’t offer ‘statements’ but wish to raise questions. The content of many of my quilts is loosely based on subjects such as hypocrisy, corruption, self-righteousness, and contradiction; and how these themes often hide behind religion, authority and politics. I trust my intuition rather than any advanced plan and depend upon my talent of free association to be my eclectic guide.”

Quinlan starts with an inspired element or subject, which establishes his focus and direction which guides the process of fabricating images. He adds, “Sometimes the direction is clear, but new fabric can lead to unexpected turns. Much of my new body of work has been inspired by the medium of photo-montage which I convert into quilt form.” His family has a long tradition of craftspeople and artists, and Quinlan has explored design, painting, and video art. In 1994, when he expressed an interest in quilts, “a family member found an old Singer sewing machine for me which unexpectedly changed the trajectory of my life. Experimenting with this tool allowed me to incorporate my past artistic interests into a new future in the art quilt medium.”

The exhibit continues at Gualala Arts through Sunday, February 6, 2022.