LOWER LAKE, Calif. – On Saturday, the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum will open its popular annual Quilt and Fiber Arts Show, a celebration of weaving, quilting, spinning and other forms of textile artwork.
The 24th annual show opens Saturday, with an artist' reception from noon to 2 p.m.
The reception will include demonstrations by some of the artists whose work is on display.
On Friday, Sheila O’Hara, who has organized the weaving component of the show for the last 12 years and now oversees the entire production, was busy putting the finishing touches on the displays, which once again are located in the museum's second-story auditorium.
“What we have is a bigger diversity of techniques,” said O'Hara, who has been a weaver for 40 years.
This year's show highlights textile artwork including weaving, quilts, batik, painted fabric and hand-done silkscreened textiles, needlepoint, clothing and basketry from around the world.
The museum narrowly escaped the ravages of the Clayton fire, which burned up to the edges of the building last month.
O'Hara said large air filters were run in the building following the fire, with a crew with vacuum backpacks also cleaning the building to make sure any smoke and soot from the fire was removed from the facility.
As a result, the museum, originally built in 1877 as the community's schoolhouse, was ready to once again host the quilt show.
In January, O'Hara joined the staff of the museum.
Her efforts on this year's show have gotten the stamp of approval from Lake County Museum Curator Tony Pierucci.
“I think it's the best we've ever had,” Pierucci said Friday of the show.
He added, “I just give her free rein.”
O'Hara has used that license to assemble an exhibit that moves from more traditional textile forms such as quilts to painted fabrics.
She previously led a guild in the Bay Area, where she learned techniques for setting up an exhibit from the Oakland Museum exhibit designer.
“We've kind of mixed it up a little bit more rather than just keeping the weaving all in one spot,” O'Hara said.
There are vignettes that feature the textile artwork with items from the museum collection, such as a quilt paired with a mannequin wearing a vintage blue silk ball gown from 1880; a mix of artwork and functional items, from tablecloths to sewn bags plus hats by Kelseyville hatmaker Tess McGuire; and items grouped in color that leads one around the room.
Some of the featured quilters include Laura Lee Fritz, Jane Alameda, JoAnn Andresen and Marj Sweeney.
The show also features clothing, such as Janis Eckert's woven shawl which won best of show for amateur weaving at this year's Lake County Fair, and the “Pagan Santa” vest, with deer and other motifs sewn on red velvet, by Christalene Loren.
On the auditorium's stage is a collection of basketry by local artist Sherry Harris and her students, including Stephanie Rodriguez.
On a wall near the stage are several framed pieces of needlepoint by Mara Bosnar.
Among the weaving displays is O'Hara's own work and that of her students.
One particularly eye-catching piece is the woven wall hanging titled “Egyptian Magic,” inspired by a trip O'Hara took to Egypt 10 years ago as part of a weaving-related job.
The show runs through Oct. 15.
The Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum is located at 16435 Main St.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
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