Message from SAQA Board (Color in Context: Red exhibition)

For centuries, artists have used their work to convey powerful thoughts and messages about social, political, and cultural shifts, igniting awareness and conversation. Art quilts, as a textile medium, are created by us, about us, and for ALL of us. They provide a unique platform for exploring difficult topics—events, ideas, and concepts—through the tactile and visual language of fabric, thread, and texture, making them both familiar and deeply engaging for the viewer.

SAQA Global Exhibition Color in Context: Red, debuted with thirty-nine art quilts on display at the International Quilt Festival in Houston on October 1, 2023. The exhibit was scheduled to travel to numerous stops around the globe through December 31, 2026, including the American Quilter's Society’s 2025-five venue QuiltWeek scheduled to begin on February 19, 2025, in Daytona Beach, FL.

The American Quilter’s Society was provided with images and statements for all the pieces in the exhibition. They signed a contract in August 2024, and as Studio Art Quilt Associates was preparing to ship the quilts, the American Quilter’s Society contacted Studio Art Quilt Associates and stated that they would be removing “Origin” by Yvonne Iten-Scott and “Your Mother. Your Daughter. Your Sister. Your Grandmother. You” by Laura Shaw Feit from the exhibit. The reasons given for removal were inconsistent with Studio Art Quilt Associates' mission and values.

A meeting was arranged between Lilo Bowman, President of Studio Art Quilt Associates, and the leadership of the American Quilter’s Society to discuss and to see if a compromise could be arranged. Studio Art Quilt Associates was given the option of the Color in Context: Red exhibit being presented without the two quilts in question, or that the entire exhibit be pulled from the 2025 show schedule.

After careful consideration, the Board of Directors of the Studio Art Quilt Associates voted unanimously to have the entire Color in Context: Red exhibit pulled from the American Quilter’s Society 2025 show schedule. We understand that this decision may result in some doors closing, but we will face the coming days together.

It has long been the mission at the Studio Art Quilt Associates to support our members in their artistic and professional growth. We have not stood by without taking notice. We hear your pleas, we feel your anguish, and the frustration that this incident has caused. Censorship does not align with our organization’s core values. As the President, I am here to unequivocally say that the entire Board of Directors stands as a united front with our membership.

Sincerely,

Lilo Bowman
SAQA Board President