Jonathan Shannon: Creativity, Collecting, Controversy

Jonathan Shannon was the first male winner of the American Quilter's Society Best of Show Award in 1993 with his quilt, Air Show (1992). The artist, now deceased, had a long and varied career in textiles, fashion, and interior design. In his 50s, he turned his attention exclusively to quilt making. Like many beginning quiltmakers, he started by learning basic techniques but quickly developed an original style. Upon his death in 2017, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles acquired the Jonathan Shannon Collection, donated by the artist’s long-time partner Jeffrey Ross. We are thrilled to feature twenty pieces of the late artist’s work, representing virtually his entire body of work, as well as ten pieces from his personal quilt collection by his contemporaries.

Jonathan Shannon - Shadow Gay Men's Chorus, 1995

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