Artist Profile: Grace Rother

Grace Rother (b. 1989) is a Great Lakes Region textile artist. Their work revolves around the concept of quilts as personal and regional archives. Grace grew up in SE Michigan surrounded by people with strong convictions and passionate creativity. Following in the footsteps of many other quilt makers before her, Grace utilizes quilts as catalysts for change through community organizing and raffles. In 2020 Grace organized the Abolition Quilting Bee. Her work has been shown in Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, and Ypsilanti Michigan.

Would you be willing to share a bit about making your first quilt?  

I made my first quilt almost 20 years ago in my parents’ basement when I was a teenager. Mostly I remember the cool cement floor as I knelt on it to lay out fabric. After that, I made three quilts in rapid succession, and with each one, I developed preferences and understanding that I carry with me today. I’ve felt a great sense of elation with each quilt I’ve finished. It is an incredible feeling to gather all of these disparate pieces together and make them into a solid, beautiful whole, and that sense of wholeness doesn’t really come around until I’ve put the last stitch into the binding. Over time I’ve developed many processes for pulling together a quilt. Sometimes the materials direct me, sometimes I turn to the fabric shelves with a concept fully fledged in my mind. Having an ever-growing store of knowledge and experience to draw from is one of the greatest joys of my practice. It gives me the sense of always being in collaboration with my past and future selves.

How have you grown your practice and developed your craft since that first quilty project?

When I was first starting out, I felt that making quilts was much too labor-intensive to become a regular part of my art practice. The whole thing was intimidating — too big and too slow. After I made a few for myself and friends and family, I turned my attention back to illustration. Some years later I was making clothing and little things out of reclaimed garments, and I amassed a great mountain of scraps that called out to become a quilt. It was really a case of the materials taking the reins. I found that my skill with the sewing machine and my ability to control fabric had grown a lot and the process of quilt making was no longer so unfathomable. Years of working as a freelance illustrator had honed the parameters of my personal style while shortening the distance between my mind and my hands so that I could more easily create quilts that looked the way I wanted them to. And while I had taken a break from making quilts I never paused in researching them, so I returned to the practice with a strong sense of context. Now I’ve made dozens of quilts. Each one has given me a deeper understanding — of the craft, yes, but also of the choices we make when seeking to produce warmth, comfort, and connection.

In what ways do you find yourself leaning into — and also pushing away from —quilting traditions?

I think of myself as quite a traditional quilter, because the majority of my techniques have been sourced from one historical reference or another. I take great pride in my work being both constructed and recognizable in ways that I think my quilting ancestors would be proud of. In the quilting world, however, traditional tends to refer to a very narrow and specific type of quilt (and quilt maker) and I balk at that. Shifting that narrative to something more expansive remains a steady part of my work. Quilts have a history spanning centuries. Knowing that so much has come before me and that there is so much yet to come puts my work into perspective and allows me to filter out the noise. 

What are 2 to 3 exhibitions, concerts, books and/or book talks, spoken word events and/or films you're hoping to check out this season (through May or so) in Wisconsin or virtually?

I’m also looking forward to being a part of two upcoming shows: a group fiber show at Tooth + Nail Studio and Gallery running April 12th through June 1st, and Bay View Gallery Night on May 31st, where the whole neighborhood is full of art and I’ll have some quilts up at The Bindery.