Artist Statement
I like to draw and make art quilts out of the many images that come to me. Lately, I’ve been having some of my drawings printed onto fabric and then making them into quilts. I have a variety of embellishment techniques to choose from, such as machine appliqué, longarm quilting, painting and beading to enhance the surfaces of the quilts and give more texture to the pieces. Art making has always been central to my life and I’ve focused on art quilts for a long time. I make the quilts that feel good to me and that convey what I have in my heart. I’m an artist, a painter and a quilter. I like to think in pictures and to share that vision in my art. When I teach a class or workshop, I offer ways of exploring techniques with fabric, thread, drawing and painting, but mostly I offer a way to find a student’s own voice or unique creative expression.
Biography & History
Therese May has been a leader in the creation and development of art quilting, recognized worldwide as a guiding light in the movement and one of its most inspiring advocates. Honored as both artist and teacher, she has been chosen to exhibit her works at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and at the Louvre in Paris, France.
Among Therese’s many awards are the Most Innovative Use of Medium award in Quilt National ’85 and the Quilts Japan Prize in Quilt National ’95. Her work is published in numerous books and magazines, including The Art Quilt and America’s Glorious Quilts. Her 1969 quilt Therese was selected by The Alliance for American Quilts, the American Quilt Study Group, the International Quilt Association, and the National Quilting Association as one of the 100 best American quilts of the 20th century.
Therese began making quilts in 1965 and has exhibited throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. With a focus on transformational healing, her work is centered on wholeness, integration and creativity through art and the quilt-making process.
To realize and continue this focus, she makes herself available as a teacher, leading workshops for groups as well as providing individualized one-on-one sessions. She has appeared on the television show Simply Quilts and has taught at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts; the Cleveland Institute of Art; Cabrillo College; the University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Art and Design; and the University of Minnesota Split Rock Arts Program, as well as in many quilt guilds.
In addition to Therese May’s other awards and recognitions, she was commissioned twice, in 1991 and 1992, to create quilts for the City of San Jose, California, and her two 196-square-foot works hang in the San Jose Convention Center. Her art quilts hang in many hospitals in Northern California and are included in numerous private collections. Therese has been part of the San Jose art community for the past 43 years and has participated in all of the Silicon Valley Open Studios. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in painting and a master of arts degree in design, with emphasis on the art quilt.
Studio
Therese May Studio Open By Appointment
Resume
Education
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WS BS 1967
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA MA 1974
Selected One-Person Exhibitions
2012
Los Gatos City Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA
2011
Animal Art Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2009
"Riding the Horse," Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA
Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford, CA
2008
"Every Day Something Good Happens," Community Fiber Expressions Gallery, San Jose, CA
2004
dp Fong Galleries, San Jose, CA
2003
Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford, CA
2002
Art Quilts by Therese May, Café Matisse, San Jose, CA
2001
PATCHES: Quilts for Kids; Quilted Portraits; One World, One Life, Works/SJ, San Jose, CA
2000
San Jose City Hall, Lobby of the Office of the Mayor, Sponsored by the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA
1999
Thirteen Moons Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1998
Ohlone College Art Gallery, Fremont, CA
1994
d.p. Fong Galleries, San Jose, CA
1993
d.p. Fong & Spratt Galleries, San Jose, CA
1990
UOP Gallery, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
1989
Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford, CA
1985
San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA Paintings, Smith Anderson Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
1984
Fiberworks, Berkeley, CA
1982
Redding Museum, Redding, CA
1981
De Saisset Museum, The University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2014
Collection of John Walsh, Texas Quilt Museum, La Grange, TX
“Butterflies and Their Beautiful Kin,” Texas Quilt Museum, La Grange, TX
“Butterflies and Their Beautiful Kin,” National Butterfly Center, Mission, TX
International TECHstyle Art Biennial, San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA
“Tasty,” San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA.
2012
Sketchbook Project Tour, Brooklyn Art Library, Brooklyn, NY
Sketchbook Project Tour, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL
Sketchbook Project Tour, Ace Hotel, Portland, OR
Sketchbook Project Tour, W2 Media Café, Vancouver
Sketchbook Project Tour, Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON
Sketchbook Project Tour, Painted Bride, Philadelphia, PA
Sketchbook Project Tour, MASS Collective, SW, Atlanta, GA
Sketchbook Project Tour, Co-Lab Project space, Austin, TX
"A Tribute to Ardis James" International Quilt Study Center, Lincoln, NE 2012
“Beyond Function: fiber, Fabric, and Finery,” DeSaisset Museum, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
"Backstitch: A 25-Year Retrospective of Advances & Milestones in Quiltmaking," New England Quilt Museum, Lowell, MA
"Healthy Art Program," San Jose City Hall, San Jose, CA
Silicon Valley Artist’s Collaborative, Art Object Gallery, SJ,CA
2011
“Primal Green: Environmental Art Quillts” Wallace Stegner Environmental Center, San Francisco, CA
"Revisiting the Art Quilt," International Quilt Study Center and Museum, Lincoln, NE
"Text and Textiles," Open European Quilt Championships, Netherlands
”Text and Textiles," International Quilt Festival, Salt Lake City, U
"Text and Textiles," International Quilt Festival, Long Beach, CA
"Text and Textiles," International Quilt Festival, Cincinnati, OH
2010
"Text and Textiles," International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX
Group Exhibit, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2009
"Wish You Were Here: Fiber Art Postcards," Tohono Chul Park, Tucson, AZ 2009
“Reservoir: John M. Walsh III Collects,” San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA
"Masters" Art Quilts," National Quilt Museum, Paducah, KY
"High Fiber Under Five," San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA
Open Studio at The Alameda Art Works, San Jose, CA
"Art as Gift," Willow Glen, San Jose, CA
"Perspectives: Art, Craft, Design & the Studio Quilt," The International Quilt Study Center & Museum, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
"Masters: Art Quilts," International Quilt Festival, Long Beach, CA
"Masters: Art Quilts," Houston International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX
"Masters: Art Quilts," International Quilt Festival, Chicago, IL
2008
"Figuratively Speaking," Visions Art Quilt Gallery, San Diego, CA
"Day of the Dead," Mary Medrano Gallery, Campbell, CA 2008Group Show, Kaleid Gallery, San Jose, CA
Two Person Show, Gregory Kate Gallery, San Jose, CA
"Love," Gregory Kate Gallery, San Jose, CA
2007-2008
“Saturn Returns: Back to the Future of fiber Art”, San Jose Museum of quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA
2007
On the Surface: Embellishments, New England Quilt Museum, Lowell, MA
Give and Take, Riffe Gallery, Columbus, OH
Give and Take, International Quilt Study Center, Robert Hillestad Textile Gallery, Lincoln, NE
Quilt National, Quilter’s Heritage Celebration, Lancaster, PA
Quilt National, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel, MS
2006
Put a Roof Over Our Head, Alliance for American Quilts, Asheville, NC
Silicon Valley Open Studio, San Jose, CA
Saratoga Rotary Art Show, Saratoga, CA
4x4x12 BY 3x3x9 Exhibition Gualala Arts, Gualala, CA
California Art Quilts, California Heritage Museum, Santa Monica, CA
Textile Expressions: Contemporary Art Quilts, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Santa Barbara, CA
Textile Arts Today, Synopsys Incorporated, Mountain View, CA
Quilt National, American Textile History Museum, Lowell, MA
Quilt National, Houston International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX
2005
Alegre Retreat, Art Quilt Show XII, Sweeny Center, Santa Fe, NM
Sacred Threads, Reynoldsburg High School, Reynoldsburg, OH
Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Foothill Art Center, Golden, CO
Quilt National, Dairy Barn Southeastern Cultural Arts Center, Athens, OH
Fiber Art Exhibit, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, CA
“Art Quilt in a Box”, Studio Art Quilts Associates, Dairy Barn, Athens, OH
Selected Art Quilts from the Collection of John M. Walsh, III, The Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
“Quilts!”, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Two Person Show, Crockett Contemporary Art, Crockett, CA
20th Anniversary Show, Art Concepts Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA
Fiber Art Exhibit, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, CA (Award)
2004
“Signs of Life”, Art Object Gallery, San Jose, CA
“It’s My Birthday!”, Primedia Gallery, Golden, CO
“Voices in Cloth”, Oakland Convention Center, Oakland, CA
“Art Gallery in a Box”, Studio Art Quilt Associates, Little Rock, AK
“Quilt Japan Prize” Exhibition, Houston International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX
“Quilts of the Pacific Rim”, Pan Pacific Quilt Show and Conference, Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, HI
“Quilts of the Pacific Rim”, The Quilt and Sewing Fest, at Myrtle Beach, SC
“Allegre Retreat”, Exhibit, Sweeny Center, Santa Fe, NM