Yo-Yos & Half Squares: Contemporary California Quilts

September 12, 2015–February 21, 2016

YO-YOS & HALF SQUARES presented twenty quilts that defy standard expectations, dating from the late 1980s and early 2000s. These works highlighted the stunning creations of five quilters from the Oakland-based Eli Leon collection. Featuring complex asymmetrical patterns, unusual materials and an improvisational creation process, these quilts are unique artworks that expand the notions of craft through exuberant artistic expression. Presenting stories from each maker—Angie Tobias, Arbie Williams, Mattie Pickett, Rosie Lee Tompkins, and Sherry Byrd—the 2,200-square-foot exhibit illuminated how these quilts came to be, and the collaborations and relationships involved in their creation.

I served as the lead graphic designer on the project, providing the identity and exhibit graphics.

Creative Direction  |  Identity + Mark  |  Graphic Design

IN GALLERY

Following the updated OMCA Gallery Design Standards that I collaborated in creating for 2015, this Open Space 3 exhibit features Benton Sans in conjunction with our new secondary typeface family, Cabrito. The ampersand is deliberately thin and the tail drops below the baseline and is 'snipped' to suggest thread.

Although laborious to weed and apply, we chose to render the curatorial text in cut vinyl; the green title was painted.

Gallery presentation was stoic. All emphasis was on the vibrant colors and compositions of the quilts themselves.

Dark areas contrasted with white wall segments and vivid green.

Although graphic design was minimal for the exhibit, the integration of text panels into the dimensional structures was an interesting challenge.

A few small vitrines were also displayed to showcase objects that were part of Eli Leon's collection.