The Fairfield Weekly Reader

The Fairfield Art Association announces the opening of a new exhibit by "Iowa Art Quilters and Fiber Artists" on Friday May 1st. Eight recognized Iowa artists will be included in this display in the Main Gallery at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. A reception for the artists and guests is 6 — 9 p.m.

The Art Quilt Exhibit artists include: Karen Anne Babcock Grimes, Sue Kluber, Judy Ludwick, Wendy Read, Barbara Riggs, Kathryn Roe, Jean Taft, and Patricia Weber. Up to 50 original art quilt works will be on display, in many sizes and styles, many are for sale.

Iowa Art Quilters began meeting in 2005 in Grinnell to encourage and support one another in making art quilts. A simple definition of an art quilt is “a quilt you hang on the wall” instead of a quilt you lay on the bed. Art Quilts are designed and constructed by the artist and are original. Art quilts may be abstract or representational, portraying landscapes, faces or objects, or modifying traditional quilt blocks.

Usually art quilts are considered more decorative than functional, with artists frequently using a variety of fabrics, threads and embellishments such as beads, sequins, buttons, metal, wood and other materials. Surface design, like altering the fabric itself, is a common feature. One might add or remove color using dye, paint, or bleach with brushes, stamps or stencils. Artists might go further by selectively damaging the cloth with fire or rust, or less drastically by folding, scrunching or gathering the cloth.

Spring Sonata a Homecoming for Artists With Fairfield Roots

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield audiences are invited to experience an evening of elegance, warmth, and musical connection when Spring Sonata: Violin & Piano in Concert comes to Fairfield Arts & Convention Center on Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 PM. Presented as part of the Barhydt Organ Spotlight Series, the performance is free to attend, with voluntary donations accepted at the door ($10 suggested).

The concert features beloved former Fairfield residents Eugene and Nancy Gaub, returning to a community where they were long admired and warmly remembered. Their homecoming performance offers audiences a chance to reconnect with two cherished artists whose lives and music left a lasting impression here.

Pianist Eugene Gaub and violinist Nancy Gaub will present an intimate program of chamber music for violin and piano, filled with expressive melodies, rich harmonies, and the graceful interplay that comes from a lifetime of musical collaboration. Together, they create performances marked by artistry, warmth, and unmistakable connection.

For many in Fairfield, the evening will be more than a concert. It will be a joyful reunion.

“There is something especially meaningful about welcoming artists home,” said Lindsay Bauer, Executive Director of Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. “Eugene and Nancy are remembered here with so much affection, and to have them return to share their gifts in this setting is a beautiful opportunity for our community.”