About

To complement 'Quilts 1700–1945', the Gallery presents an exhibition of contemporary quilts by the late leading Brisbane quilt-maker Ruth Stoneley (1940–2007).

Stoneley was an inspirational figure, not only in terms of the expressive, innovative works she made, but as an active member of the Brisbane quilting community — connecting with other makers through Patchwork Supplies, her Highgate Hill shop, and through her teaching of many local practitioners. While Stoneley came to quilting later in life, only committing herself to her practice full-time from 1982, she quickly made up for lost time, making prolifically and exhibiting widely in Australia and overseas.

This exhibition showcases exemplars of Stoneley's practice, showing her transition from early experimentations with the contained patterns of traditional quilts to the free-flowing, abstract and expressive works she made in later years, reflecting her feelings, emotions and ideas, about herself and about the people around her.