Three Oregon-based Quiltfolk team members celebrate their birthdays in August—myself (Lauren DeLuca) included. So, this year, a few of us got together for a fun “August Birthday Bash” in Portland. There was something for everyone: our first stop was Flying Cat Coffee (for the cat lovers), next was brunch at Broder Café for the nordic foodies, and we ended the day at the lovely Portland Art Museum because…art!
The permanent collection at the museum is currently closed for renovation, but three impressive exhibits were still taking place: 1) Monet to Matisse: French Moderns 2) Pissaro to Picasso: Masterworks on Loan from the Kirkland Family Collection and 3) Throughlines: Connections in the Collections.
Little did we know that, as part of the Throughlines exhibit, we would see Green Star Quilt (2019), a modern sculpture that represents the fabric squares of a traditional Star quilt but is made from recycled computer circuit boards, brass wire, and copper tubing. Any day that includes an unexpected “quilt” sighting is a good day.
Wally Dion, a Canadian artist of Saulteaux ancestry living and working in Upstate New York, is the talented creator of Green Star Quilt. While I am neither an expert on Star quilts nor Wally Dion’s work, I appreciated how the traditional quilt pattern—representing the basic, natural materials Indigenous people used to make necessities like clothing, quilts, and such during early reservation life—is juxtaposed with the present-day dependence on technology. Few people truly understand the language and inner-workings of computers, yet so many find comfort and a sense of security in the unknown. Wally’s art beckons the question, “why?”
According to the Portland Art Museum’s Curator of Native American Art Kathleen Ash-Milby, “The resulting sculptural work plays with our expectations […] Soft, comforting cloth has been replaced with rigid material, and the surface is visually complex with a multitude of mechanical, sharp protrusions.” The five of us who were in attendance had unique takeaways as well.
Green Star Quilt, (details) 2019. Circuit boards, brass wire, copper tube 75 ⅞ x 70 inches. © Wally Dion
I personally stood in awe of the precise attention to color and detail. I was asking myself questions like: Where did all of these materials come from? How long did this take him? Did he have any help? (But I couldn’t get too close for fear of setting off the alarm that was installed to protect this piece.)
Molly Barnaby, customer service manager, and Jessica Lynne Henkle, copy editor and project manager, immediately pointed out that the design reminded them of farmland from an aerial view from an airplane, with crops plotted in the different rectangles and cities in the areas that show more circuit boards, etc.
Emily Pillard, marketing manager, thought it was interesting how the metal hanging mechanism mimicked the kind used for fabric quilts.
Breanna Briggs, editor in chief, commented on how Wally is able to transform circuit boards—an inherently rigid and mechanical medium so very different from fabric—and recreate the sensory experience of a quilt. She loved the strategic use of color to emulate the Star pattern. By incorporating detailed components like diodes, transistors, and capacitors, he succeeded in simulating the tactile qualities of traditional quilting. It’s very intricate and thoughtful. You can absolutely feel his own appreciation for the craft of quilting through this piece. (Bre also took all the photos for the day!)
June 7, 2024 – March 30, 2025
Throughlines embraces wonder and curiosity, bringing together artworks from across the Museum’s collections to explore the range of artistic innovation. From diverse geographies, cultures, and time periods, artists have consistently created images, objects, and experiences that ask us to consider ourselves and the world around us from different perspectives. Visitors will encounter playful groupings that reveal how artists shape processes, materials, and forms into compelling and meaningful artworks. Organized by themes of portraiture and representation, views of the land and environment, and unexpected uses of imagery, ephemeral materials, and color, the exhibition prompts us to think about the objects in the collection as jumping off points for stories and conversations that foster a greater sense of connection among us.
Lauren DeLuca has been a writer and copy editor at Quiltfolk since 2020. She served as the primary copy editor for Quiltfolk Life: Volume One, Quiltfolk issues 16-20, and the second edition of Roderick Kiracofe’s book Unconventional & Unexpected, American Quilts Below the Radar, 1950-2000. She currently focuses her time on writing and editing marketing content, Quiltfolk Journal posts, and more!
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