Rosemary Ollison: Know my heart Opens at WMQFA
[Cedarburg, WI] – The Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts is thrilled to announce Rosemary Ollison: Know My Heart, the first solo museum exhibition of acclaimed self-taught artist Rosemary Ollison. This groundbreaking exhibition will showcase thirty of her works.
Celebrated for her intricate textile work, Ollison has dedicated over forty years to her artistic practice, primarily created in her home environment. This exhibition marks a significant milestone in her career and will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog featuring her unpublished writings, along with scholarly essays by historians Dr. Sharbreon Plummer and Debra Brehmer.
As a remarkable self-taught artist and storyteller, Ollison grew up on a plantation in Arkansas. She left the plantation at the age of sixteen. In 1996, as she began to heal from an abusive marriage, Ollison started creating art spontaneously. Over the course of a year, she produced over two-thousand drawings. She attributes this outpouring of images and symbols to her deeply held Christianity and the Biblical passage: “Search me, O God, and know my heart.”
Ollison’s artistic practice is defined by her creative use of repurposed materials, including fabric scraps, glass, leather, beads, bones, and jewelry, which she weaves into monumental wall tapestries, hanging sculptures, and improvisational quilts.
With Rosemary Ollison: Know my heart WMQFA aims to shed light on her rich fiber practice, which includes quilts, rugs, wall hangings, garments, and beaded objects. While Ollison has gained recognition for her previous exhibitions and was honored as a 2018 Nohl Fellow, this project seeks to elevate her status on a national level, ensuring that she receives the acknowledgment her artwork rightfully deserves.
Join us for the Opening Celebration and Conversation between Rosemary Ollison and Dr. Sharbreon Plummer, followed by a book signing, on September 13, from 1–3 PM.
Generous support for Rosemary Ollison: Know My Heart is provided by Greater Milwaukee Foundation, American Quilt Study Group, the Wisconsin Arts Board with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Judy Hearst - Coldwell Banker Realty, Nirmal Raja, and Victoria Findlay Wolfe.