'Deeply Rooted' opens April 7 at Great Plains Art Museum

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Great Plains Art Museum will open a traveling exhibition by Studio Art Quilt Associates from Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The exhibition of fiber artworks, titled “Deeply Rooted,” runs from April 7 through July 15.

An opening reception is 5 to 7 p.m. April 7, during First Friday events. Exhibition co-curator Cynthia Levis will give a brief talk about the exhibition at 6 p.m.

Drawing inspiration from the taproot of the native prairie’s compass plant that reaches up to 20 feet in depth, the imagery explores the connection of family, community and spirituality to nature and soil. The artists interpret these notions in both abstract and concrete ways. Through quilting, the artists address questions such as, “How does it feel to be deeply rooted?”

The exhibition is comprised of about 30 works selected by an independent juror and has traveled through the Midwest since October 2015. Co-curators for the exhibition include Levis, Karin Gundlach, Cynthia Wenslow, Rebecca Kemble and Pat Kroth.

SAQA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development and documentation. The international organization is comprised of more than 3,000 artists, teachers, collectors, gallery owners, museum curators and corporate sponsors. For more information, click here.

The Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., is open to the public 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.