Native American Star - Art Quilts

New textile artist, Vi Colombe, will be featured at the Dacotah Prairie Museum’s Lamont Gallery from January 3 to February 28, 2007. The exhibit will be comprised of original wall hangings and quilts designed with the Star theme and making use of an array of colors, from earthy to brilliant.

Vi Colombe was born August 23, 1942 at Klamath Indian Agency, Oregon and is an enrolled member of the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, Miami, Oklahoma. She attended grade school in Taos, New Mexico, high school in Fossil, Oregon, college at Lagrande, Oregon and then on to the Gloria Lavone Fashion Design School in San Francisco, California.

Colombe began sewing when she was a young woman and often made clothes for her children while they were growing up. She particularly enjoyed sewing somewhat elaborate outfits for her daughters who were actively involved in rodeo. In 1998 she began quilting when her daughter asked her to make a baby quilt. From that time on she decided to try quilting, she bought a book and some fabric and taught herself. She begins with the traditional “Lone Star” as the basic design in all her work utilizing brilliant colors with unusual fabrics and pattern designs incorporated into the finished piece. She enjoys putting material together in different designs and when one project is finished, she is eager to begin another. Quilting has filled a void in her life and helped her see things in a new light, bringing her new friends and connections with new people.

During her travels, Vi searches for unusual fabrics in bold colors that are conducive to her designs. She hand-cuts all the fabrics, then machine sews the quilt tops together. She gives each quilt a unique name, which is inspired by the colors and design. Nature and the colors of the world around us inspire her color choices.

In 2003, the art community of Hill City, SD, sponsored a Native American quilt show and invited Colombe to be the featured quilter. She has had a quilt in the Hoffman collections which travels the United States, and one that is displayed at the Crazy Horse Memorial in Custer, SD. Colombe has entered many quilting shows in SD and had been a ribbon winner.

The artist will also be featured in the April Issue of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine with a story on the evolution of her quilting style and photos of several recent quilts.

Vi resides currently in Mission, SD, and has lived there with her family for many years. Aside from her passion for quilting, she is involved in ranching and rodeo. This is Vi’s first exhibit at the Museum and everyone is invited to view these lovely original quilt designs.

For information on past exhibits in the Lamont Gallery, please click here