SAQA: "A Drop of Emerald Poison"
May 3, 2025 - September 14, 2025
East Gallery
“Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt: "a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure."
In 1777, the color, Scheel’s Green, was discovered, and later in 1814, the much improved Paris Green was developed. Both pigments were created by chemists and produced a remarkable shade of emerald green by combining chemicals that produced arsenic poison. This vibrant green was extremely popular among the privileged because it symbolized royalty and wealth. Despite the deadly drawbacks, fashions, wallpaper, soaps, paints, and toys were produced in abundance. Factory workers who produced these commodities, as well as consumers, suffered severe side effects, including death. By the end of the 19th century, the deadly greens were replaced with less toxic pigments and dyes.
The art quilts produced for “A Drop of Emerald Poison” will have just a touch of today’s safe emerald green as a reminder of the tragic history of the color green.
This exhibit is a collaboration between 3 regional groups of SAQA - Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
Lily
2021
Materials: Cotton fabric
Techniques: Machine appliqué, thread painting, and quilting
Statement: Lily is a mosaic of a graceful ballerina in a classic pose. She was thread painted and quilted.
By Leigh Layton
Featured Work
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Emerald Poison in my Garden
Beth Markel | 2023
Materials: 100% cotton fabric, batting, backing, and thread, aside from the bugs. TAP paper, green polyester, permanent fabric markers and pens, and seed beads.
Techniques: Personal photo reproduced, cut for holes, machine & hand quilted, hand-colored using fabric pens, applique “bugs” made from TAP paper and green fabric then beaded using seed beads.
Statement: Emerald Poison: What I’ve been clearing off my plants all summer, Japanese Beetles. Shiny emerald green. Invasive. Damages plants, crops, orchards, and agriculture, causing devastation in their wake.
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I'm Not Jealous (I Just Don't Like It)
Julie Westmaas | 2023
Materials: cotton fabric, cotton batting, variegated, solid, and metallic thread, Lumiere fabric paint, fabric marker, a bead, and stencils.
Techniques: Raw edge appliqué, free motion quilting, beading, fabric painting, and stenciling.
Statement: I’m Not Jealous (I Just Don’t Like It), a circa 1919 sheet music of my grandmother’s was my inspiration. The color of jealousy, I found it fitting. Within the image are 16 hidden skulls.
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Venice
Leigh Layton | 2023
Materials: Cotton fabric
Techniques: Photo manipulation, thread painting, quilting
Statemen: Using a vacation photo, manipulating it and then having it printed, then quilted. I loved the way the water looked running between the buildings.
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Days Gone By
Patti Tourville | 2023
Materials: Cotton and cotton Batik fabrics, wool batting, and fusible interfacing. Satin ribbon and beads.
Techniques: Fabric collage, fused appliqué, layered machine, hand stitched, and machine quilted.
Statement: With just a drop of green in both honoring the love of green for my mom and sadly, the never-to-be-forgotten consequences of Scheels Green. “Days Gone By” honors both of those memories.
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Laced 2
Barbara Triscari | 2023
Materials: Cotton fabric and thread, rayon thread, and wool batting.
Techniques: Shibori hand dyed wool cloth hand quilted with hand embroidery stitches.
Statement: Laced has multiple meanings, such as to add poison to a drink or food, but also the entwining of fibers to make decorative accents. The hand embroidery quilting stitches are interlaced.
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Every Rose Has It's Thorn
Elaine Hengen | 2023
Materials: Commercial cotton fabrics, glass beads.
Techniques: Machine piecing, machine quilting, hand beading.
Statement: Inspired by what I think is a perfect song for our theme, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by the band Poison, each rose in my quilt has a thorn containing just a drop of emerald green poison.
