Paula Nadelstern

   

Symmetry and Surprise, The Kaleidoscope as Design Inspiration

Paula Nadelstern is an internationally recognized quilter whose love of kaleidoscopic designs inspired her vision of quilting which she describes:

“Kaleidoscope- the very word promises surprise and magic, change and chance. Exploding with visual excitement, a kaleidoscopic design organizes an abundance of light and color, form and motion into a complex and coherent image. My goal is to harmoniously integrate the idea of a kaleidoscope with the techniques and materials of quiltmaking. I try to free myself from a conventional sense of fabric orderliness, seeking a random quality in order to imitate the succession of chance interlinkings and endless possibilities synonymous with kaleidoscopes.”  

Paula began making quilts on the kitchen table in her two-bedroom Bronx apartment.  This remained her quilt-making space for twenty years. Decades later, she lives, and makes quilts on the same block in NYC. She believes that the space constraints of her sewing life led to the development of a quilting style based on intricate detail and inherent symmetry. Her amazing quilts have received numerous awards. In 2009, they were showcased in the American Folk Art Museum's first one person exhibition highlighting the work of a contemporary quilt artist, and in 2024, she had a solo show at the International Quilt Festival in Houston.  She has a quilt that has been included in the Twentieth Century's 100 Best American Quilts. 

She has written at least eight books on quilting and works as a fabric designer for Benartex. She continues to give lectures and workshops on her particular style and techniques of creating elaborate and stunning kaleidoscopic quilts. She will be coming to us on Zoom from New York on November 2 at 7 pm. Please join us!

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