Quilt Artist Barbara Olson’s National and International Award-Winning Quilts have appeared in publications and exhibits around the world.

“In The Beginning” one of Barbara’s art quilts was chosen as one of the 100 Best American Quilts of The Century. Many of her art quilts are included in corporate and private collections across the country.

Barbara has developed workshops and lectures for those interested in expanding their unique creative talents in the area of quilt art for the last eighteen years.  Her classes are not only fun and dynamic they are also filled with wonderful techniques that will excite the adventuresome creative spirit.

Barbara is Author of “Journey of an Art Quilter Creative Strategies & Techniques”   a cutting edge art quilt publication.

 


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Art Quilting Workshops and Lectures:

National & International Workshop presentations & Lectures 1990 - 2010

Juror/Judging:

2000 - 2010 - National and International Shows
1990 - 2010 - Local and Regional Shows and County Fairs - Montana and Wyoming

 

  Featured Quilts Authored Books
     
  Entire Body of Work JOURNEY OF AN ART QUILTER - Barbara Olson - Dragon Threads - 2004
     
  Featured Quilts Books
     
  “Prismatic Flowers" LARK BOOKS 500 QUILTS
  “Red Lion" LARK BOOKS 500 QUILTS
  “First Thought” CONTEMPORARY QUILTING by Walter & Graves - 2005, page 115
  “Wild Child” THE ART QUILT COLLECTION by Linda Seward 2010, page 23
  “In The Beginning” AMERICAN QUILTMAKING 1970-2000, AQS 2004
  “Planned Serendipity” OXYMORONS: Absurdly Logical Quilts, by Diane Hire, AQS 2001
  “Time Warp” QUILT ART Engagement Calendar 2002, AQS
“Day One” INNOVATIVE PIECING, Rodale Successful Quilting Library - Authored  Chapter: Deep Space Checkerboards
  “In The Beginning” AMERICAN QUILTS - The Twentieth Century”s Best, page 47
  “In The Beginning” THE QUILT Beauty in Fabric and Thread, by Marie Salazar, Michael Friedman Publishing 1997
  “Village Sunrise” NATURE’S PATTERNS, by Joyce Becker, Quilt Digest 1996
  “Cradle of Peace” FEATHERED SUN, by John Flynn, Flynn Publishing 1994
  "Flying Elephants” ALL THE BLOCKS ARE GEESE, by Mary Sue Suit, Patchwork Place Publishing 1994
  “Painted Desert” BRAIDED BORDER, by John Flynn, Flynn Publishing 1990
     
  Featured Quilts Magazines
     
     
  Eight Selected Quilts POPULAR PATCHWORK - August 2003, page 13-18 and cover
  “Birds of Another Color” IQA JOURNAL - Spring 2006, page 15
  “Genesis Revisited” HORIZON MAGAZINE - 2006, pages 6, 12, and cover
  "Wild Child” QUILTERS NEWSLETTER, September 2008
  “Just Breath” AMERICAN QUILTER, Fall 2002, P.40
  “Atlantis” IQA JOURNAL, Winter 2001, P.4
  “Atlantis” MY PATCHWORK QUILT; KOBE, JAPAN 2001, P.57
  “Atlantis” QUILTERS NEWSLETTER, May 2001 Photo Finish
  “Merlin’s Forest” AMERICAN QUILTERS SOCIETY, July 1999, P.45
  “First Thought” AMERICAN QUILTERS SOCIETY, July 1998, P.38
  4 Selected Quilts IQA JOURNAL, Fall 1998 - Interview
  “City of the Midnight Sun”
   (front cover)
AMERICAN QUILTERS SOCIETY, Spring 200,
Authored article: Designing Outside The Lines (10 featured quilts)
  “City of the Midnight Sun” QUILTERS NEWSLETTER, Leman Publications, May 1998, P.45
  “In The Beginning” QUILTERS NEWSLETTER, Leman Publications, May 1998 Featured
advertisement for ‘Quilt Show of the Century’, P. 63
  “In The Beginning” MONTANA MAGAZINE, Lee Enterprises, November 1996
  “In The Beginning” QUILTERS NEWSLETTER, Leman Publications,
October 1995/No.276 - Photo Finish
  “Village Sunrise” POPULAR PATCHWORK, Nexus Publications, Vol. 3 No. 5, United Kingdom, Jan./Feb. 1996, P.26
  “Village Sunrise”
   (front cover)
QUILTS A WORLD OF BEAUTY, Journal of the American
International Quilt Association, Spring 1995, cover and P.18
  “Village Sunrise” QUILTERS NEWSLETTER, Leman Publications,
April 1995/No.271, P. 32
  “Miracle Windows” PATCHWORK QUILTS, Lopez Pub. Jan. 1993, P.48-49
  “Southwest Images” PATCHWORK QUILTS, Lopez Pub. Sept. 1993, P.34
     
  Featured Quilts Authored Articles
     
“Prismatic Flowers" PRISMATIC FLOWERS, American Quilter, Fall 2006
"Wild Child” IINTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL - Quilt Scene - 2010, pages 126-129
  “Day One” INNOVATIVE PIECING, Rodale Successful Quilting Library -
Authored Chapter: Deep Space Checkerboardss
  “City of the Midnight Sun”
  
(front cover)
AMERICAN QUILTERS SOCIETY, Spring 200,
Authored article: Designing Outside The Lines (10 featured quilts)
     
    Commissions & Collections
     
  Featured Quilts Commissioned by:
     
  “Cradle of Peace” Ft. Belnap Senior Citizen Community Center, 1994 - Fiber Piece
  “Southwest Images” L.A. Olson & Assoc. Inc., Larry Olson P.E. 1991 - Quilt
  “Mesa Grande” Yellowstone Office Center, Sally Kindsfather 1990 - Quilt
     
    Collection of:
     
  “Atlantis: An Ancient Message” Quilts Inc, Karey Bresenhan, Houston, TX
  "Kiss of the Creative Fire" Sally Davey, California
  "Phases Forest Tapestry" The Tuefel Collection, Columbus, OH 
  “Planned Serendipity” Quiltworks Northwest, Bellevue, WA
  “Genesis Revisited” The Tuefel Collection, Columbus, OH 
  “Birds of Another Color” Mary & Kat Edgar, East Lansing, MI
“Merlin’s Forest” Private NC Collection 2001
  “Messengers From The Other Side” The Huidekopper Collection, Jackson, WY 1998
“First Thought” The Hendricks Collection, Potomac, MD 1998
“Vibrations of Spirit” Robert & Marjory Taylor, Billings, MT 1998
“Village Sunrise” Private New Jersey Collection 1997
“In The Beginning” Quilts Incorporated; Karey Bresenhan, Houston, TX 1997
  “Day One” Elizabeth Ridgeway M.D., Jackson, WY 1996
     
  Prize Winning Quilts Shows and Awards
     
“Birds of Another Color” International Quilt Festival 2005, 2nd Place Art Whimsical
“Birds of Another Color” Denver National Quilt Festival 2006, 3rd Place Innovative
"Wild Child” Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival 2007,  Judges Choice
"Faces" Quilting In The Tetons  2010,  Honorable Mention
"The Alchemist" International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX 2002 - 2nd Place - Large Art
  “Just Breath” American Quilters Society Show 2002 - 2nd Place - Professional Appliqué’
  “Atlantis: An Ancient
Message”
International Millennium 2000 Show - 1st Place - Visions of Tomorrow
“Time Warp” Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza 2000 - 1st Place - Innovative
  “Time Warp” Western Heritage Show 2000 - Best of Show
“Time Warp” American Quilters Society Show 2000 - Honorable Mention
“Kiss of the Creative Fire” Quilting In The Tetons 1999 - Best Use of Color
  “Merlin’s Forest” Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza 1999 - Honorable Mention
  “Merlin’s Forest” American Quilters Society Show 1999 - Third Place Wall Quilt, Professional
  “Phases; Forest Tapestry” Pacific International Quilt Festival 1998 - Judges Choice
“Phases; Forest Tapestry” Western Heritage Show, Billings, MT 1998 - 1st Place & Best Innovative Design
  “First Thought” Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza 1998 - Best of Show
  “First Thought” Great Pacific Northwest Quilt Show 1998 - 2nd Place - Art Quilt
  “First Thought” American Quilters Society Show, Paducah, KY 1998 - 1st Place - Innovative Professional
  “City of the Midnight Sun” Pacific International Quilt Festival, San Francisco, CA 1997 - Best of Show
  “City of the Midnight Sun” Great Pacific Northwest Quilt Show, Seattle, WA 1996 - 2nd Place - Art Mixed
  “Genesis Revisited” Quilting In The Tetons 1998 - Best Surface Design
  “Genesis Revisited” International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX 1997 - 2nd Place - Large Art
  “Genesis Revisited” Big Sky Quilt Retreat, Billings, MT 1997 - 1st Place - Viewers Choice
  “Day One” Western Heritage Center, Billings, MT 1996 - Innovative Design & 3rd Place Art Quilt
  “Day One” Quilting In The Tetons, Jackson, WY 1996 - Surface Design & 1st Place Art Quilt
  “Day One” Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza 1995 - Honorable Mention - Innovative Art
  “Day One” Pacific International Quilt Festival 1995 - Honorable Mention - Best Use of Color, Innovative
  “In The Beginning” International Quilt Association (IQA) 1995 - Award of Excellence - Art Quilt Small
  “In The Beginning” Western Heritage Center, Billings, Montana 1994 - 2nd Place - Innovative Design Large Art
  “In The Beginning” Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza 1994 - 1st Place - Professional Art
  “In The Beginning” Pacific International Quilt Festival 1994 - 3rd Place - Professional Art
  “Miracle Windows” Quilting In The Tetons 1994 - 1st Place - Art Quilt
  “Village Sunrise” IQA - International Quilt Festival 1994 - Judges Choice
  "Miracle Windows” Western Heritage Center, Billings, Montana 1992 - Original Design - Large Art
  “Study in Plaid” Yellowstone Art Exhibition 1989 - 1st Place Fiberart
     
    Exhibitions & Galleries
     
Quilts on Exhibit  Venue
     
  “Atlantis” The Power of Change MAQS 2004
  "Red Lion Flower" Fandangle Spangle Exhibit MAQS July 2004
  Selected Quilts Vermont Quilt Festival - June 2008
  “Planned Serendipity” Oxymoron - Absurdly Logical Quilts, 2001-03 - Traveling Exhibit
  “Doorways” APNQ Traveling Exhibit, 2000-02 - Basic Necessities
  “Atlantis” Kobe 2001, International Quilt Week, Kobe, Japan - Millennium Exhibit
  “Genesis Revisited” Bradiggins Gallery, Hillsborough, North Carolina - Inner Momentum, Erika Carter
  Selected Quilts Bradiggins Gallery, Hillsborough, North Carolina - Textile Art Exhibit 2000
  Selected Quilts Alegre Retreat, Santa Fe, New Mexico 1999 and 2000 - Art Quilt VI and VII
  “Genesis Revisited” Quilting By The Lake Show, New York 1998 - Teachers Exhibit
  “In The Beginning” Euro Quilt Market 1998 - IQA Quilt Show of the Century Promotion
  “Phases; Forest Tapestry” International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX 1997 - Form & Freedom, Sponsored by Hobbs
  “Village Sunrise” One Nation One People, Bozeman, Montana 1997 - Tribute to Yellowstone Buffalo
  “City of the Midnight Sun” Latimer Quilt & Textile Center, Tillamook, Oregon 1997 - Best of APNQ
  “City of the Midnight Sun” Quilts Inc. - IQA International Quilt Market 1997 - Stars Of The North
Selected Quilts Alegre Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 1997 - Art Quilt V
Selected Quilts Fiberworks Gallery, Billings, Montana 1997 - Recent works of Barbara Olson & Laura Cater-Woods
  “Vibrations of Spirit” APNQ Traveling Exhibit: “Earth, Wind, Fire, and Chocolate” 1996/1998
  “City of the Midnight Sun” Quilts Inc. - International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas 1996 - Teachers Showcase
  “In The Beginning” Quilts Inc. - International Spring Market, Portland, Oregon 1996 - “Into The Future”
  “In The Beginning” Quilts Inc. - European Quilt Market, Lyon, France 1996 - “Into The Future”
  “Village Sunrise” Quilter Newsletter- Curated English Quilt Show, Ascot, England - August 1995

Professional Affiliations

Studio Art Quilt Association, International Quilt Association, American Quilters Society, Quilt Art Association - Charter Member, Quilt By Association - Past President, Big Sky Quilt Association - Chairman 1995 Retreat, Association of the Pacific Northwest Quilters.