MERIDEN — Gallery 53’s textile show, The Fabric of Our Lives, is currently being displayed at the gallery and online. 

This show, which started earlier this month and runs until Thursday, is co-sponsored by the Connecticut region of Studio Art Quilt Associates, an international nonprofit organization.

The exhibit was originally supposed to be displayed in May, but was postponed due to the pandemic. 

“It was wonderful that we could reschedule it,” said Sandy Goodyear, director of Gallery 53, located at 53 Colony St.

The show displays 56 pieces, with 34 of them for sale online at the Gallery 53 website. Three award winners are showcased. 

“I had a Zoom meeting with some of the (SAQA) members, some of them actually won some of the prizes, and they were just delighted that they were selected as one of the prize winners and that there was a show, that is a real show, that people can go and see,” said Catherine Smith, a SAQA member. “You have to wear a mask and all of that, but at least you can go and see it … Fiber is nice to see the actual pieces.”

Goodyear said the online version of the exhibit was also important  

 “For them to have another venue, you know, like you have a relative that can’t come in because of COVID-19, at least it gives them all another opportunity to see these pieces online,” she said. 

Smith feels the exhibit really motivated some artists.

“I think it helped many members who kind of went into down mode because of so many virtual shows and weren’t doing as much work in their studios... it got them going in their studios, looking at work that they had created and thinking, ‘oh, this would be a nice thing to share with the people at Gallery 53,’” Smith said. 

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