Doreen Speckmann Remembered on Exhibit November 19, 2020–January 31, 2021

Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts exhibits retrospective of influential Madison, WI, quilter Doreen Speckmann

Cedarburg, Wis. – The exhibition Doreen Speckmann Remembered (November 19, 2020–January 31, 2021) at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts (WMQFA) presents the inspiring life and work of decorated Madison, WI, quilter Doreen Speckmann. Known for her wit and wisdom, Speckmann was an avid teacher, who regularly led well-liked quilt cruises and international quilt tours. Doreen Speckmann Remembered features twenty-five years of her life’s work displayed for the first time since her untimely passing in 1999.

Based in Madison, WI, in 1985, as a relative newcomer to the quilting scene, Speckmann made a lasting impression on the judges of the first American Quilters’ Society national quilting competition in Paducah, Kentucky, where her innovative work, The Blade, won the professional patchwork category.

After receiving the AQS honor, Speckmann was in high demand to teach. Endearing her to quilters the world over, she was recognized for her Birkenstocks, dance moves, and self-deprecating sense of humor. Respected quilter Marianne Fons recalls: “Doreen’s ability to poke fun at all of us by poking fun at herself—combined with her formidable patchwork and design skills—quickly made her one of the most popular quilters in America.”

The majority of Speckmann’s original designs, many of them on exhibit, are predicated on playing with a small number of geometric shapes to imaginatively make one-of-a-kind motifs. When pieced together, these building blocks often create the illusion of curves. As many quilters will tell you, curves are some of the most difficult parts of a quilt to replicate. By using two types of triangles she cheekily dubbed “Peaky” (a right triangle) and “Spike” (an isosceles one), she introduced her students to a world of facile curves.

Doreen Speckmann Remembered will be on view at WMQFA from November 19 through January 31, 2021. The museum is currently open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00am to 4:00pm, and Sunday, noon to 4:00pm, and by appointment. A virtual tour of the exhibition will be livestreamed on the museum’s Zoom account and on its Facebook page on Saturday, December 5, from 4:00 to 5:00pm CST. This exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Wisconsin Arts Board and Susan Graham Wernecke and Bill Wernecke Jr.