Avis Collins Robinson: Piano Keys

While pondering my visit to the Nelson Art Gallery last week, I began to consider the other works that I had viewed and how other images pertain to pattern, shape, color, and how the overall unity of the piece flows together with these elements.  In contrast to Rosa Ella Kincaid’s piece, a piece created by Alvis Collins Robinson, entitled “Piano Keys” offered a different take on how shape, color and pattern play in the role of his own quilt creation. Avis Collins Robinson created the quilt in 2009.  His piece was made out of hand-dyed cotton corduroy, cotton batting, and hand-dyed muslin backing.  Though the piece as a whole was constructed beautifully, one of the most striking features that caught my attention right from the beginning was the amazing use of color demonstrated throughout the piece.  The quilt itself was organized in such a fashion that the strips of fabric were arranged to where they created a “piano key” shape.  Though the arrangement of the strips of color was abstract, there was still a strong pattern present in the quilt.  Even though each pieces was different, the size of the fabric, as well as the color varied as the quilt progressed from on side to the other.  The pattern was consistent in that each piece of fabric was place vertically on the quilt in various sizes. Robinson also played with strong use of color in the pieces by using a contemporary color palette consisting of both warm and cool colors.  Shades of blue, brown, and pink were used to create the shape and pattern of the quilt.  In contrast to Kincaid’s piece where various shaped were used to help create the final picture, Robinson stuck to using one long rectangular shape to complete his design.  It was interesting to see how different designers envision their work to help make a point.  For the sake of interpreting his ideas, and vision for his work, Robinson demonstrated how a repetition of shape can bring an idea together.  The unity of his piece along with the execution of his material, helped give life to his design, and provided the audience with an amazing final product.