I only knew Jean from a distance until recently. Her quilts had a huge influence on those of us who began quilting after the Bicentennial years. (It was 1984 for me.) But what I found most refreshing was her range of talent, her creativity and willingness to experiment, without getting all hepped up if it didn't gather the glitzy approval of her past work. Best of all, her honesty and lack of pretension.
She was, quite simply, who she was.
When my book, Quilts of the Golden West, was in progress, I couldn't help but think of Jean's painted/stamped quilt, "Girls of the Golden West," which I had loved for a long time. Could it be included? Sure, she said -- and went far out of her way to make sure we had a publishable photo. Then, after the book came out, she wrote the kindest thank-you note. I was the one who needed to thank her!
Her obituary, from the Fresno Bee:
Fresno artist Jean Ray Laury, a key national figure in the renaissance of quilting during the 1970s and 1980s and an internationally known fiber artist and author, died Wednesday. She was 82.
The cause of death was respiratory complications, said her husband, Frank Laury.
A memorial service planned by Mrs. Laury will be held in the near future, he said.
Mrs. Laury's work was a staple of the local arts scene for decades.
She had two solo exhibitions at the Fresno Art Museum and participated in numerous group shows throughout the area. More recently, she had a retrospective exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles in 2004.
Jean Ray Laury Born: March 22, 1928
Died: March 2
Occupation: Artist
Survivors: Husband, Frank Laury; son, Tom Laury and his wife, Ritva Laury; daughter, Lizabeth Laury and her husband, Mike Brown; and two granddaughters
Died: March 2
Occupation: Artist
Survivors: Husband, Frank Laury; son, Tom Laury and his wife, Ritva Laury; daughter, Lizabeth Laury and her husband, Mike Brown; and two granddaughters
Her most recent local project was an installation at the new headquarters of the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust: five 9-foot banners that depict, in alluring colors, the array of plants, wildlife and other inhabitants of the river region. The project took two and a half years.
"I can't imagine any commission that could be more fun or more rewarding than this one," she told The Bee.
A graduate of Stanford University, Mrs. Laury developed an international reputation in the world of quilting and fiber arts, and traveled as a guest lecturer, including to Australia, Belgium, France, Norway and South Africa.
In 1999, her work was included in a Houston installation titled "America's 100 Best Quilts of the 20th Century."
She was one of "30 Distinguished Quilters" selected for inclusion in the 2002 International Great Quilt Festival in Tokyo.
Mrs. Laury wrote more than 30 books, many about the fiber arts. But her interests were wide-ranging. She wrote and illustrated children's books. And in a 1977 work titled "The Creative Woman's Getting-It-All-Together at Home Handbook," she tackled a pertinent issue among female artists.
One of her suggestions: turn the family dining-room table into an artistic work space.
"She was an instigator in getting women to realize they could do their own creative work while still maintaining a household," her husband said. "Many women wrote saying how much that book made a difference in their lives in terms of doing creative work."
"I can't imagine any commission that could be more fun or more rewarding than this one," she told The Bee.
A graduate of Stanford University, Mrs. Laury developed an international reputation in the world of quilting and fiber arts, and traveled as a guest lecturer, including to Australia, Belgium, France, Norway and South Africa.
In 1999, her work was included in a Houston installation titled "America's 100 Best Quilts of the 20th Century."
She was one of "30 Distinguished Quilters" selected for inclusion in the 2002 International Great Quilt Festival in Tokyo.
Mrs. Laury wrote more than 30 books, many about the fiber arts. But her interests were wide-ranging. She wrote and illustrated children's books. And in a 1977 work titled "The Creative Woman's Getting-It-All-Together at Home Handbook," she tackled a pertinent issue among female artists.
One of her suggestions: turn the family dining-room table into an artistic work space.
"She was an instigator in getting women to realize they could do their own creative work while still maintaining a household," her husband said. "Many women wrote saying how much that book made a difference in their lives in terms of doing creative work."
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