Art Focus: Wally Dion’s Grass Quilts

Canadian-born, New York-based artist Wally Dion beautifully weaves his Saulteaux ancestry into his vibrant fabric quilts. For Indigenous people, quilting is deeply significant, and Dion captures this in his ongoing Grass Quilt projects, having completed his first piece in 2022.

Originally, Dion envisioned a single piece by layering transparent, iridescent quilts to evoke the imagery of prairie tall grass and the return of bison to the Great Plains. However, his artistic journey took a turn and now, he stitches each quilt separately, letting them wave like proud flags against the backdrop of natural landscapes.

Wally Dion’s Grass Quilts are a series of large-scale, translucent textile works inspired by the prairie landscape and Indigenous culture. These quilts feature vibrant colours and intricate patterns, often incorporating traditional quilting techniques with modern materials.

Dion’s work explores themes of identity, history, and the environment. The quilts are often displayed outdoors, where they interact with the natural light and wind, creating a dynamic and ever-changing visual experience.

Some of the key features of Wally Dion’s Grass Quilts include:

• Translucent fabrics: The use of translucent fabrics allows light to pass through the quilts, creating a sense of depth and dimension.

• Vibrant colours: The quilts are often made with bright, bold colours, which evoke a sense of energy and vitality.

• Intricate patterns: The patterns in the quilts are often inspired by traditional Indigenous designs, such as geometric shapes and floral motifs.

• Large scale: The quilts are typically quite large, which allows them to have a significant impact on the viewer.