True Blue
Indigo and the Art of Quiltmaking
Oct 4 to Jan. 11, 2026
Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St.
General admission is free for Taft members, military, and youth (17 and under); $15 for adults; and $12 for seniors. Admission is free on Sundays and Mondays.
Find more on tickets, programs and events, at taftmuseum.org/Exhibitions/Indigo.
Indigo and the Art of Quiltmaking brings 20 quilts from the International Quilt Museum to the Taft Museum of Art, showcasing a range of indigo dyeing techniques as well as the skill, design sensibility, and artistry of the women who made them.
For thousands of years, people around the world have treasured indigo-dyed textiles for their dreamy shades of blue—from pale sky to inky midnight—and resistance to fading. Indigo and the Art of Quiltmaking explores this rich global tapestry of historical and artistic significance through quilts created between the early 1800s to 2015, from America and beyond. Highlights include Whole Cloth Quilt with “Flying Geese” Border (possibly Hudson River Valley, New York, 1820–1840); String Squares Quilt (about 1925) by Rella Thompson (American, born about 1878); Patchwork Quilt (Nigeria, about 2010); and Mirage Quilt (2014)by Shizuko Kuroha (Japanese, 1938–2024), each reflecting the maker’s heritage and cross-cultural influences on indigo dyeing.
“This exhibition highlights the intricate designs and incredible sewing skills of women textile artists through the lens of indigo, one of the oldest and most coveted dyes in the world. Museum visitors will learn about how quilts are made, different ways of dyeing cloth with indigo, and how indigo’s fascinating history continues today—clothing manufacturers still use it to give blue jeans their distinctive color,” says Taft Museum of Art Assistant Curator, Angela Fuller, who is curating the museum's presentation of the exhibition.
The exhibition run includes several opportunities to learn from regional artists and quiltmakers through workshops, demonstrations, family days, and a “Stitch ‘n’ B*tch” night at the museum. Visitors can also enjoy curator tours led by assistant curator, Angela Fuller, on Oct. 15 and Dec. 17. The exhibition's Signature Talk on Oct. 23—Many Hands Make Light the Work: Indigo and Quilting in South Carolina—will feature Virginia Theerman, curator of historic textiles at the Charleston Museum.
Indigo and the Art of Quiltmaking is organized by the International Quilt Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, home to the largest public collection of quilts in the world.