Pieces of the Landscape: Regina Jestrow

This series of art quilts combine found, new, and hand-made materials with geometric repeating patterns that are connected to tradition and storytelling. Salvaged discarded materials such as denim jeans, neoprene skirts, and sparkly dresses are cut into geometric shapes that utilize the clothing’s nature. The textiles that hold ontop specific histories and memories are reimagined when combined with newer manipulated materials. Through processes of burning, staining, painting, and hand-dying, a personal story is built into these works. The structures and patterning of these art quilts rebuilds the fragmentation of material allowing the textiles to mix and create new narratives.

Artist Bio:
Regina Jestrow is a visual artist from Queens, NY currently based in Miami, FL. Her mother taught her how to sew when she was a child, and she’s has utilized these skills throughout her practice. Jestrow attended school for photography, but when she moved to Miami in 1999, she switched her focus to quilting and painting to cope with homesickness. Jestrow’s ongoing interests in women’s history, patterns of American quilt traditions, and textile arts has lead her to develop a body of work that includes painting, drawings, textile wall-hangings and sculptural installations.

Jestrow’s work has been exhibited nationally. Selected solo projects include “Treble Flow”, at Oolite Arts Walgreens Windows (2020), “Forms of The Everglades”, at Miami-Dade College Homestead Library (2016), “Linens” at Hollywood Art & Culture Center (2015). Selected group project and exhibitions include “South Florida Women Artists At Large”, at Doral Contemporary Art Museum (2021) “Deering Spring Contemporary” at the Deering Estate, Miami, Florida (2020), and “Reclaimed Landscapes” at Harvest Project, Miami, Florida (2019). Jestrow has been awarded artist residencies at The Deering Estate (2015), National Park Service Artist in Residence in the Everglades (AIRIE) (2014), and The Studios of Key West (2012). Jestrow has been awarded numerous grants including The Ellies Creators Grant, Oolite Arts, Miami, FL (2021), the Artist Access Grant, Miami-Dade County and FUNdarte (2021), the Miami-Dade Artists Support! (MÁS!) Grant (2020), and the Betancourt-Latorre Foundation Visual Artist Relief Fund Covid-19 (2020).