Kim Eubank & Will Armstrong

Metal Quilts and Mirrors are oirginal pieces of art created by Kim Eubank and Will Armstrong. They are influenced by the geometric greats: Mondrian, Matisse and the architect Hundertwasser. Kim’s original idea to make a Metal Quilt come from a combination of classes in the crafts department at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she explored the classic argument of form vs. function. An avid reader of sourthern literature, Kim was inspired by Alice Walker’s Everyday Use. Two daughters disagree on the treatment of heirlooms. One daughter feels that the family quilts are an example of craftsmanship that shuold be displayed like artwork on the walls; the other uses them for warmth out of necessity. Intrigued by this irony, Kim created a soft-sided metal quilt using scraps of metal. She manipulated copper by using an enameling technique that had been taught in a recent jewelry class. Pieces of copper were sewn with sharp steel pins onto a soft, foam-stuffed form and draped across a simple bed frame. The finished piece was elaborate and beautiful, but not functional as an object of warmth and comfort.