Attendees at the Pasadena Museum of History, Thursday, Oct 2, 2025 (Photo – Garrett Rowlan)
The decorative arts, from quilts to tile, were on display at two new exhibitions that opened at the Pasadena Museum of History on October 4.
By Garrett Rowlan
One gallery featured the multidisciplinary works of Cha-Rie Tang, showcasing glassworks, architectural renderings, and other pieces. The artist was present for the opening.
In the other gallery were more than 25 quilts created by members of the African American Quilters of Los Angeles.
Two different approaches to art, yet as one admirer commented in the quilts’ wing, “Everything is gorgeous and amazing.”
Cha-Rie Tang’s work included designing tile for pools, kitchens, and baths, but what impressed me most were a couple of glass art pieces: a dragonfly and a reproduction of a primitive painting of a bison. The latter, reminiscent of cave art from Altamira, was presented with a clean, modern touch that suggested a recapture and recontextualization of time.
I was struck by the breadth of artistic fields to which Ms. Tang lent her talents. It seemed as though she had been an almost invisible hand behind many contributions, like the illustrations of City Hall and the Colorado Street Bridge for the Pasadena Arts bus.
This exhibition, along with the many who attended, will surely help bring greater attention to her accomplishments.
Leaving Ms. Tang’s retrospective exhibit for the quilts felt like stepping into a broader arena, not just in terms of the physical works—the large quilts, some big enough to cover a queen-sized bed—but also in their social impact and engagement with the wider world. There were quilts featuring entertainers like Marian Anderson, Billie Holiday, and even Emiliano Zapata. Others tackled social justice issues. But it was the quilts with abstract patterns that impressed me most.
In whichever gallery I found myself, the work was always reassuring, thought-provoking, and endlessly interesting.
PMH Exhibitions Through January 18, 2026 Thursday through Sunday: 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm Pasadena Museum of History 470 W. Walnut St. Pasadena, CA 91103 General: $9 - Seniors: $7 - Members, students, & visitors under 18: Free.
A quilt of Billie Holiday (Photo – Garrett Rowlan)
“Stories, Traditions & Designs” exhibition at PMH (Photo – Garrett Rowlan)
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