Contemporary Textiles with bold color and texture
July 4 – 26, 2026
Reston Art Gallery & Studios (RAGS) is pleased to announce its July exhibit, “Shape Shifting,” a solo show by award-winning textile artist Cindy Grisdela on view July 4 – July 26, 2026. A free public reception will be held on Sunday, July 12 from 2-4 PM.
The work features contemporary wall quilts that abstract recognizable curved and angular shapes into dynamic arrangements of color, line, and space. Grisdela uses fabric and thread like a painter uses paint to create lively compositions that engage the eye from a distance and encourage a closer look.
“Shape Shifting is a new series of work that explores the interaction between large abstract shapes and the negative space, or background, behind them,” Grisdela explains. “Using color and value, overlapping geometric shapes–curves, blocks and cut out forms–seem to float in and out of focus. The boundaries between the shapes are fluid so that the foreground shapes and the background spaces can seem to change places.”
Each piece is created freehand, cutting the shapes out of fabric without patterns or templates, and sewing them together with a sewing machine. They all use the same inspiration, but each one is abstracted in a different way, using different colors and values to push the interlocking geometric forms, fragmented curves, and layered planes into unique visual rhythms that invite the eye to move continuously across the surface. Intricate stitching lines add texture and movement to each design.
The bold graphic quality of Grisdela’s work blurs the line between the art of painting and the craft of textile design, encouraging viewers to engage with shape, color, and movement on an intuitive level, discovering their own associations and narratives within the abstract framework.
Event Details:
- Exhibition: Shape Shifting by Cindy Grisdela
- Dates: July 4 – July 26, 2026
- Reception: Sunday, July 12, 2-4 PM with light refreshments
- Location: Reston Art Gallery, 11400 Washington Plaza West, Reston, VA 20190
Pictured at top: Dance Rhythms, 2026, Cindy Grisdela
About Reston Art Gallery and Studios (RAGS)
Reston Art Gallery and Studios is a cooperative gallery featuring new monthly shows by its seven full members, and several group shows, which might include two adjunct members and invited members of the local artist community. The gallery offers a diverse array of original works, including paintings in watercolor, acrylic, and oil, mixed media collage, sculptures, photography, and art objects—all available for purchase. Free themed “Crafts for Kids” are offered every Saturday from April through November, 10 AM – 12 PM. RAGS is open to the public on Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM from April – November, 12 -5 PM the rest of the year, and Sunday 12 – 5 PM, or by appointment. The gallery, a Reston landmark since 1987, is located on the lakeside at 11400 Washington Plaza West, Reston, VA 20190. For GPS, use “Lake Anne Plaza” to find the parking area. Follow @RestonArtGallery on Instagram and visit RestonArtGallery.com for more information
