Regina Jestrow’s latest solo exhibition, Lots of Little Pieces (aka My Favorite Color is Glitter), now on display at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus Art Gallery, offers viewers a heartfelt exploration of family, identity, and artistic reinvention. Curated by Dainy Tapia of Art Seen 365, the show features Jestrow’s striking art quilts—large-scale compositions that blend personal storytelling with a visual homage to her family’s aesthetic sensibilities.
The exhibition, which runs through February 6, 2025, is a vivid example of Jestrow’s evolution as a textile artist. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Jestrow draws inspiration from her childhood home, where a love for shiny, tactile objects permeated everyday life. Today, her Miami-based practice marries this nostalgia with the colorful cultural and natural landscapes of South Florida. The result is a series of quilts that dazzle the eye while weaving a patchwork of intimate stories.
“I incorporate thrifted and second-hand fabrics to reflect Miami's culture and address the pressing issue of textile waste,” Jestrow explained in her artist statement. “By manipulating traditional quilt patterns, I create movement and transformation, echoing the city’s diversity and energy.”
Jestrow’s quilts are constructed from hand-dyed fabrics, second-hand textiles, and even deconstructed party dresses. This innovative mix serves as both a commentary on sustainability and an ode to Miami’s pop culture past. Each piece offers something more than meets the eye—layers of geometric patterns and textures invite viewers to step closer, offering a tactile richness that resonates with both tradition and modernity.
Curator Dainy Tapia describes her role as a collaborative journey. “In Lots of Little Pieces, Regina has not only gone big but has also experimented with freer, more abstract quilted forms,” said Tapia in conversation with TML. “Geometry plays a key role, with nature and family home memories combining with influences from her early Miami party days. This exhibition allows each piece to breathe and gives Regina the space to see the culmination of a year’s work outside her studio.”
The gallery space amplifies Jestrow’s work, providing room for viewers to fully appreciate the dynamic interplay of color, pattern, and texture. An accompanying artist and curator talk on Saturday, January 18, at 1 p.m., will offer further insight into Jestrow’s creative process and the curatorial decisions behind the exhibition.
Jestrow’s quilts nod to traditional American folk art while pushing the boundaries of the medium. Drawing influence from geometric abstract artists and the legendary Gee’s Bend quilters, she imbues her works with layers of meaning. The quilts’ shimmering accents and bold patterns are a fitting tribute to her mother and sister, whose love of glitter and glamour is a recurring theme.
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