Bedford Gallery to Present HIGH PILE: CONCEPTS IN TUFTING

Bedford Gallery (the Bedford), located inside Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, will present High Pile: Concepts in Tufting on view September 26 through December 13, 2026 (Wed–Sun from 12–5 PM). Bringing together the work of 20 contemporary artists, High Pile explores tufting beyond its traditional associations with domestic and commercial craft, highlighting the medium as a platform for experimentation, innovation, and conceptual inquiry within contemporary fine art. An opening party ($5) will take place Saturday, September 26 from 5–7 PM.
 
Long associated with rugs and textiles, High Pile examines tufting as a practice where color is built through fiber density, form emerges through pile structure, and materiality plays a central role in how the work is experienced. Presenting  diverse artistic perspectives, this exhibition  highlights tufting as both a physical and expressive language. The works emphasize process while incorporating elements like abstraction and pattern to convey narratives and cultural meaning. Collectively, the exhibition positions tufting as a vital contemporary medium that is tactile, yet conceptually expansive.
 
Participating artists (in alphabetical order) include: Liv Beret Aanrud, Hacer Acma, Trish Andersen & Michael Porten, Jennifer Banzaca, Vanessa Barragão, Sam Druant, Sylvia Fragoso, Daniel Gardiner, Johannah Herr, Camilla Iliefski, Sachiko Janek, Sylvie Johnson, Caroline Kaufman, Maja Michaelsdotter, Mychaelyn Michalec, Melissa Monroe, Angela Anh Nguyen, Peter Salsman, Shishi San, and Nakiesha White.