Gallery

Textile Art by Luana Rubin

Deity of the Forest

“Deity of the Forest” – 41″ w x 53″ h

Soul Stories – 2026

This image is inspired by an actual face-to-face encounter I had with a Mama Brown Bear in Alaska. We had a long moment of eye contact in the middle of the forest. Then she gave a sigh, laid down and continued to nurse her 2 cubs. I gasped, and thought to myself, “I’ve just received a blessing from a deity of the forest!”

“Papa Bear” – 39″ x 39″

Hoffman Challenge 2026

“Prayer for Peace” – 52″ x 43″

This flying portrait is also a prayer for peace, and a distinct memory from the time I lived in Asia. After work I would walk past a temple with these symbols, sounds and smells. (chimes, prayers and incense) Kwan Yin (Quan Yin) is the Buddhist goddess of Peace, Mercy and Compassion. Here, she rides a dragon, representing strength, abundance, and harmony with Nature. With so much violence and conflict in the world today, I made this literally as a prayer for “Peace” which is echoed in the red applique Chinese characters.

This piece was made for my solo gallery at the Taiwan Quilt Festival in November 2025.

“What is Freedom?” –  40″ wide x 52″ high

This piece is a tribute to the juvenile wolf run down by a snowmobile in Wyoming, triggering a protest and animal rights movement.

It has been hanging at the Denver State Capital Building, in the office of the Speaker of the House, Rep. Monica Duran.

Next it will travel to the Texas Quilt Museum, and then the Houston Intl Quilt Festival, in “My America – What It Means to Me”

"Hope" - SAQA Journal Cover Dec 2025

“Hope” – 12″ x 12″

Cover of SAQA Journal – December 2025

Emily Dickenson’s poem “Hope is the thing with feathers” was the inspiration for this piece. She compares hope to a bird that sings continuously, perched in the soul, not asking for anything in return. Her words describe the resilience of Hope, staying with us in even the most challenging chaotic times. This image is a reminder to always look up for Hope, to see the possibilities that lie in the future. During the darkest of times, Hope is our companion even when it is logical to remove our Rose-color glasses. Hope comes with Faith, whether it is faith in our own abilities, or a higher power.

Uncensored

“Uncensored” –  34.5” w x 48.5” h

How glorious it is to have a creative brain with an endless supply of ideas and inspiration. What happens when we live in times when books are banned, pop culture is cancelled, and even our identity is criminalized?  My art practice and circle of artist friends are what keep my creative juices flowing, and when I think of uncensored creativity, this is the image I see….explosions of color, joy and spontaneous expression bursting out of one’s heart and mind….literally, one’s Brainchild. The only thing better than expressing all of this creative energy, is sharing it with others. I believe that everyone can be creative, but the censorship often begins in childhood. I hope that this image helps viewers reconnect with that flow of passion and energy that is always waiting to be set free.

This piece will travel in the SAQA “Markings” exhibit.

“Invisible Borders” – 39″ x 84″ – 2025

Wolves live in complex, close-knit, enduring family units called packs, where mates form deep bonds and remain devoted for life. These family groups can persist for decades, passing down knowledge through generations, raising cubs together and caring for sick or aging members.

When reintroduced to their historic ranges, wolves help restore ecological balance. However when a wolf pack crosses an invisible border, leaving a national park, or crossing into a state that encourages killing predators, their family unit can be blown apart. Which family member will be lost next?

This piece is premiering with the “Soul Stories” exhibit in Houston in October 2025. Traveling to New England Quilt Museum and Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK in 2026.

 

Kubota's Dream
“Kubota’s Dream” – 40″ x 64″ – Kyoto Quilt Festival, March 2025

A tribute to Japanese master textile artist Itchiku Kubota: this was the view from his home and studio which is now a museum. His favorite themes were the Four Seasons, and Mount Fuji. The melting iconic icecap of Mt Fuji is a concern for Japan these days.

This piece was made for the Kyoto Quilt Festival in March 2025, where I was a featured artist.

 

250 Years of American Wilderness
250 Years of American Wilderness: 1776 – 2026 (40″ x 50″)

A tribute to National Park workers, made for the Semi-Quincentennial in 2026.

This premiers in Houston, Oct 2025. Then will go to the New England Quilt Museum in Summer 2026 as part of Sandra Sider’s Semi-Quin curated exhibit.

“Enslaved People of Mount Vernon” – 20″ x 20″- 2024

Opening at Virginia Quilt Museum – July 4, 2026

“Assateague Pony at Sunrise” – 20″ x 20″- 2024

Opening at Virginia Quilt Museum – July 4, 2026

“Fierce – Protector of the Forest” – dedicated to Alexei Navalny.

Donated to SAQA Spotlight Fundraiser Auction. 6″ x 8″, March 2024.

“The Children of War” – 39.5″ h x 82″ w

Sacred Threads – Preview 2024  & Traveling Exhibit. This is the signature piece for the exhibit.

Alt example
“Uncompahgre Fritillary” – commissioned for the “Little Creatures” exhibit on Endangered Pollinators, at the Boulder Library Canyon Gallery, September 2023. Now traveling in the SAQA Camouflage exhibit.  42″ x 60″.

 

“Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” – made for the “Women’s Voices, Women’s Rights, Women’s Votes” exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Center in 2022.  33.5″ x 59″.

 

“Stardust Mothers” – made for Sacred Threads exhibit 2022. 38″ x 50″.  “Sewn in America” exhibit at DAR Museum in Wash DC through Dec 31, 2024. Now traveling in the SAQA “Balance” exhibit.

 

“Kathy Price – A Mission of Love” – premiered at “A Better World” at 2018 Intl Quilt Festival, Houston. 30″  x 50″.

“Sunrise, Sunset –  Front Door, Back Door” – for the “Inspired by Washington DC” exhibit. 24″ x 24″

“Folger Shakespeare Library” – for the “Inspired by Washington DC” exhibit.  24″ x 24″

 

“Rosalynn Carter Explains to the Senate” – for the “HerStory” exhibit. Now hanging at The Carter Center in Atlanta Georgia. 24″ x 30″.

 

“Polar Bear, Eclipsed” – for the “Endangered Species” exhibit. 24″ x 24″

 

“Chautauqua Sanctuary” – made for “Sacred Threads” in 2017. 25″ x 22″.

 

“Tom and Alexei Share a Tube of Vodka” – for the “Fly Me to the Moon” exhibit in 2016.  18″ x 30″.

 

“Arches National Park Bobcat” – for “Inspired by National Parks” exhibit.

 

“Rocky Mountain Poison” created for the “Water is Life” exhibit, which premiered at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.  36.5″ x 71.5″. Acquired by the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln Nebraska.