Art in Focus: “Beautiful British Columbia Thermal Blanket – Gloria” by Gathie Falk

Beautiful British Columbia Thermal Blanket, 1980; Painting; oil on canvas, fiberfill; Gathie Falk: Born Brandon, Manitoba, 1928; Died Vancouver, British Columbia, 2025; University of Alberta Museums, University of Alberta Museums Art Collection; 1982.14 https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/11-1412

I’ve never been the one with a green thumb in my family – whether we’re talking about my blood or chosen family, it makes no difference. Despite this, I find plants are a touchstone in my memories of care and connection. 

Gathie Falk’s Beautiful British Columbia (B.C.) Thermal Blanket – Gloria (1982.14), in the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection, is made of heavy canvas and construction-grade fiberglass insulation to create a queen-sized quilt, panelled with a portrait and still life paintings. While this work is in the University of Alberta’s Art Collection, it is part of a series of blankets made by Falk; each blanket is named after a friend of hers and shares intimate moments with them, often in their homes and gardens. 

In this case, we see moments with her friend Gloria through bundles of blooming red flowers, sunlight washing over concrete steps leading up to a house, and conversation that lasts until a meal is finished. While the panels on each Beautiful B.C. Thermal Blanket illustrate specific moments with her friend, Falk asserts that there is more to the blankets than simply representing those featured on them. Falk’s greater artistic practice draws our attention to the overlooked moments of daily life, and Beautiful B.C. Thermal Blanket – Gloria does the same. The choice to capture these simple moments – like a pause in conversation or a glance at the flowers beside a staircase – reminds us that our quiet moments are just as important as those filled with conversation and movement. By featuring these moments on the blanket, Falk evokes the history of quilting as a way of creating a personal record, ensuring these moments of connection are accessible to her, her friends, and the viewer for years to come. 

I find myself thinking of what moments I would feature on my own thermal blanket. I see the flowers and fruit trees my grandfather planted throughout my childhood, weaving around the unpredictably rocky terrain of his Newfoundland home. There are the four different community garden plots that my brother tends to, which I drive him to throughout the summer months. My friend Annissa’s harvest of tomatoes and peppers fill up her kitchen island, quickly becoming sauces or making their way to our individual homes so she can make room for more. I even see my meager attempts at keeping my two small houseplants alive – both gifts from friends I have since lost touch with.

Gathie Falk (1928 - 2025) was born in Brandon, Manitoba, on Treaty 2 territory. Falk was one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary artists until her passing in late 2025; she received the Order of Canada in 1997, the Order of British Columbia in 2002, the Governor General’s Award in Visual Arts in 2003, and the Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts in 2013.

Beautiful B.C. Thermal Blanket – Gloria reminds me to stay in the moment, in hopes that I can capture the small moments I find in my family’s gardens this summer. 

1. Jacques, Michelle. Gathie Falk: Life & Work. (Toronto, ON: Art Canada Institute). https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/gathie-falk/key-works/beautiful-british-columbia-multiple-purpose-thermal-blanket/

Max Quilliam is a visual artist and educator whose life is shared between amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta) and rural Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland). Their work often explores dynamics of community and care through the mediums of textiles, printmaking, and performance. They currently work as Programs Assistant to the Mactaggart Art Collection, through the University of Alberta Museums. 

This web story is part of the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection Spotlight Series, a collection of web stories aimed to share works of art from the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection with the world. Posted monthly, these stories connect works of art in the Collection to important matters on our campus and in our world.