I’m thrilled to share the news that the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, California will host a show of the original stitched illustrations for my picture book MY BED. I’m honored to have my work exhibited in such a prestigious location in the heart of the Balboa Park Cultural District.
MY BED: Enchanting Ways to Fall Sleep Around the World
Mingei International Museum, San Diego, California
Oct. 31 , 2026 – April 4, 2027
Artist Talk ~ Sat., Nov 14, 10:30 – 11:30 am.
Please register Here.
MY BED ~ a book and an exhibition
The MY BED book and its accompanying exhibition both bring people on an international journey, showing children in varying cultures and home environments around the world. The exhibition, however, offers something extra that the book alone cannot possibly provide. It delivers an immersive experience where viewers can peer into these worlds and take a close look at the detail and sculptural quality of my bas-relief artwork in person.
Since its debut in 2020 at the Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, Massachusetts, the MY BED exhibition has traveled to more than a dozen large and small museums around the country, giving thousands of viewers the opportunity to see my original hand-embroidered, three-dimensional tableaus.
In many ways, having my work shown at the Mingei is a dream come true! This gem of a museum has been on my radar for a while, ever since a fan suggested it as a possible venue for my artwork. With its focus on folk art, craft and design, she thought it would be a perfect match. Now that I’ve had a chance to work with their curator and staff, I couldn’t agree more.
I’m looking forward to traveling to the museum in a few weeks to see the show. I’ll also be giving an artist talk on Sat., Nov. 14 at 10:30 am. If you live in the area, I’d love to meet you there. Please register for the talk here.
Will the MY BED exhibition continue to tour? I’d love to keep it going, so that more people can experience the joy that comes with seeing these pieces in person. Even though I’m no longer actively seeking out new locations, I still welcome inquiries from museums and curators interested in hosting an exhibition. For news about current and upcoming shows, please visit the exhibition page.
Each time I pack up the pieces for shipment to the next venue, I’m grateful to my husband Rob for making the beautiful cherry wood shadowbox frames that protect my art. In fact, over the past 45 years, he’s made hundreds of these frames! I also appreciate the curators, designers, docents, and everyone else who has helped make these exhibits a success.
BED BOOK PEEK: Below is a small sampling of the dozens of posts chronically the process of making MY BED during the years long process. For a complete list with links, visit this page.
A few days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting (via Zoom) with an enthusiastic group of MingeI Museum docents who will be leading tours of my exhibition. After giving an overview of my life’s work that I hoped would provide some useful information they could pass on to visitors, I fielded questions. The kind of subjects they asked about were specific and insightful, like how do you explain bas-relief to a general audience of museum goers? As I struggled to come up with a simple answer, I came away with a renewed admiration for people who volunteer to be docents. Their mission of explaining and interpreting art is no small task! The following slide show includes some of the process photos I shared with the group:
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS of Salley Mavor’s Art:
Weaving Words: Fiber Arts and Picture Books
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA
November 21, 2026 – May 2, 2027
This group exhibit explores the connection between fiber arts and picture books. Among the 30 featured artists is Salley Mavor.
Natural Wonders: The Art of Salley Mavor
Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cotuit, MA
July 21 – December 19, 2027
This solo exhibit is a celebration of nature, imagination, and the passage of time.
Autographed copies of the book, MY BED: Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World are available in my shop here.
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