Quilt San Diego, an organization formed two...

Quilt San Diego, an organization formed two years ago through the amalgamation of quilt guilds throughout San Diego County, is presenting its first juried exhibition, “Visions,” at the Grand Tradition in Fallbrook (1602 S. Mission Road). Entrants responded from as far away as New England, Canada and Australia.

The quilts, most of which are usable, are like double-surface paintings with designs on both sides. A few, however, are meant to be stretched and framed. Many are made of pure cotton, but synthetic fibers have been used as well.

The original designs range from traditional to contemporary and from narrative to abstract, but most combine aesthetics.

“Rhythm and Blues” by Marion Ongerth of Berkeley and “Reflections and Illusions IV” by Marilyn Stothers of Winnipeg, Canada, are dazzlingly bright contemporary abstractions.

In a traditional vein, “An Old English Flower Garden” by Arlene Lane of Leona Valley, Calif., looks as if it dates from the early 19th Century. It is a masterpiece of fine hand stitching in a complex design with appliqued roses called “broderie perse.”

It is impossible to resist the good vibrations of such an exhibit, which continues through Sunday.

A different kind of fiber, much tougher than cotton, appears in the “Botanical Transformations” of Polly Jacobs Giacchina at the Spectrum Gallery (744 G St.) in downtown San Diego. The artist uses date palm seed fronds to make her works, some of which refer to traditional baskets, but most of which are pure abstractions that express elegance with earthiness and a sense of primitive magic.

Also on view are new drawings (oil stick and mixed media on paper) by Jennifer Luce.

These expressive, full-palette abstractions are explorations of interrelationships between men and women.

The exhibit continues through Sunday.

Another traditional craft medium, clay, appears in contemporary form at the Grossmont College gallery in El Cajon.

Artist Jeanne Otis makes handsome wall reliefs using colored slip on textured porcelain forms. Her lush palette of tertiary colors softens the geometry of the overlapping parts of the reliefs.

These handsomely decorative works make you glad you saw them.

The exhibit continues through Tuesday.