#100 and still goin' strong

This (below) is a recent post from the Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina website:

UPCOMING EVENT :: Posted 9-13-08

Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina invites the public to witness the installation of the 100th quilt block for Mitchell and Yancey Counties on Saturday, October 11 at noon at 4125 Highway 197S (Pensacola Rd.) in Burnsville.

We will have a potluck on the site and everyone is invited to bring a covered dish. Drinks will be provided. Come help us honor the many volunteers who have brought us to this milestone and watch the 100th block go up. Signs will be posted to help guide you to the site.

For further information call 828-682-7331.

Kudos to the Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina, all of the artists, volunteers, barn owners, contributors, supporters and especially Barbara Webster who has been a driving force in the North Carolina Barn Quilt arts movement. Quite the quilter in her own right, check out Barbara's website Starforest Quilts.

Also, check out the great maps for each county. They do really nice work on these barn quilts, and there is almost always a good story that goes with them. Here is an image of one of the earlier patterns. This is called the Bard of Avon, and the story can be found at #6 on their map.

Racine Post from Racine, Wi

The Racine Post has a series of blog posts that cover the initial creation and installation of the Racine County's Quilts on Barns project. While it is mentioned that both the Racine Arts Council and the Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau were instrumental in the support of the Quilts on Barns project, neither mention the project on their web-sites. I do applaud Ms Kathi Wilson for having the vision and the follow through to get this off of the ground. The stories and pictures found on the Racine Post blog are wonderful. By October, they hope to have 15 quilt blocks mounted around the county.

I would love to add Racine County to the side bar, but I need some help finding a web site...

Barn Quilt Tour of Champaign County, Ohio

This weekend (September 13-14, 2008), the Champaign County, Ohio, Chamber & Visitor's Bureau is sponsoring their third annual Barn Quilt Tour. You can take the driving tour any time of year, but this weekend you can participate (tickets are $10.00), in an open tour of multiple historic barns. Hours for the tour are 10 am-5 pm on Saturday and Noon-5 pm on Sunday. There are themed activities including a display of over 150 hand-made quilts, and walk in barns. View the 40 barn quilts on this unique driving tour of Champaign County. For more information (map & pictures), go to their web-site at: http://www.champaignohio.com/

I also found a note that says: Bonus quilt show only: Friday the 12th at the Champaign County Fairgrounds.

Corn & Beans

I occasionally find it a problem being able to be in more than one place at a time... I often forget to look at the simple pleasures where I am... Sometimes I find that it is a little too far to travel in order to find what I already have. You can read this as I was in the car too long, but it was a beautiful day, with a beautiful woman, and we were traveling through beautiful county. There was more than one surprise awaiting us...

Last fall when I first discovered the allure of Barn Quilts, I traveled across a few of the neighboring counties to find far more Barn Quilts than I imagined existed. There was one pattern that I missed, and this past weekend I went in search of...

In the far eastern edge of Ashe County, North Carolina, is the Upper Mountain Research Station. This is a partnership of North Carolina State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture... the quilt pattern is Corn & Beans, and credit is given to Les Miller, and the artists of the Westwood Elementary School Faculty. Let's not forget the Ashe County Arts Council .

Gee's Bend, Alabama

Gee's Bend, Alabama is, in many ways, a living history of the south (at least South Central Alabama). Named for Joseph Gee and his plantation, and with help from the federal government during the great depression, this rural community on the Alabama River has held onto some significant cultural roots, and has grown some new & unique ones. This community is best known for the Quilts of Gee's Bend. In 2006, the United States Post Office issued a series of stamps (below) honoring the history and the quilters of Gee's Bend.




There is another project that will soon be realized and recognized. Artist Tyree McCloud has finished painting a series of 8' x 8' plywood "murals" depicting some of these famous quilt images. I don't think that these quilts will be hung on barns, and rather than quilt blocks, the nature of the Gee's Bend quilts lend themselves to being reproduced in their entirety. I'll keep my eyes open for a picture of the final product.

Expression of Joy

I know nothing of the Barn Quilt shown below, except where it is located... in nearby Wilkes County, North Carolina. Several weeks ago, while traveling through the county with my family, this Barn Quilt was spotted by my wife. Not easy to see from Highway 421, I missed this entirely the first time by, but immediately turned around after being notified. I have not yet seen a mention of this welcome to the county. It is not mentioned on the Cultural Arts Council of Wilkes web-site. It could be an independent expression of joy. I will let you know when I find out more.



After confirming the sighting and taking a quick picture, we all proceeded to a celebration of my birthday. This was a nice way to start the day.

McIntosh Star

My descriptions are not ment to replace images... I do not want to copy images (without permission), that may have copyrights even if fair use rules apply. Therefore, look to follow the embedded links that I try to provide.

Inside the back cover of the September '08, "Our State" magazine [Tar Heel Images] is an image of a man making repairs to, or re-painting a large red barn. This is the McIntosh Barn on the western edge of Burnsville, NC. There is displayed an 8' x 8' quilt block appropriately named the "McIntosh Star". My wife showed me the picture with the caption of "you can paint till the cows come home..." and asked why there was not a mention of the very prominate Barn Quilt ?

The family story, and another picture of the McIntosh Star, is provided on the Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina website. Visit the map for Mitchell & Yancey Counties, and look for the McIntosh Star listed as #13.

Barn Quilt / Quilt Barn News

Compiled by Melissa Kellen for the Le Mars Arts Council, there are some first rate directions for anyone interested in giving Barn Quilting a try. These directions are posted on one of the many Iowa State University Extension web sites (this one is for Plymouth County), and it's called Making Your Barn Quilt. They also have a map, and some general information on Barn Quilts and what they are calling Welcome Quilts. Contact is: Le Mars Arts Council, The Arts Center, 200 Central Ave SE, Le Mars, IA 51031-2032 Ph: 712.546.7476 Fax: 712.546.6477 Kathy Moore, Executive Director.

Also take a look at the Barns of Iowa

From the Richmond Register in Richmond Kentucky, it is reported that the Madison County Extension Homemakers have placed a 16' x 16' quilt block on the barn at Pleasant View Farm in Battlefield Park. The pattern is a “Fools Puzzle” pattern, sometimes called “The Drunkard’s Path,” said designer Don Hart. They plan to place 12 Barn Quilts around the county specifically linked to the Underground Railroad, in addition to the 40+ Barn Quilts that the Homemakers have already done.

Donna Sue Groves

There must surely be many ways to thank Donna Sue Groves for all of the hard work and inspiration in starting her Quilt Barn project, and a National Quilt Trail. Here are two web pages that should be included in any accolade and introduction to what Donna Sue has done. Follow the links below... I will let others tell the tale...

From: http://www.randesignscustomjewelry.com/

In Genesis of a Dream, read about the history of the the Quilt Barn art movement.


From: http://www.quiltalliance.org/

Read the June 2008 interview with Donna Sue Groves as she discusses her quilting, the beginning of the Quilt Barn art movement, and our... "need to come together, for people to have an opportunity to meet one another, to share their stories, to talk. The project, even though it's about quilting and barns it is also about celebrating our rural heritage and building on our own unique assets."


Thank you Donna Sue

better late than never...

Copied from http://artbeetinc.blogspot.com/

ArtBeet, Inc. is the first and only non-profit arts organization with tax-exempt status (a 501(c)(3)) in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.


Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Barn Quilt Project - looking for artist volunteers

Agricultural Heritage & Resources (AHR) has partnered with Kewaunee, Door, Manitowoc, and Brown counties, 4-H, UW Extension, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts for a four county wide "Barn Quilt Project". This project will provide a unique educational experience for children in grades 3 through 12. They will be researching old barns, planning a quilt square that has local agricultural, rural, or ethnic significance.

A barn quilt is one block of an old quilt that is p0ainted on an 8 foot by 8 foot board. This board will be displayed on old barns across the four county area. Along with the barn quilt project, the clubs will work together to create a driving tour and map of the barn quilts within the four county area.

The timeline for this project will be four months. On 4 November 2008, at 6:30 pm, there will be an informational meeting for all youth and adults involved with the Barn Quilt Project. This will include all volunteer artists.

15 November 2008, Dr. William Laatsch, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (laatschw@uwgb.edu), will give a presentation to the volunteers about the ethnicity of barns in the four county area, why the barns were constructed in a specific manor, and why they are important to the area. Mrs. Mary Gaye Rank, the textile teacher from Kewaunee High School, will speak to the volunteers about quilting, the history of quilting in Northeastern Wisconsin, and why various patterns were named. There will also be a discussion about the Barn Quilt Project and what to look for when choosing a quilt pattern. Youth groups will be given a list of farmers that are willing to have a barn quilt placed on their barn. The groups will pick one farm from the list. The groups will have seven days to interview the farm family, learn about their heritage, and their desire for any certain quilt pattern.

22 November 2008, the groups will meet at Agricultural Heritage & Resources to discuss their findings from the interviews. They will be introduced to quilt patterns that meet the criteria for this project. The groups will pick a pattern they want to reproduce on the 8 by 8 foot square boards. Mrs. Mary Gaye Rank will discuss color pallet with the groups and help them choose colors that are historically correct, while keeping in mind that the quilts will be hung on barns and need to be seen from a great distance.

6 December 2008 through 28 February 2009, work schedules will be set up for Wednesdays and Saturdays. Five area artists will be on hand to teach the groups about transferring a pattern from a scale drawing to a large piece of wood. Groups will prime the wood with at least two coats of Diamond Vogel paint. The groups will tape the design on the wood and proceed to paint the quilt square.

Beginning March 2009, the barn quilts will be stored at Agricultural Heritage & Resources until the Kewaunee County Fair (July 23-26, 2009) where they will be displayed. After the fair the barn quilts will be hung on the barns that were selected.

Any groups that are not interested in painting a barn quilt, but still want to be a part of this project will have an opportunity to put together a driving tour brochure. This will be with the help of a graphic designer (********). The work for the brochure will start when painting of the barn quilts begins. The design project will end when the barn quilts are installed on the barns. There will also be an opportunity for the groups to work with a web designer. The youth will help to put together a web link from Agricultural Heritage & Resources web page specifically for the barn quilt project. This link will also have a guest book and a comment area attached to the web page so feedback can be measured.

The Farms that agree to have the quilts put on their barns will have them for a period of one year. After that year the farmer can opt to have the quilt removed and placed on a different barn, or keep the quilt up for one more year. The farmer will agree to inform Agricultural Heritage & Resources of any maintenance required to the barn quilt. Agricultural Heritage & Resources will work with the farmer to perform the required maintenance to the barn quilt. Also, area businesses will be sponsoring specific barn quilts, thus, the businesses will help support the project past the funding date requested.

This is a new project for Agricultural Heritage & Resources and the surrounding area. It is foreseeable that this project will take on a life of its own and grow as barn quilts are put up for display. Hence, part of the planning of this project is to see of there is ongoing interest in the four county areas for continued painting of barn quilts. The barn quilt project will be ongoing at least until October 2009, when the National Quilt Show will be held at Agricultural Heritage & Resources.

If you are interested in offering your barn for display, volunteering as an artist or graphic artist, please contact Jennifer at:
Home 388-3451
Cell 255-1132

Please let me know either by phone call or e-mail if you can be part of the barn quilt project. I need at least 5 artists that would be willing to guide the 4-H members in painting the quilt square on on an 8 foot square board. I also need a graphic designer to help design and guide the youth in making a driving brochure.

Thank You,
Jennifer Gozdzialski
volunteer Director of Grants and Acquisitions
Agricultural Heritage and Resources