The Magic is in...

That which is the magic of the Barn Quilt, may also be the key to a happy life (I know that this is a big stretch of the imagination). On a very primal level the quilt pattern (in this case a very large quilt pattern), is art composed of color, and symmetry, or maybe even asymmetrical symmetry. It can be a joy to even an infant. There are lots of joys, and pleasures of life that are little more than stimulations of our senses, and can be (and should be), enjoyed for the simple gifts that they bring us. Yet, I believe that there is more to this Barn Quilt magic.

What makes mankind special is not that we enjoy certain pleasures, but that we can assign values to objects, and ideas, and to memories. It is the story that needs to be told. It is the story of the mother, or daughter, or great aunt or the neighbors that created an image... that is the gift to your senses today. It is the hours of careful crafting, and sewing that was also a sharing of some stories, and the creating of others. There is the story of the quilt, and now there is the story of the artist, and the barn, and the farm, and the family that lives here, and maybe the ones before…

The key to a happy life (on one level), is not just the ability to feel pleasure, but the ability to feel the pleasure by the knowing of the story. Maybe it is the pleasure of telling the story, or maybe we just need to know that there is a story. The key is the story. There is no story if we do not have a way to communicate it. In my short existence, I see time and time again that the problems between people are so often created by some type of miscommunication. It may not be that words are understood incorrectly, but often it is that the words were never spoken to begin with.

As we learn to express ourselves efficiently, we find that there are usually some questions that will need to be answered without being asked. When experiencing a Barn Quilt Moment (seeing a new Barn Quilt for the first time), what are the primary questions ? and then what are the questions that follow ? There are many examples of descriptions and stories that are assigned to Barn Quilts. Some are more poetic while others are merely utilitarian (just the facts ma’am). How would you describe your Barn Quilt ?

Copy Right or Wrong ?

I have a moment on a gorgeous (almost) summer evening to leave a message that will resonate with more than just Barn Quilters, but also with quilters in general. I have only recently been introduced to the world of quilting, yet I was quick to see that there are millions whom have enjoyed this pastime, hobby, avocation, vocation and passion for years. Even for a relative newbe, I sense that there are two (tho not mutually exclusive), camps of fiber artists that quilt. There are the quilters that will do what feels and looks right, and because they are creating projects for themselves alone, they have no need to consider that by using the patterns created by someone else, they may actually be infringing on the rights (copyrights) of another. Then there are professional crafts artists. These are quilters that sew in groups, or individually for profit or as competition. By entering their quilts in local or regional shows, county fairs or even using the art as a church raffle, they will need to consider copyrights and the law.

Certainly, every artist would like to think that their art is an original, but in the world of quilting there is sharing. A lot of sharing! That is how people learn, and get better, and sharing is one of the reasons for the groups, societies, quilt circles and magazines and the quilt shops selling patterns along with a bazillion different fabrics. In fact, if there wasn't sharing and copying of quilts and quilt patterns, I doubt that there would be the number of quilts (and quilters), that there are today. I have been keenly aware of discussions that I have come across describing the rights of individuals to copyrighted patterns and quilts. It is nice when someone plainly states that this pattern is an original (with copyright protection), but for many of the individual patterns that are being used, they fall outside of the copyright protection... I am not an attorney, but there is a lot of interesting information on the internet, and a well written site provided by the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Copyright Office.

On the Ning Social Network - Barnquilting, I do believe that there is enough to question the rights and legality of copyrighting a Barn Quilt pattern. The majority (but by no means all) of the Barn Quilt patterns are based on traditional quilt block patterns, usually from before 1900. These quilt block patterns, in and of themselves can not be copyrighted, but what about the Barn Quilt ? Are there adequate protections for the artists, organizations and individuals that have created or claim ownership ? What do you think, and what protections have you taken ?

Agri...

The word for the day is "agritourism". This was a word that was coined some years ago (I haven't done the research), but I believe that it is ment to encompass many things. Mainly it is a draw created to get the more-urban into a more-rural environment temporarily... as a tourist. Maybe for an extended vacation, or maybe just for a few hours.

The current Wikipedia definition says: Agritourism is a style of vacation which is normally on farms. This may include the chance to help with farming tasks during the visit. Agritourism is often practiced in wine growing regions in Italy and Spain. In America, Agritourism is wide-spread and includes any farm open to the public at least part of the year. Tourists can pick fruits and vegetables, ride horses, taste honey, learn about wine, shop in farm gift shops and farm stands for local and regional produce or hand-crafted gifts, and much more.

The "dude ranch" is included here, but so is the barn quilt. I know that some of the Barn Quilt Projects in Western North Carolina were started with funding from the Blue Ridge Natural Heritage Area. They are self described as: a place designated by the United States Congress where natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. These patterns make National Heritage Areas representative of the national experience through the physical features that remain and the traditions that have evolved in the areas. Continued use of the National Heritage Areas by people whose traditions helped to shape the landscapes enhances their significance. (your federal tax dollars at work)

This money was channeled thru the Handmade in America organization. Since 1993, these folks have encouraged and supported the local arts and artisans of the region. When you focus on economic development there are also (can be), many supporters from local and state government. The Barn Quilt arts movement has the underlying spirit of supporting our rural neighbors, but I still like to think of this as stand alone, art for art’s sake. Can this be art for the sake of the community? Look at the pride that is generated by ownership (even by a neighbor, or tourist), of a place, and space in time, that we can call our own.

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