Ky, Boone County

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A grand thanks to Joyce Foley, Chair of the Boone County (Kentucky) Barn Quilt Trail. They boast almost 50 "boards" so far, and are now listed on the sidebar of Barn Quilt Memories as http://boonebarnquilts.com/

... from the past few weeks

I have been busy with a new job for the past few weeks, and I have not been able to read many of the e-mail notices from the world of Barn Quilts. I will attempt to catch up this afternoon.

There are over a dozen Barn Quilts in Lake County, California. Go to: www.kelseyvillepearfestival.com, and click on the “Quilt Trail.” The Lake County News is doing a great job of documenting these additions.

A guided bus tour of all 54 of the barns on the Clinton County (Ohio) Barn Quilt Trail is planned for Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided along with information about project history, farm stories and more. For more information and to register contact Carol at The Cotton Junky Quilt Shop 366-3602.

2010 Plymouth County (Iowa) Fair Queen Kristen Ahlers gets help from fair board members including Brent McNaughton as well as other royalty members (hidden) in displaying the "Barn Quilts of Plymouth County" quilt at the fair auction Sunday in Pioneer Village. The 42 squares represent barn quilts and welcome quilts in Plymouth County. The quilt sold for $10,000. The LeMars Daily Sentinel has a photograph of this amazing Quilt, or see this at: The Sioux City Journal at: ( Photo 1 ) or ( Photo 2 )

I suggest keeping up with Suzi Parron at: http://americanquilttrail.blogspot.com/ Her book will be a big hit, and she keeps adding to her blog. Stay tuned.

Columbia County (Wisconsin) is starting a Barn Quilt Trail. Go to: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/columbia/ for more information, or contact Margo Holzman at: mitesag@yahoo.com.

After months of their hard work, I have added the Wardsville Ontario Barn Quilts blog, to the sidebar of Barn Quilt Websites. They have been very busy with this Bicentennial Celebration and it is worth more than a look-see.

Welcome

Osceola County in Michigan has been added to the sidebar of Barn Quilt Trails

These could be yours !

To view these Barn Quilts, go to:

http://visitcaledonia.com/Auction%20Quilt%20flyer%20rev1.pdf

These are the real McCoy. 8' x 8', and they will be auctioned on August 21

bicentennial celebration

The Wilmington News Journal of Wilmington, Ohio is one of the most consistent news sources publishing stories about Barn Quilts anywhere. Their focus is on Clinton County. They regularly print pictures and stories as new Barn Quilts are hung in the area. There seems to be a special sense of local pride and community that really gets to the roots of this Arts Movement. Below, I am posting a few excerpts from today's story. You can read the rest at: wnewsj.com. Thanks for the honoring all those involved, and all of their hard work.

Take self-guided quilt barn tour Saturday, Sunday
JOHN CROPPER
Staff Writer

The 200-year history of Clinton County will be on display this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13, during a bicentennial barn quilt tour which will take participants through five eras of local history.

Five of the 54 paintings, which have emblazoned the sides of barns around the county this year, will be featured during the self-guided tour. There will be two stops in Wilmington and one each in Martinsville, Clarksville and Sabina. Each quilt site will feature events or activities that correspond with a given era.

“It’s really an event for the whole family,” said Diane Murphy, coordinator of the tour and co-creator of the barn quilt series. “There will be something for everyone."

"I’ve been amazed by the enthusiasm for the barn quilts. Not just locally, but beyond Clinton County as well,” Murphy said.

“Not only are they visiting the barns, but they’re coming back and saying how much they enjoyed it,” she said.

Leading up to the barn tour, “Lady Barn Consultant” Pam Gray will present “The Americanization of the Family Barn” on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Clinton County Historical Society. Admission is free (to see Pam Gray), and open to the public.

For more information about the barn quilt-tour, call Diane Murphy at 382-0136 or Carol Earhart at 366-6302.

Accuquilt

Go to: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=170180&id=84892741164 to vote for your favorite (of 10), Quilt Blocks submitted to the Accuquilt contest. The winner gets $1,000 worth of stuff plus a trip to Fremont, Nebraska and their design will become a 20' x 20' Quilt Block... How cool is that!

Lake County, CA

Just south of Clear lake, California is the community of Kelseyville. Proud home to the Kelseyville Pear Festival, and the recently organized Lake County Quilt Trail - the very first in the state of California!

Buena Vista County, IA

Buena Vista... What a great name!

With images of a few dozen Barn Quilts in and around Storm Lake, Albert City and Buena Vista County, Iowa... I have added the Barn Quilts of Buena Vista County website to the side bar here. Thanks to the Buena Vista County Historical Society.

Kudos

On April, 21, Donna Sue Groves was honored by the Ohio Arts Council with a Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio. Winners were selected from nominations submitted by individuals and organizations throughout Ohio. A selection committee made up of members of the Ohio Arts Council board chooses the winners. Ms Groves' O.A.C. Bio is below:


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & PARTICIPATION,
Donna Sue Groves, Manchester

Donna Sue Groves has been the connector and spark that brings people, resources, and dreams together, building civic and community capacity at the grass roots level for over 40 years. Throughout Ohio, and especially in Appalachia, she has worked hand-in-hand with communities, building fruitful partnerships, and bringing resources to economically disadvantaged communities—giving them the skills, tools and networks needed to build successful arts business that stimulate local economies.

As coordinator of the Appalachian Arts Initiative from 1991-1999, Groves developed the first Directory of Appalachian Arts and Artists in Ohio. In her role as OAC Southern Ohio field representative from 2001-2008, she continued to grow the Directory and served a vital role in ongoing work with the artists and arts organizations in Appalachia. As a tireless leader and advocate for the arts and culture in Appalachia, her own strong Appalachian identity and passion for bringing recognition to underserved communities and individual artists is unmatched. Groves fights tirelessly to keep Appalachian Ohio in the public eye and in the minds of arts funders statewide—allowing startup groups and artists with limited resources to grow their audience, market their products and create economic opportunities based on their creative work. She has made it her personal mission to communicate both the cultural and economic value of the region to both its artists and the communities who help create a market for their work. This is a critical element in laying the groundwork for revenue-building, creative industries in isolated, economically depressed, Appalachian border communities.

Grove’s own vision took root in the Quilt Barn Project. Honoring her mother, she thought quilt square murals installed on barns would be a unique way for communities to emphasize and utilize local assets for economic development. What began in rural Adams County in 2001, now draws visitors from all over the country who drive and bike through the Ohio countryside enjoying quilt trails comprised of more than 500 murals in 21 counties. The Quilt Barn Project has become a cultural tourism phenomenon that now stretches across 26 states with 98 dedicated driving trails.

In 2004 Groves received the Jenco Foundation Inspirational Service Arts Award and was named an Outstanding Philanthropist by the Foundation for Appalachia Ohio. In 2006 Sinclair Community College awarded her the Wayne White, Unsung Hero Award.

Groves irrepressible spirit demonstrates each day that one person can make a difference sharing by her knowledge, vision, and love for the arts. She has built deep trust and collaboration in communities across the state and nation by living her motto of "giving people a hand up, not a hand out." Her ongoing collaborative work to celebrate and raise awareness of the unique gifts, talents and cultural traditions of Appalachian Ohio embody the very spirit of participation and community development.

I say, Well done Donna Sue... Well done!

Rock County, Wisconsin

It appears to be very early on for the Barn Quilts of Rock County Wisconsin. They have a web page hosted by the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension service.

The Rock County Barn Quilt Project has an informational brochure that states the following objectives:

* Promote rural heritage of Rock County
* Highlight the architecture and history of barns in the county through relevant quilt blocks
* Encourage economic development by promoting ag-tourism and local business
* Educate the public about the art and history of quilting
* Forming youth-adult partnerships to help teach all ages about the project and our heritage

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A group of Rock County citizens have been working together to make The Barn Quilt Project reality. As you can see on the brochure the first barn quilt has been installed at the Rich & Shirley Templeton Farm in Evansville. Their family will be hosting the 2010 Rock County Dairy Breakfast on June 5th. Information about this project and how you can get involved will be available at this event and at the Rock County Porkfest on June 16 at the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds.

If you have questions or would like to complete an application for a 8' x 8' Barn Quilt for your barn, complete the application below and contact one of the people listed below...
Ronna Morton-Ballmer, Janesville - 608-758-5112
Phil Woodworth, Evansville - 608-295-5112
Jeanette Beard, Milton - 608-868-4240