The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Ky., recently announced the 18 winning quilts of the 2010 Sunflower-themed New Quilts from an Old Favorite contest. These innovative quilts represent quilters from 11 U.S. states as well as two Canadian provinces.
Sponsored by Clover Needlecraft Inc., Fairfield Processing Corp. and Janome America Inc., this international contest challenges quiltmakers to create original quilts based on a specific quilt pattern. The traditional sunflower pattern is one of the many flowers interpreted by 19th century quiltermakers. Some of today’s brightest art quilters have modified the design in imaginative ways, providing a wonderful look at the skills, techniques and creativity of today’s quiltmakers.
All quilt finalists will be on exhibit at the museum March 19-June 15 and then travel to various museums, art galleries and quilt shows through December 2011.
An asymmetrical design flowing beyond the bottom border is the foundation of the first place quilt, Gypsy Caravans by Claudia Clark Myers of Duluth, Minn., and Marilyn Badger of St. George, Utah. The rich palette of teal, turquoise and cheddar is offset by taupe and black with sequins and faux ‘jewels’ adding a touch of the exotic.
Second place went to Geri Parker and Kathy McNeil of Coupeville, Wash., for their quilt Sun Flower Duet featuring multiple sunflowers on a shaded purple ground. Leaning on the Fence by Sharon Rotz of Mosinee, Wis., took third place, incorporating eight different sunflower patterns and an abstract fence.
To take fourth place, the team of Ann Feitelson and Ronna Erickson of Montague, Mass., created Rising and Radiant, a straightforward pattern gone wild by the use of electric green, hot orange, purple and burgundy striped fabrics. Fifth place was won by two Canadians, Marion Perrault and Helena Scheffer of Beaconsfield, Quebec, for their quilt Sunflower Sutra, which depicts a single large sunflower lifting its face to the sun against a vivid turquoise background.
Other quilts which will be featured in the exhibit include:
Follow the Sun (on Route 66) by Kathryn Botsford of British Columbia, Canada; Crowing for Sunflowers by Jill Bryant and Nancy Brown, both of Chesterfield, Mo.; The Prodigal Sunflower by Donnah Burke of Kirkland, Wash.; 3-D Sunflowers by Martha DeLeonardis of Katy, Texas; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Nouveau by Robin Gausebeck of Rockford, Ill.; The Desert Shall Rejoice by Julia Graber of Brooksville, Miss.; Flora by Mary Ann Herndon of The Woodlands, Texas; Trickster in the Garden by Patricia Hobbs of Macomb, Ill.; Southern Borders by Ann L. Horton of Redwood Valley, Calif.; Welcoming the Son Into Our Garden by Chris Lynn Kirsch and Wendy Rieves, both of Watertown, Wis.; No Forwarding Address by Theresa Reeves of Oberlin, Kan.; Navajo Sunflower by Karen R. Watts of Houston; Graffitti, Sunflowers & Bricks by Judy and Bill Woodworth of Gering, Neb.
A book featuring full-color photos of the 18 finalists and their award winning quilts, biographical information about each quilter in addition to tips, techniques and patterns will be published by the American Quilter’s Society and available for purchase at the museum in March.
A book signing by the quilters will be held at the museum on April 23 from 10 a.m.-noon.
Quilters wishing to enter the 2011 New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Orange Peel contest can request an entry form by sending an SASE to NQM, P.O. Box 1540, Paducah, KY 42002-1540 or visiting the museum’s Web site at www.NationalQuiltMuseum.org. Upcoming themes are Baskets in 2012 and Jacob’s Ladder in 2013.
Designated as the National Quilt Museum of the United States, this non-profit institution is located in downtown Paducah. The museum is open year-round Mondays-Saturdays, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and also on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. from April–October. The facility is ADA compliant.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports the National Quilt Museum with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Published in The Messenger 1.6.10