A field of vivid colors has bloomed at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library. Fifty-two quilts made in the Golden Triangle and nearby counties are on display, and the public is invited to an opening reception and program at noon Wednesday at the library.
Quilt patterns can have whimsical names like Flying Geese, Seven Sisters, Bow Tie or Old Maid’s Puzzle. Pieces range from lap-size to king size. They may depict fanciful teapots or birds of spring. Some memorialize loved ones. All are testament to the creativity of area quilters, many who belong to groups like the Possum Town Quilters, Happy Hoopers, Maple Street Quilters, Golden Triangle Quilters, Scrappers Quilt Guild of Ackerman and Red Hills Quilters of Louisville.
“We’ve been doing this for 20 years, and that’s what this reception is about,” said Brenda Durrett, Local History and Circulation assistant at the library. “We want to honor the quilters who have been so constant and so generous to do this for the community.”
Wednesday’s reception will feature a presentation by Mary Lohrenz on “Mississippi Quilts: A Patchwork of History and Art.” Lohrenz is the quilt exhibit curator at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Jackson.
From early statehood to present day, quilters have created a remarkable record with their work.
“Through the centuries, they have stitched a variety of quilts — from utilitarian quilts of handwoven cotton and wool, to showmanship quilts of intricate and expensive fabrics, to narrative quilts that tell a powerful story,” said Lohrenz.
Judy Stokes, a Possum Town Quilter, has four pieces in the exhibit. They include a “mystery quilt” that was in American Patchwork and Quilting magazine last year. Another is a keepsake she worked on at the hospital before her mother passed away in 2008. Each quilt in the library has its own story.
“There is always such a wide variety, and I love looking at them,” Stokes said. “I usually see names of people I don’t know.”
All are welcome at Wednesday’s reception. C.T. Salazar will provide piano music before the program. A selection of quilt tiles by artist Rhys Greene of Reform, Alabama, is also on display at the library located at 314 Seventh St. N.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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