Pete WiseSince the days of the ancient Egyptians, human beings have been wrapped up in the practice of quilt-making. Evocatively combining the essential utility of providing warmth with artistic expression, quilters through the ages have set to their work at times to achieve something aesthetically pleasing, sometimes just to survive and often to kill both birds with one stone. A city-wide exhibition is currently providing York residents and visitors with a chance to see an array of fine examples of the age-old craft.
Organised by The Quilter’s Guild of the British Isles, the lottery-funded ‘Quilt City’ exhibition will see a diverse range of striking quilts displayed in an equally diverse array of local spaces, from Cath Kidston, Purple Haze Vintage Clothing and York Cocoa House to The Bar Convent, Lady Ann Middleton’s and Monkbar Hotels. The works shown will include two specially commissioned quilts exploring contemporary and historical York by Alicia Merrett and Linda Barlow – both of whom we understand to be veritable superstars of the UK quilt scene.
Quilter’s Guild President, Tina McEwen stated in a recent press release: “The Guild is excited about commissioning two leading quilters to make work especially for the ‘Quilt City’ exhibition. The exhibition takes the best of contemporary quilting to a wide audience in all sorts of locations across the city and introduces the art of quilting to people who people who have never seen contemporary textile art. We hope that many people will also visit our Museum at Peasholme Green as a result.”
Sounds nice. If you want to catch this innovative exhibition before it’s too late, you have until November 16th to do so.
For information on where to find the quilts, visit The Quilter’s Guild website, or just pop into York’s tourist information centre and grab yourself a brochure.
