Special Exhibits

GVQC 2022 Challenge - Traditional to Modern

Genesee Valley Quilt Club began in 1936 and celebrates its 85th Anniversary in 2021. This challenge exhibit will show how quilting has changed from the 1930s until now. The aim of the challenge is to honor traditional blocks popular in the 1930s and/or a modern interpretation of a traditional thirties block. This modern interpretation could be a block makeover, use of modern fabrics, or both. Quilts will be 36” x 36,” appliqued or pieced, either a traditional or modern interpretation of the following popular 1930s blocks: • Dresden Plate or Fan • Grandmother’s Flower Garden • Basket Design • Drunkard’s Path • Sunbonnet Sue • Flying Geese • Nine Patch • Star • Bow Tie • Tumbling Blocks • Snail’s Trail • New York Beauty • Log Cabin • Card Trick • Diamond in a Square.

Rochester Museum and Science Center Exhibit

The Rochester Museum and Science Center ( www.rmsc.org) currently houses a remarkable collection of nearly 300 quilts, including complete quilts, quilt tops, and quilted household accessories. A small percentage of the quilts are non-local, but most are from Western New York and the Genesee Valley region, making it one of the largest and most significant regional collections in the country. Included in this collection is an original Susan B. Anthony quilt. In 2002 GVQC created a replica of the quilt as a gift to the Susan B. Anthony House. This quilt can now be seen at her home on Madison Street, Rochester, NY. All types and techniques are represented in the collection, the majority being hand sewn piecework. The dates of manufacture of quilts in the collection range from before 1820 to the mid-twentieth century, with the largest percentage dating to between 1821 and 1900. As more is learned about these quilts through the documentation and research being done by the Museum and the Genesee Valley Quilt Club, they hope to gain a better understanding of the lives of the women who made them, and connect them to the events of their times.

Cherrywood Exhibit - www.cherrywood-fabrics.myshopify.com

The Cherrywood Fabrics challenges encourage participants to push themselves creatively, think outside the box, and create new fiber art to express a specific theme using Cherrywood fabrics in a limited color palette. Themes over the last several years have included Broadway shows (The Lion King, 2016 and Wicked, 2014), visual and performing artists (VanGogh - 2017, Bob Ross - 2019, and Prince - 2018). We are pleased to announce that the “Diana, Princess of Wales” exhibit will be on display at QuiltFest.

American Quilt Study Group - www.americanquiltstudygroup.org

The AQSG Quilt Study challenges members to learn the history of an individual quilt by selecting one that addresses a specified design, style, or period, and then make a small replica or interpretation of it. In their written statement, participants examine what they learned and evaluate influences on the original quiltmaker’s life, style, and technique. The AQSG 2021 Quilt Study Framed Center/Medallion Quilts: History of a Style exhibit will be on display at QuiltFest. Below are quilts from previous Quilt Study challenges.

Quilters Consotrium of New York State - www.qcnys.org

Quilters Consortium of New York State (www.qcnys.org), of which GVQC is a member, invites its members to participate in an annual quilt challenge. In “Facing the Future”, the theme of the most recently completed challenge, participants were asked to create a quilted portrait interpreting the challenge title. It could be a self-portrait, or an image of a loved one, or an image of a personal demon or guardian angel, or anything else one could imagine. The interpretation could be realistic, abstract, representative, or whimsical, and could be made using any quilting technique. The finalist quilts from this challenge—bound to be beautiful and imaginative—will be on display at QuiltFest. Usually, winners of the challenge travel around the state for two years. Because of the pandemic, the winners from the 2020 challenge, Vision 2020, were all returned to their owners and are no longer traveling. Here are three of the Vision 2020 winners 2020 Vision - Shown are three of the twelve-quilt display.