Tag: quilts

My friend A and I get together when we can for tea. We’ve been trying to coordinate something for a few weeks and it worked out for this past Tuesday. She emailed me on Monday asking if I wanted to go to a Quilt Show at the Armory.

I’ve done Quilt Shows. I’m not that into them.

However, the past month has been very work intensive and while that’s actually a good thing, it meant that there wasn’t the balance of work and creativity that I strive for.

I replied, “okay, I’m game.”

Little did I know.

Tuesday morning I was skimming RSS feeds and saw a post from the MS Crafts Dept. blog about the show. This made me pause, it was full of Red? and White? Two colours I very much dislike? Well, I was still open minded enough to give it a go.

So, while I began to click around and hear more favourable buzz about this … quilt show, I still was not prepared.

Wow.

I’ve been in the Park Avenue Armory building before. E and I went to an antique book sale a few years ago. It was just a generic space with lots of booths and tables. I expected something similar.

A and I opened the large doors, walked in, and then stopped short.

Why?

We saw this:

I can’t find the right words to describe it. I think A reminded me to close my mouth because my jaw was hanging open. I started to have to remind myself to blink.

I had left my camera at home and had to rely on my (very good) camera phone. Can you sense the wonder? The scale? The beauty? The amazing curation of the materials by Elizabeth V. Warren, guest curator?

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole exhibit and what I learned from it.

I’m inspired by it in many many ways, most of them unexpected.

I’m touched by the generous gift Joanna Rose gave NYC for her 80th birthday.

I need more time to process it and find a way to explain. I’m sorry to tell you about an awesome show that is now closed. I think there is talk of it travelling to other places.

I can, however, with clarity say this now: If there is any chance it opens elsewhere and you have the remotest possibility in the world of getting there to go see it, GO.

You can see others photos of the amazing installation through the flickr tag 650quilts. Here is more information from the Folk Art Museum.

Thank you A for inviting me!