It’s no secret that there’s a lot of great art to be seen around the city, especially in the Perron District. Look closer though and you’ll find that a lot of the works on display weren’t created with paint and a brush and they aren’t photographs either. Some of these masterpieces are also the most underrated. The secret is that they’re quilts, not paintings.
This weekend the St. Albert Quilters’ Guild is putting on a quilt show that really should dispel the notion that these are just blankets with a lot of extra stitching. The artistry is unparalleled and the cultural community should wholeheartedly appreciate it.
Michelle Eaton is the chairperson of the committee that put on the show. She said that the 60-member-strong guild is a friendly group of people and all of the members are dedicated to their craft. After all, she said, you can’t just whip up a quilt in a weekend.
“For anything that’s of good size, it’s hundreds of hours that it takes to put it in. We’re doing it because we love to do it. Some people do make it as a business but I’m not sure how you could account for all the time that you put in. You’re doing it because you love it, because you want to make something.”
And the things they make are astounding. It’s not just an exhibit of blankets. There are jackets and bowls, all decorative to be sure, so please heed the ‘Do Not Touch’ warnings, even if it beckons you to test the fabric. Eaton has seen many sudden realizations.
“They’re going to the library and all of a sudden they’ll see the quilts hanging there and they stop. Their jaws fall open. They have to get close. We have signs and it’s just very tempting. It’s a very tactile thing.”
Quilts, after all, are all about giving comfort and joy. As it turns out, that joy gives as much back to the quilter as it does to the audience.
“I have sold some [quilts] to people and it’s almost you don’t even want to take their money. People rave about it, they love it and they’re going to hang it in a particular place in their house. That just makes you feel really good.”
How Green Does your Quilt Grow?
Quilt works by the St. Albert Quilters' Guild<br />Runs until tomorrow, in conjunction with the last weekend of the Quilt Walk<br />St. Albert Place<br />5 St. Anne Street<br />For more info about the show or the guild, please contact Michelle Eaton at 780-460-0407 or by e-mail at [email protected]
