Art Reception: Martha’s Vineyard Modern Quilt Guild
A selection of quilts created by the Martha’s Vineyard Modern Quilt Guild will be on display at the West Tisbury Library in the Community Room for the month of November. Come see the striking designs and vibrant colors of the quilts, similar to the prize-winners hung high from the rafters at the Agricultural Fair, but much closer for better appreciation. This show will display a variety of quilting techniques used by guild members.
The MVMQG is an active and prolific group. It was founded in 2014 by Linda Chapman, Katherine Long, and Kathleen Peltier. Approximately 25 active members meet weekly at the West Tisbury Library, as well as occasionally holding small project workshops at the Oak Bluffs Library. The members range from beginning quilters to experienced to expert. Both year-round and seasonal residents participate. At present, meetings are both in person and on Zoom to allow participation by those who cannot attend in person. If you are interested in joining the Guild, please contact Katherine Long at mvquiltkat@gmail.com
This year’s quilt show displays both individual and group effort. Two quilts made by Kathy Lavieri and Laura Topham were made as a group swap where twelve members of the guild each made twelve 12-inch squares using the same design and a large or small piece of a designated fabric in each square. The 12 squares were then arranged by each person in the swap individually using their choice of border and backing fabric. The completed quilts are each unique due to the choices made in arrangement and fabric.
“The big project this year was making quilts from Agricultural Society tee shirts from past years,” says guild member Linda Hearn. A total of 12 quilts were made and 11 were sold by the Society during the Fair, by silent auction and by raffle. All proceeds were given to the Ag Society. Linda says that it was a worthwhile and intensive project because sewing the tee shirt material required special attention. One of the auctioned tee shirt quilts, from the collection of Leigh Parente, was made by Anna Marie D’Addarie and is part of this show.
Other quilters whose individual work is displayed include: Kim Manter, Katherine Long, Julia Burgess, Linda Hearn, Carol Christensen, Wendy Nierenburg, Shelley Lounsburg, Lee Dixon, Gail Burke, Andrea Winter and Marilyn deRuyter.
The show is free and open to the public during library hours, which are from 10 a.m. to 6 on Monday through Thursday, 10 to 5 on Friday and Saturday, and Sunday 12 p.m to 4. A reception will be held Saturday, November 12, from 3 to 4:30 pm and is open to the public. For more information about this event, or to schedule an interview, please call the library at 508-693-3366 or email artwtfpl@gmail.com