SAQA Connecticut: Community Threads and Gee’s Bend – Quilts Decorate the City of Hartford

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Community Threads and Gee’s Bend – Quilts Decorate the City of Hartford

Community Health Services (CHS) in Hartford CT is sponsoring “Community Threads”, a City-wide celebration of quilts and fiber art, to coincide with the Hartford Stage’s musical production “Gee’s Bend”.

Now through February 28th, 2010

Over one hundred quilts have been loaned to public venues around the city. Antique bedding and historical quilts can be seen along side contemporary art quilts; work by Gee’s Bend quilters and Connecticut fiber artists lend inspiration to “first-timers” working on Hartford’s community quilt.

You don’t need to be a quilter to enjoy the history and beauty on display in our State’s Capital region.

CHS hosted a kick-off party last Thursday, January 7th. Over 100 people attended the event, including Mayor Eddie Perez, representatives from local galleries and museums, and various Connecticut artists.

Cathy Smith, Jutta Halpin and Betty Warner were among the crowd, and were able to see several art quilts on display in the CHS building. Jutta Halpin’s “Koi Fish” is hanging in the Reception area, while Cathy Smith’s “Where’s Hillary?” and Diane Wright’s “Tidepooling” are being exhibited on the second floor.

Take a tour of Downtown Hartford to find: “Falmouth Rocks” by Ruth Anne Olson, “Metropolis” by Gail Kotowski, “Ephemeral Balance” by Betty Warner (see image, center left) , “Country Scene” by Aurelle Locke and “Ladders” by Vivika DeNegre (see image, bottom left).

Linda Zimmerman loaned her art quilt “Sunset” and Betty Warner has 4 pieces with Community Threads - “More Than Ever, A Beacon of Hope” (see image, top left), “Together We Can Bridge the Divide”, “Abstract Feather” and “Fabric Grid”.

EdJohnetta Miller has generously loaned her own quilts and several pieces from her private collection to the Hill-Stead Museum (Farmington CT), Stowe Visitor Center and the Katherine Day House.

The Community Threads project is creating a “buzz” around Connecticut.

Helen Ubiñas of The Hartford Courant: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/courant-columnists/hc-ubinas-quilts1227.art.artdec27-col,0,6014267.column