Members of the Osoyoos Quilters Guild were at the Osoyoos Arts Centre Monday to hang the quilts for their show that opens Saturday. From left are Vera Appleby, Marge Trosky (guild president) and Elaine Clarke. Appleby and Trosky both have quilts they’ve made in the show, which features the work of guild members. Photo by Richard McGuire.
An exhibition featuring the work of the Osoyoos Quilters Guild opens Saturday at Osoyoos Art Gallery.
“Quilts and More” runs from Feb. 16 to March 9 and admission is free.
An opening reception is planned for noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16.
Marge Trosky, president of the guild, says the organization has 27 regular members, all women, but ranks swell with the addition of a half dozen snowbirds in the winter.
Although the mandate of the guild is to produce comfort quilts for those in the community in need, the work shown will be the individual artistic creations of members.
“Quilting is a very, very old art, and it’s kind of had a rebirth in the last 20 years where it has become recognized as an art form,” says Trosky. “A lot of people get inspiration from the old patterns, but there’s certainly new ones evolving all the time.”
The material used for quilts has traditionally been fabrics of 100 per cent cotton, Trosky says, but colours and patterns differ considerably.
“The people who make a quilt usually get inspiration from the fabric itself and its colours,” she adds.
Work on the comfort quilts is often collaborative and quilting has a strong social element, even though the artistic work is normally done by individuals in their homes, Trosky says.
Many quilters in the group are very talented, she says, noting the example of Vera Appleby, who hand embroiders designs on her quilts that her husband draws.
The show will allow visitors to nominate a Viewers’ Choice and there will also be quilted items for sale.
There will be a couple comfort quilts on display to show the work that the guild does for the community – work that earned the group the Volunteer Appreciation Award from the Town of Osoyoos in 2011.
A quilt made by the guild is being raffled by the Osoyoos Arts Council to raise money for children’s art classes in Osoyoos. Raffle tickets are available throughout the show at the gallery and from members of the Osoyoos Arts Council and Osoyoos Quilters Guild.
