5 Adirondack quilters showcased in Ausable Forks exhibit
Mar. 25—AUSABLE FORKS — Artistic director/choreographer Rebecca Kelly had a childish dream long before she realized her passion through dance.
"I thought I would build a log cabin in the woods and make quilts," Kelly, who with her husband, Craig Brashear, founded the Tahawus Cultural Center in AuSable Forks, said.
"At the time, I probably lived in Sudan in Khartoum, which is on the edge of the Sahara Desert. So, it's a really weird dream, but I never forgot it and I certainly did make a few quilts growing up mostly for friends who had babies. I could make little quilts. I always loved the ideas of quilts."
Kelly and her husband built a cabin in the woods.
"So that part came true," she said.
"It's not in Vermont. It's on the Saranac River. I didn't make any quilts, but I certainly have a few and they are so cozy and I love them."
QUILT PRIMER
Quilts are a 3-layered textile including a decorative top, next the batting providing warmth, traditionally made of fluffy cotton or wool fibers, and a backing.
The three layers are tied at intervals with quilting stitches, simple or complex, by thread, yarn, string ties, or narrow ribbon.
The outer raw edges of the quilt are usually turned together or covered with a binding.
About two years ago, Kelly wanted to do an exhibit of quilts and didn't really know how to get started.
"After awhile of being up here, I began to notice there were quilting organizations," she said.
"I knew some individuals who made quilts. I've seen some lovely quilts. So I just finally decided this was the year I was going make a quilt exhibit."
"Warmth and Beauty" features five Adirondack quilters at the Windows Gallery, Tahawus Center, 2nd Fl. 14234 Rt 9N, Main St., AuSable Forks.
The center put out a call for proposals.
"We really wanted it to be local to AuSable Forks," she said.
"Our people come from Upper Jay, Jay, Keeseville, Wilmington, and Essex. So, it's good. We were able to select five very diverse quilters.
"They all come to quilting differently, which is great. I think everybody who makes a quilt has a story to tell why they are doing it. So, it's very very compelling. It's very specific."
FAB FIVE
"Warmth and Beauty" quilters are:
Eleven quilts and works in fiber arts will be physically on display in the Tahawus Windows Gallery.
Twenty-two pieces will be shown in the Tahawus online exhibit, "Warmth and Beauty," using the web link. See box.
"So now because of COVID, we have learned to make online exhibits," Kelly said.
"I knew that I could start with that. We keep waiting for more people to get their shots and people that feel more comfortable about making appointments. We will have the open physical exhibit. I think we will choose Earth Day for its opening.
"We have one of the most airy, window filled beautiful galleries around. I think people will feel very comfortable as they make their appointments to come in and wander through."
In addition, several weekend education workshops will be offered enhancing the "Warmth and Beauty" exhibit.
"We're hoping to include a Trunk Show where they can sell their works," Kelly said.
"I just want to make it as interactive as possible and to engage our community in a variety of ways. We shall see what they come up with."
Email Robin Caudell:
Twitter:@RobinCaudell
ARTIST BIOS AND QUILT EXHIBIT LINKS
WHAT: "Warmth and Beauty" Spring 2021 Quilt Exhibit at Tahawus Windows Gallery, Au Sable Forks
1. Dawn Klotzko, Upper Jay, founder of Cabin Creek Stitchery, learned to quilt in 2000 when her mother bought her a sewing machine so they could attend evening quilting classes together. Her passion is to make a difference in people's lives through her work as a quilter and artist. She designs and creates one-of-a-kind quilts, incorporating personal fabrics into each project, drawn to making connections and providing support as individuals share their stories and communicate about their loved ones. Each of her memory quilts, using sentimental clothing to honor, preserve and tell a unique story. Her quilts have been displayed at The Quilt Show with the Adirondack Quilters Guild at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts (2019), Treadle to Technology Quilt Show with the Champlain Valley Quilters' Guild of NY in Plattsburgh (2017), the Annual Quilt Bazaar at Keene Valley Congregational Church (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and a solo exhibit at Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay (2016). She holds an MS in Physical Therapy (1997) from Springfield College, Springfield, MA. and currently holds a NY State Physical Therapy license. She resides in the Adirondacks raising her two children.
CONTACT: dawn@cabincreekstitchery.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/cabincreekstitchery
2. Bethany Krawiec, Jay, has been quilting for more than 50 years. She has worked in almost all of the fiber arts but with a focus on quilting. Her first quilts were traditional and have evolved to be more innovative in design. Though she uses many older techniques, tools, and traditional cotton fabrics, she likes to work with repurposed fabrics such as corduroy, wool, drapery fabrics, denim, shirting and others. Bethany grew up in Ithaca. After teaching science and math at traditional all-boys boarding schools for 30 years, first at Trinity-Pawling in Pawling, NY and then at the Kiski School in Saltsburg, PA, she retired to the Adirondacks to paddle and quilt. She enjoys vegetable gardening, hiking in the summer and X-C skiing in the winter. CONTACT: bethanykr@hotmail.com
3. Amy Pawlowski, Keeseville. Gregg Pawlowski gave his wife, Amy, a sewing machine, a Brother SQ9185, for the Christmas of 2016. "I've always wanted a sewing machine for years and years, and he finally got me one," she said. "That just started it." Amy joined the Champlain Valley Quilters Guild, NY in 2017. She works at Fidelis as a community relations specialist in health insurance. She has also worked as a graphic artist at the Press-Republican for 20 years. Amy first exhibited "Reflection" in the Vermont Quilt Festival in June 2019. "Reflection" was accepted in AQS QuiltWeek — Paducah, KY, which features more than 400 quilts from around the world. Other awards include 1st Place Award at the 2019 Clinton County Fair. Amy is a Member of Champlain Valley Quilters Guild American Quilters Society. CONTACT: amysroost@gmail.com or Facebook: www.facebook.com/amysroost/
4. Barbara Schaffer, Wilmington, has been a quiltmaker since 1974 and currently enjoys participating in online sew-alongs, making monthly minis, and blogging. As a traditional quilter, she reproduces antique quilts and loves the challenge of finding 'just the right fabrics' to attain the period look. She also enjoys making scrap quilts in an on-going attempt to use up all the small pieces, strips, and selvages that make up a large part of her stash. Barbara was the founder and president of The Heritage Quilt Project of NJ (1987-2019). She is a co-author of two books: A Passion for Quilts: The Story of Florence Peto 1880-1970, and New Jersey Quilts 1777 to 1950: Contributions to an American Tradition. She has been a longtime member of the American Quilt Study Group and once participated in a research forum at the Smithsonian Institution with published proceedings "What's American about American Quilts?" In addition to making quilts, Barbara enjoys the outdoors, old cemeteries, and posting weekly on her blog: Quilts, Gravestones, and Elusive Ancestors.
CONTACT barbaradschaffer.blogspot.com or bds23@hotmail.com
5. Luvie Tuller, Essex, grew up in New Hampshire in a family of eight girls and began sewing very young, taking hand-me-down clothes apart and repurposing them. Her mother had a treadle sewing machine for making clothes, many out of flour sacks. She made clothes for her own children until they grew up and refused to wear homemade clothes. Now retired, Luvie taught elementary school in Peru, NY for many years. One year a parent of one of her students volunteered in the classroom and decided that Luvie would be a good candidate to become a quilter. She taught her about the new tools and guided her through the first quilt, "Trip Around the World." Luvie has taken many classes since then, and although makes many machine pieced quilts, she loves to do hand applique and hand quilting. After moving to Essex, NY, she continues to quilt and show and sell several original pieces locally. She enjoys donating quilts for local fundraisers. When asked about her favorite part of making a quilt, she says, "Seeing what happens when all of those little pieces are put together. It's magic!!"
CONTACT: luvie1939@gmail.com
EXHIBIT WEBSITE: https://tahawuscenter.wixsite.com/warmthandbeauty
WORKSHOPS: Workshops-in-the-Gallery — Call for information and schedule.
ONLINE SHOW: Find Tahawus Center Gallery links to exhibit "Warmth and Beauty"
OR email TahawusCenter@gmail.com for guidance.
PHONE: 646-734-070.
