Book on Quiltmaking provides insight into the history of a great American art form

Book on Quiltmaking provides insight into the history of a great American art form http://tinyurl.com/6464cfh

By Kevin Dayhoff

January 17, 2011 http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-on-quiltmaking-provides-insight.html

LABELS: ART LIBRARY AUTHORS, ART LIBRARY BOOKS, DAYHOFF WRITING ESSAYS,DAYHOFF WRITING ESSAYS ART ARTISTS, DAYHOFF WRITING ESSAYS HISTORY,HISTORY, HISTORY CARROLL CO, QUILTS

A Maryland Album: Quiltmaking Traditions ~1634-1934, published in 1995 by The Maryland Association for Family and Community Education.  Written by Gloria Seaman Allen and Nancy Gibson:

“A Maryland Album Quiltmaking Traditions ~1634-1934” by Gloria Seaman Allen and Nancy Gibson is a definitive resource on the history of quilts, quilt design and quilting in historic Maryland for anyone who has even a passing interest in quilts, a great American art form.

The book is lavishly illustrated to help bring quilts and quilting to life.  As a bonus, a review of the many quilt-design eras gives an historian or anyone interested in art history or the unique American art form of quiltmaking, great insights into American – and Maryland history.

According to information found in the cover flaps, “Some of the oldest and most collectible American quilts are from Maryland and are examined in this book, which is based on the findings of the Maryland Association for Family and Community Education quilt documentation project.”

The book, quilts and quilt making were the topic of a feature presentation, "Pieces of the Past: An Overview of Carroll County Quilts," by the author, Nancy Gibson, at the Historical Society of Carroll County Maryland on Jan. 19, 2010.

Thanks to the efforts of my wife and sister-in-law, Pastor Sarah Dorrance, whose church, Taylorsville United Methodist, (http://www.taylorsvilleumc.org/) is in the heart of the history and tradition of quiltmaking in Carroll County; I now have a copy of Gibson’s book.

Gibson, whose past credentials include 20-years as the textile curator for the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum in Washington, helped the 125 attendees at the presentation interpret the language of quilts that evening.

On January 24, 2010, I wrote in a column in the Carroll Eagle (www.explorecarroll.com,) “Carroll County's 173rd birthday celebrates a patchwork quilt of history,” “Some of the oldest, historic, and most collectible American quilts, dating as far back as 1803, examined for the project by Gibson in the 1990s are from right here in Carroll County. 

“Several are in the collection of the Historical Society of Carroll County, which has sponsored the annual county birthday celebration for many years, according to Dave Roush, chair of the society's board of trustees, (and now a member of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners.)”

Further information from the flap reveals, “The oldest quilt examined in the project (– in “A Maryland Album: Quiltmaking Traditions ~1634-1934,” -) was made by the daughter of a Pennsylvania-German immigrant in 1803.  During the 1800s an explosion of creativity occurred in Baltimore that led to the development of the beautiful and highly decorated Baltimore Album quilts.”

This explosion of creativity was also found in Carroll County which has a rich tradition and history of art and artisans in the county, especially practical art forms, be it cabinetmakers, culinary artists, painters, writers, singers – and quilters.

The book flap’s introduction goes on to explain, “Quilts adorned with eagles and pieced chintz quilts have also been identified with Maryland. Throughout the state’s history, Maryland quilts have reflected both the major design trends of American decorative arts as well as the diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds of the makers.”

Any study of art and history in the Maryland and Carroll County would be remiss if it did not include a comprehensive study of the design and history of quilts.

“Examining wills, newspapers, and the quilts themselves, the authors trace the history of Quiltmaking in Maryland during a three-hundred-year period, from the seventeenth century to Maryland’s tercentenary in 1934.

When possible, they spoke with descendents of the quiltmakers in order to gain deeper insight into the artists’ motives and inspirations.  Interwoven with more than seventy-five quilts seen here, the enlightening and accessible text chronicles the rich and diverse history of Maryland.”

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See also my columns on Nancy Gibson and quilting in Carroll County:

Historic 1857 quilt inspired by the politics and faith of its era by Kevin Dayhoff http://tinyurl.com/4jsaybn Published February 7, 2010 by Carroll Eagle  http://www.explorecarroll.com/community/3929/dayhoff/

... Past: An Overview of Carroll County Quilts," at the Historical Society of Carroll ... Jay Graybeal wrote about another lecture on quilts at the historical society, which took ... ;Eagles are popular designs on Maryland quilts in the early 19th century," ... ...

Carroll County's 173rd birthday celebrates a patchwork quilt of history by Kevin Dayhoff http://tinyurl.com/4akc774 Published January 24, 2010 by Carroll Eagle http://www.explorecarroll.com/community/3882/dayhoff/

... help attendees interpret the language of quilts that evening. Her past credentials include ... of our English and German background. Quilts were often the collaborative product of ... is not interpreting the language of quilts ... ...

Gibson is currently a principal with “Gibson Communication,” since 1995.  Find her online store at http://WWW.vandm.com/gabrielgibson, her blog at http://WWW.TheAntiquer.blogspot.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gabriel-Gibson-Decorative-Arts/67445667311.

Join the Historical Society of Carroll County for its annual celebration of the founding of Carroll County . This year's guest speaker, Helen Jean Burn, examines the life of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte.  Wednesday, January 19, 2011... http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2011/01/carroll-countys-174th-birthday.html.  For more info: Historical Society of Carroll County 410-848-6494 http://hscc.carr.org/ or read Caroline Hailey article in the Carroll County Times, “County to celebrate 174th birthday Wednesday”

Book on Quiltmaking provides insight into the history of a great American art form http://tinyurl.com/6464cfh By Kevin Dayhoff 

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[19950000 Gibson A Maryland Album Quiltmaking Traditions]  [19950000 Gibson A MD Album Quiltmaking Trads]

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/