Traveling Exhibit of Contemporary Fiber Art from National Quilt Museum's Collection Comes to Southern Illinois' Cedarhurst Center for the Arts

PADUCAH, Ky., Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, is thrilled to present a traveling exhibit of contemporary quilts from the permanent collection of the National Quilt Museum (http://www.quiltmuseum.org), the largest art museum of its kind in the world. The exhibit runs from August 17 through October 19 and is being held alongside Cedarhurst's 25^th Annual Gathering of Quilts, a celebration of the local quilters' guild.

Rusty Freeman, Director of Visual Arts at Cedarhurst (http://www.cedarhurst.org/), reports that visitors have already responded enthusiastically to the exhibit, many of them leaving glowing comments about their experience. Quilters and art lovers from throughout the tri-state region have made the trip to Mt. Vernon specifically to see the pieces from the National Quilt Museum.

The traveling exhibit at Cedarhurst showcases the variety and creativity in the world of quilting today. At the same time, the exhibit demonstrates how even the most avant garde fiber art still relies on tools and techniques firmly rooted in the rich tradition of quiltmaking.

The idea for this particular collection of quilts emerged from a conversation between Freeman and Judy Schwender, Curator of Collections at the National Quilt Museum. Freeman wanted to do something special for the local guild, the Cedarhurst Quilters, for their 25^th annual exhibit.  In the quilt and fiber art space nothing is more special than an exhibit from The National Quilt Museum collection.

Traveling exhibits are an integral part of the National Quilt Museum's mission to bring quilting to all corners of the globe.  "We love our traveling exhibit program because it brings the work of today's quilters to audiences that may not have the opportunity to visit our museum," said National Quilt Museum CEO Frank Bennett.  "Our traveling exhibits are made up of extraordinary quilts from some of the most admired quilters working today."

Museums and art centers that host traveling exhibits from the National Quilt Museum almost always record a surge in attendance. Those familiar with the art form enjoy a chance to see the work of leading fiber artists up close. Meanwhile, people new to contemporary quilting have their eyes opened to the incredible possibilities of the fiber medium.

The National Quilt Museum has over 530 quilts in its collection; the quilts not on exhibit at the museum often travel to regional art museums across the country. Over the past few years, traveling exhibits have been featured at prestigious institutions such as the Shafer Gallery, the Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum, the Branigan Cultural Center and the Lutheran Heritage Museum.

Since opening in 1973 as the Mitchell Museum, the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts has been a mecca for the visual and performing arts in Southern Illinois; the exhibit from the National Quilt Museum only solidifies the center's place in the regional arts community.

About the National Quilt Museum

The Museum is the world's largest museum devoted to quilts and fiber art. A destination for art enthusiasts worldwide, annually the Museum welcomes visitors from all 50 U.S. states and over 40 foreign countries from all corners of the globe. The Museum's onsite and traveling exhibits are viewed by over 120,000 people per year. In addition, over 6,000 youth and adults participate in the Museum's educational opportunities on an annual basis.

The Museum is located in a 27,000-square-foot facility in historic downtown Paducah, Kentucky. The Museum's mission is to, "Advance the art of today's quilters and fiber artists by making it accessible to new and expanding audiences worldwide." As their CEO Frank Bennett often states, "These are some of the most talented artists in the world and I want everyone to experience their work first-hand." The National Quilt Museum is a two-time TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner. It is located in Historic Downtown Paducah Kentucky, which was recently recognized as a UNESCO Creative City. 

Contact:

Amanda Ball, Marketing Director
National Quilt Museum
270-442-8856
Email

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SOURCE National Quilt Museum