If you’re an Appalachian, there’s a good chance you have a closet full of quilts. Quilting is a part of Appalachian tradition and has been preserved for centuries.
At ETSU the Department of the Archives of Appalachia explores the latest exhibit titled “The Art of Quilting.” This exhibit, created by Sandra Laws, contains “a double wedding ring quilt, a star quilt, a vintage sewing machine, quilt scraps, batting, a quilting hoop, patterns, needles and thread.” The exhibit features these quilts and information on the activity, as well as on “quilting bees in Appalachia.”
The exhibit itself represents the idea of how “quilting started out as a necessity” within Appalachia, “using only scraps from feed sacks and old clothes,” said Laws. She explained that now, quilting itself has “developed into an art form.” The exhibit was started using a wedding ring quilt “made by [her] mother that was quilted by hand.” Laws’ mother passed away in 1992, leaving this quilt as a memoriam of her, or a “tangible connection” to her. The exhibit is created using “personal items” of her, her mother and her sister.
This exhibit, which has been on display since June, serves to promote the culture of the Appalachian region. In addition, it serves the idea that “quilting and quilting bees are still prevalent in Appalachia.” Laws said she recently conducted a survey, asking people why they quilted.
“The consensus was that it is a form of therapy…self-expression, a creative outlet and a way to foster art and connection,” said Laws.
While quilts may be heirlooms, they are also a form of art that the department and Laws feel very strongly about showcasing.
The Archives of Appalachia are “always proud to promote the arts and crafts of Appalachia.” Through this exhibit, as well as others, the department focuses on supporting “original scholarship, education, and creativity by collecting, preserving, and making accessible materials of enduring value” to show the history of the region and the “cultures of Southern Appalachia and East Tennessee State University.” Though these exhibits, Laws and the entire department hope to showcase all of this and further their message and outreach.
ETSU students can either come to the physical exhibit, or visit the Department of Archives of Appalachia’s website to see the two digital exhibits on display. There are two exhibits online, “To Bee or Not to Bee”, created by the Jonesborough Old Town Quilt Guild, and “Granny’s Box” by Molly Franklin Hensley.
This, as well as other information on the exhibits and the Department of Archives of Appalachia, can be found on their website at etsu.edu/cas/cass/archives/
