Creating Art from Craft
Sherry Burkhalter and Adele Kuszmaul, both avid quilters, had always wanted to have a quilt show in the Wiregrass area. They both had connections to Landmark Park—Kuszmaul as a park volunteer and Burkhalter as a member and frequent visitor—and they both felt that Landmark Park would be the perfect place to host a show that has now grown into a quilters’ paradise.
story by Laura Stakelum
Thanks to Burkhalter and Kuszmaul’s contacts in the quilting world, last year’s show featured Australian quilter Suzanne Wray and author and Alabama quilt historian Mary Elizabeth Johnson Huff as judges and lecturers.
Over 150 quilts were entered and put on display in the eleven categories. The largest judged category last year was “team” quilting. Other categories included a youth division, wearable art, and an “antique display only” category. The Landmark Park Quilt Show is a juried show, meaning quilts have to be approved before they can be displayed. Judges choose their favorite in each category, with “best in show” and “viewers’ choice” awards also being presented.
In addition to the display, demonstrations, lectures, and vendors were all present in the Stokes Activity Barn, adding even more excitement to the show.
After the success of the first show in 2009, word spread. Vendors and quilters from as far away as Atlanta and Tuscaloosa want to be involved in the Landmark Park Quilt Show. Burkhalter hopes that word will continue to spread and that the crowd will be even bigger for this second show.
“Quilters will travel to see a good show,” Burkhalter says.
Sue Reich will be the special guest this year, serving as a judge for the juried show and also as a guest lecturer. She travels from Connecticut with “Quiltmaking 1941-1945: The War Years,” a collection of 30 World War II era quilts. Reich gives gallery tours explaining her collection and providing information on the wartime history of the quilts. This year, Landmark Park hopes to have quilts from the community on display from that era.
“I really believe that these quilts are here in the area,” Burkhalter says. “We could probably have a whole display of World War II quilts right here.”
The key to identifying wartime-era quilts is looking at the color and pattern. Most quilts from this period have strong red, white, and blue colors, and many include the “V for Victory” pattern. Many of the quilts show support for the troops fighting overseas.
Burkhalter enjoys being involved in the quilt show, and once again she and Kuszmaul will serve as co-coordinators of the show.
“I want to preserve the history of quilts and the importance of quilting,” Burkhalter says. “Quilting is a way we can express our feelings and be creative. In the past, a quilting bee was a chance for socialization between different ages, giving younger women a chance to learn from older women.”
For the full story please see the September/October issue of Dothan Magazine available around Dothan at these locations. Click here to become a subscriber!
