The 2002 Art-in-the-Redwoods Quilt
For more than 25 years, the Art in the Redwoods Quilt raffle has been an institution on the North Coast. Each year, members of the Pacific Piecemakers Quilt Guild design and produce a unique bed-sized quilt and donate it to Gualala Arts to raffle off at the Art in the Redwoods Show in August.
The proceeds from the raffle are the primary fundraising source for the Gualala Arts Young Artists Scholarships. More than $5,000 in scholarships is awarded each year to graduating high school seniors in the North Coast area who are starting college studies in the arts.
AIR Quilt Team: Miriam Littlejohn, Pamela Wilson, Carol Tackett
Artists' Statement: Miriam based the design of the 2002 Art-in-the-Redwoods Quilt on a quilt created by Dee Morrow of Anchorage, Alaska. Her invention particularly appealed because it combined traditional and contemporary elements in both the block designs and the fabric choices. In our interpretation, the soft shades of the traditional star blocks tone down and balance the bold colors of the diamonds-in-the-square.
When we started shopping for the fabrics and found the coordinating background prints the very first day, and one day later the perfect stripes, we knew the quilting gods were smiling upon us! Although we shopped from Ft. Bragg to Walnut Creek for the bright gold and yellow prints, all three of us wound up contributing favorite pieces from our own stashes to achieve the final medley.
(detail)
22 members of the Pacific Piecemakers Quilt Guild donated hundreds of hours to handquilt and otherwise assist with the project: Mary Austin, Annie Beckett, Pat Cairns, Linda Cotton, Polly Dakin, Lola de Longoria, Jo Dillon, Chris Francis, Maureen Healy, Katy Horn, Sue Lease, Marilyn Limbaugh, Renata Lopez, Naida Mauthe, Bonnie Morgan, Paula Osborne, Connie Seale, Janet Sears, Bev Sloane, Mary Suhr, Jeri Taylor, and Linda Warnock.
Raffle tickets are $2 each, 3 for $5, or 7 for $10, and are available at Gualala Arts Center (707.884.1138) and The Dolphin gallery (707.884.3896). The finished quilt, which fits a queen-size bed, will be displayed and tickets sold during June at Fabrications in Healdsburg. During July, the quilt will be on display at The Dolphin.