This last weekend I attended the 2014 Lincoln County Quilt Show. This quilt display was held inside of the Lincoln County History Society Museum during the “Art In The Park” a two day event here in Shoshone. Let me give you a little history behind the Lincoln County quilt show. When I first moved to Shoshone seven years ago I happened to get involved with the committee organizing the “Art in the Park” show. It usually runs the second weekend in July on the Lincoln County Courthouse lawn. This show has been ongoing for at least 35 years or so. Eighteen years ago, when I was first started painting my art quilts, I had a booth in this show. So now years later I am on the planning committee and while attending one of the planning sessions it came to me that the Masonic Hall across from the county courthouse in Shoshone was a perfect place to hang quilts. It was a big space with high ceilings. My thought was that we could hang wires on the outside walls and across the ceiling from side to side and that would be a great way to display quilts. So I pitched the idea to the art in the park committee and they were thrilled. The board of commissioners were so excited about the upcoming quilt show that they quickly had the entire inside of the masonic hall painted. Because this was an empty building at the time, my husband was able to hang the wires just as I envisioned. The first quilt show had 80 quilts on display and it was stunning. The next year we had about 135 quilts. Then it was time to make a change in the quilt show format because the local historical society took over the building and started to set up beautiful displays of local history. Meantime it was time to pass the baton so to speak to Salli Hubbs. Salli couldn’t be more perfect to handle the quilt show. She is a fellow quilter, owner of Back Porch Fabrics just north of Shoshone and also a member of the historical society.
Salli, who has been in charge of the quilt show for the last four years, and has done a great job with this now blended quilt/local history show. It is in its 6th season and Salli is now the head of local historical society and the quilt show. I think what made the quilt show go from good to great, is that Salli has a clear vision of how to display history and quilts together. She brought cohesion to the venue. This year I was able to put three of my art quilts in the show and loved admiring the others that were hanging there too.
Others from the historical society were there to greet everyone. The Lincoln County Quilt show is not the biggest quilt show around but it’s simple format and beautiful displays make it worth the time to attend and inspire you to think about putting a quilt in next year. As you already know, the quilts that we create are part of our heritage and we should display them with pride. To me they are always awesome works of art. Looking back at the Lincoln County Quilt show journey I am amazed and honored to be a part of it.