While the Oxford Museum gallery enjoys its winter rest, our volunteers are busy at work on next season’s exhibition, The Fabric of History. When we reopen on Oxford Day, April 26, the space will be filled with objects of art, wonder and comfort.
Quilts are among America’s most traditional forms of creative expression. Once viewed merely as a decorative craft and even dismissed as merely “women’s work,” historic quilts are now appreciated as a highly sophisticated artform, combining intricate patterns, bright colors and extraordinary needlework. These works reveal very personal stories of celebration, community, and identity. Although the makers of many quilts remain unknown to us, their passion and creativity are unforgettable.
The Museum is grateful to our guest curators Kay Butler and Catherine Spence from The Fiber Arts Center of the Eastern Shore, who have opened this world to us. These experts have assembled a stunning collection of 30 antique and traditional American quilts for the exhibition, featuring Maryland quilts including local examples from Talbot County Historical Society and the Oxford Museum’s own collection. Acknowledged authorities in the field of quilts and coverlets, Kay and Catherine will also be leading several special member programs during the run of the show. In the coming months, check the museum’s website (https://oxfordmuseummd.org) for the full schedule and mark your calendars for the special Members’ Preview Opening on April 24.
The Oxford Museum and Shop, 101 S. Morris St, will be open to visitors from 12 to 4 PM, Friday through Sunday, beginning Oxford Day, April 26. The Fabric of History exhibit will run through mid-summer.
“Square Within a Square”
Annapolis, Maryland, ca. 1875
Courtesy Fabric Arts Center of the Eastern Shore
This Annapolis quilt features a center medallion pieced with early green, yellow and pink fabric. The succession of borders surrounding the center are made of squares, triangles and stars.
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