Opening reception Saturday, August 2, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Saturday, August 2 through Sunday, September 7
Generously sponsored by Fiber College of Maine and by the Emily and William Muir Community Fund of Maine Community Foundation

Gee’s Bend quilts have been hailed by the New York Times as “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced”. Gee’s Bend is a tiny remote town in rural Alabama. For decades the women of Gee’s Bend made quilts to keep their families warm, creating their own designs in isolation. In 1998 art collector Will Arnett recognized these quilts as important works of art and organized The Quilts of Gee’s Bend, an exhibition which began at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts and travelled to nine major museums across the country including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Whitney Museum in New York City. This will be the first time the quilts and the quilters have been north of Boston. This exhibit is a collaboration between Penobscot Marine Museum, Maine Fiberarts, and Fiber College of Maine, whose director Astrig Tanguay is responsible for bringing the quilts and quiltmakers to Maine. Gee’s Bend quilters China Pettway, Stella Mae Pettaway, Revil Mosley and Lucy Mingo will be teaching classes at Fiber College of Maine September 3rd through September 8th.

On the evening of September 3rd the First Congregational Church of Searsport will host a public New England boiled dinner, and a discussion forum and gospel singing with China Pettway, Stella Mae Pettaway, Revil Mosley and Lucy Mingo. The forum, during which two quilts will be raffled, will be moderated by Maine Center for Contemporary Art Director Suzette McAvoy. “Do It Your Way”: Gee’s Bend Quilts & Quilters in Maine, but with a different selection of quilts, will be at Maine Fiberarts from Friday, July 4 through Saturday, August 30.