In Summers of odd-numbered years, The Dairy Barn Arts Center hosts Quilt National, the renowned biennial art quilt show. The rest of the time, this venue hosts exhibitions of all types, but textiles and fiber are frequently featured.
Currently, all three galleries in the center feature fiber-based work. Last week, I shared selections from the two smaller galleries’ exhibitions. Today, I’m excited to share a few pieces that stood out to me from the Fibers of Appalachia exhibit in the main gallery.
The Fibers of Appalachia
The Fibers of Appalachia exhibition celebrates all types of fibers made by creators living and working in the region, encompassing contemporary and historic pieces.
As a quilter, I was most drawn to the quilts on display, but the exhibition included a much wider range of fiber-based work, and I made sure to share a couple of those pieces, too.
Star Quilt
Maker Unknown
Star designs are classic for a reason, and this piece drew me in with the combination of plaid and indigo fabrics in a graphic design combined with the relatively dense arcs of hand quilting.
Shaft Mines
By Wanda Dotson
Horizontal lines dominate this contemporary piece of improvisation with just enough vertical piecing to help move your eye around the composition. While horizontal lines are generally calming (think of a sunset over the ocean), the juxtaposition of a primarily magenta palette creates unexpected energy.
Genevieve
By Beth Houck Shutty
Vintage embroidered linens meet a contemporary design inspired by an historical era in this quilt, which embodies an intergenerational collaboration between mother and daughter.
Too Poor to Count
By Sarah Ruth Morris
Traditional blocks form the basis of each state impacted by Hurricane Helene while text and imagery in both fabric and thread tell the story of desperation and recovery.
Receptaculum X: puer universum integro Arisaema triphyllum (A Boys World Recreated Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
By Andrea Finch
A well-loved quilt forms the base of this piece, which explores the theme of transition. While the maker’s story could have been told in 2-D form, it feels appropriate to depict a plant in the configuration of a pot or vase that would typically contain it.
Common Wealth, Uncommon Layers
By John Lefelhocz
Simple, inexpensive, and unexpected materials combine to create a dynamic design that depicts small objects playing an outsized role when combined en masse.
Power Object 1
By Jasmine Best
Fiber goes beyond fabric and thread, and the exhibit includes several brooms and similar objects. I was drawn to this piece, which uses the impressive techniques of making a functional broom to create a purely decorative object infused with meaning.
See the Exhibit
If you are interested in seeing this exhibit in person, it is on view at The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio through August 30, 2026.
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