Selections from the 2005 Quilt National
Months of work culminated with the opening of two simultaneous quilt shows at the Bonifas Arts Center. Selections from the 2005 Quilt National, a touring exhibit sponsored by the Dairy Barn of Athens, Ohio, fills the Center’s Lower Gallery, while Fabrications: Art Quilts of the U.P. fills the Upper Gallery through July 26.

The Quilt National is a biennial juried competition which draws over 1800 entries from all over the world. Its 81 selections from 2005 tour the country until the 2007 show is ready to travel.

Fabrications is a brand-new quilt competition that spotlights original quilts from Upper Peninsula quilters. The exhibit is believed to be the first juried show of art quilts in the Upper Peninsula, according to Bonifas Gallery Director Pasqua Warstler.

Twenty-five quilts by Glenna Arkens of Escanaba, Victoria Emmi of Escanaba, Nancy Henderson of Marquette, Margaret Hoffman of Manistique, Maureen Lapinski of Bark River, Amber Lippold of Escanaba, Rose Peltier of Escanaba, Kathy Peters of Marquette, Teresa Ross of Escanaba, Janice Simpson of Marquette, Jane VanDenburg of Gwinn, and Sally Zimmer of Bark River, are featured in the show. Exhibitors were honored at the Artists’ Reception at the Bonifas on Friday, June 29, when guest textile artist Barbara Bushey from Hillsdale College introduced both exhibits.

Prizes for Fabrications artists were awarded at the opening, as well.

Winners are:
First place - $100 cash and a $50 gift certificate from the Fabric Patch of Ironwood to Nancy Henderson of Marquette for “My Infinity”;

Second place - $50 cash and a $50 gift certificate from Northern Quilt Products of Cedarville to Glenna Arkens of Escanaba for “Delphiniums”;

Third place - $50 gift certificate from Tebear Sewing Center and a $30 gift certificate from Quilts ‘n Stuff of Escanaba to Margaret Hoffman of Manistique for “Cat Among the Christians”;

Honorable Mention – gift certificate from Quilter’s Haven, Ltd, of Menominee to Kathy Peters of Marquette for “Snow Angels”;

Honorable Mention – quilt workshop from the Bonifas Arts Center to Jane VanDenburg of Gwinn for “Bluebird” and “April 2003”;

Honorable Mention – gift certificate from the Ben Franklin Craft Center of Marquette to Rose Peltier of Escanaba for “Trillium”;

Honorable Mention – gift certificate from Quilts ‘n Stuff of Escanaba to Teresa Ross of Escanaba for “U.P. Love Affair”;

Honorable Mention – Quilt National 2005 book from the Bonifas Arts Center to Amber Lippold of Escanaba for “I See the Moon, the Moon Sees Me”.

Sponsors include Alley Kat’s Quilt Shop of Marquette, the Bay de Noc Quilt Guild, Keeping the Piece Quilt Guild of Sault Ste Marie, Pine Street Quilts of Marinette, Quilter’s Haven of Menominee, Quilts ‘n Stuff of Escanaba, Rapid River Quilt Guild, and Tebear Sewing Center of Escanaba.

There is no charge to visit the Center, attend receptions, or tour exhibits. Center hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.