PADUCAH, Kentucky — Visitors to the National Quilt Museum in this town of 25,000, located halfway between Nashville and St. Louis at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers, marvel at Florida-based textile artist Eleanor McCain’s “Things Fall Apart,” a contemporary quilt of mostly black-and-white quilt blocks. The top of the piece features simple, traditional quilting patterns, but as the eye moves toward the bottom, those patterns become less structured and irregular, almost chaotic.
“‘Things Fall Apart’ came from the sensation I had some years ago that stability was collapsing around me, both personally and in society,” McCain said. “The feeling of dissolution is heightened by wetting the fabric, allowing hand-dyed blacks to bleed and puddle on the floor.”
Her quilt is one of hundreds that highlight the talent of modern fiber artists from around the globe on display at the National Quilt Museum.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Visitors to the museum expecting folksy, century-old quilts made by somebody’s great-grandma will be surprised. Founded in 1991, the institution devotes 13,000 square feet of exhibition space only to quilts made after 1980.
In addition to selections from a permanent collection exceeding 600 pieces, the museum presents temporary exhibits such as “Australia Wide Seven,” a traveling exhibition of quilts created by a network of more than 40 Australian textile artists. They showcase a range of quilting techniques celebrating the planet’s abundance of flora and fauna while sometimes mourning its potential loss.
Among them, “Future Fossil 1″ by Lois Parish Evans, interprets the geopolitics of climate change with leaves in muted tones of brown and blue in homage to the majestic gingko, one of the oldest trees on Earth.
“Intriguing Iridescence” by Zara Zannettino is inspired by the luminous plumage of the Nicobar pigeon, a spectacular bird native to Asia. The piece has an intensity of brilliant, joyful color that changes depending on the viewer’s angle.
The exhibit runs through July 19.
Credit: Paducah CVB
Credit: Paducah CVB
The National Quilt Museum is just one of the reasons Paducah is known as The Quilt City. Designated a UNESCO Creative City, Paducah is also home to the American Quilters Society’s annual Quilt Week event. Held April 27-30 at the Paducah-McCracken County Convention & Expo Center, the event features classes, lectures, contests, exhibits, an auction and a merchant mall selling fabrics, notions and more.
But that’s not all. At the Yeiser Art Center at Market House Square, “Fantastic Fibers 2022,” an annual international juried exhibition that showcases 55 fiber artworks, will be on exhibit April 19-June 18.
What started in 1987 as a wearable art show has evolved into something more. The pieces are a snapshot of the latest trends and techniques in the world of contemporary fiber art. In addition to quilting, visitors can see tapestry, weaving, felting and many other ventures with fabric. Some pieces have a sculptural quality that defy the inherent softness and malleability of fiber.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
But fiber arts is not the only game in town. Other artistic endeavors include the Paducah Floodwall Murals. Stroll along the riverfront and admire the floodwall embellished with 50 vibrant murals painted by Robert Dafford, one of the most prolific muralists in the country. This awe-inspiring public art traces Paducah’s storied history from pre-Colonial times to the present.
Of special significance is the mural depicting the disastrous flood of 1937, the catalyst for the construction of the floodwall. Roughly 95% of Paducah was submerged under water and 27,000 people had to be evacuated.
Credit: Paducah
Credit: Paducah
Other panels portray a 1940s Strawberry Festival, the landmark 1903 Coca-Cola bottling plant and the city’s African American heritage.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, LowerTown Arts District is the city’s oldest residential neighborhood. The bohemian enclave of Victorian structures is now home to a number of artists who not only live here but maintain their studios and gallery spaces in the historic buildings.
Michael Terra, owner of Terra Cottage studio and gallery, calls himself the mud poet because he incorporates poetry into his evocative ceramic sculptures. Sometimes the message is obvious, but often the viewer must look at a piece from different perspectives, both figuratively and literally, to decipher the cryptic meaning. Those willing to engage are rewarded with an “aha” moment.
Credit: Michael Terra
Credit: Michael Terra
“In Plain Sight” is a series of sculptures featuring three ways to interpret their layered meaning. Spin the sculpture and read the poem that spirals around it. Touch it and detect a second poem written in Braille. Grasp it in your hands, and it feels like parts of the human body. The invisible becomes visible.
For those inspired to create their own art, Ephemera art school in LowerTown offers workshops for all skill levels taught by nationally recognized artists. Past workshops have offered instruction in everything from stained glass to embroidery. In the popular paper-palooza workshop, students learn techniques for manipulating paper and creating unique pieces for collage or mixed media projects.
Paducah is an old river city steeped in tradition, but when it comes to art, it’s always looking to the future.
If You Go
Paducah is 381 miles northwest of Atlanta via I-75 north to I-24 north. Flights from Atlanta require a transfer in Chicago; Newark, New Jersey; or New York.
Attractions
The National Quilt Museum. $12. 215 Jefferson St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-442-8856, www.quiltmuseum.org
Quilt Week. April 27-30. Multiple venues. $15 one day, $27 two day, $35 multi day. 270-898-7903, www.quiltweek.com
Yeiser Art Center. Free. 200 Broadway St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-442-2453, www.theyeiser.org
Terra Cottage. 514 N. 7th St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-908-0090, www.terracottageceramics.com
Ephemera. Workshop prices vary. 333 N. 9th St. Paducah, Kentucky. 270-748-6348, www.ephemerapaducah.com
Dining
The Freight House. Seasonal American cuisine served in a historic railroad depot. Entrees $17-$72. 330 S. 3rd St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-908-0006, www.freighthousefood.com
Cynthia’s California Tuscan Ristorante. California-influenced Italian cuisine. Entrees $26-$50. 125 Market House Square, Paducah, Kentucky. 270-443-3319, www.cynthiasristorante.com
Accommodations
Belle Louise. A historic guest house just a few blocks from the National Quilt Museum. $175 and up. 304 N. 6th St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-210-2553, www.bellelouisepaducah.com
Respite Bed & Breakfast. Five-suite B&B in LowerTown. $125 and up. 502 N. 5th St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-217-3700, www.therespitebnb.com
Tourist Info
Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau. 128 Broadway St., Paducah, Kentucky. 270-443-8783, www.paducah.travel
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