We spent Mother”s Day morning putting up a “Barn Quilt” in memory of my mother Arline Rose Maes who passed away in late February.
The name of the quilt is “Full Blown Rose,” a very appropriate name. I write this letter both to honor my mother on Mother”s Day, but also to bring attention to the Barn Quilt project in Lake County and to acknowledge the key people who have contributed to this great program of public art.
Two years ago Marilyn Holdenried returned from a trip to Tennessee with an inspiration to bring the barn quilts she saw there to Lake County.
Soon she had a crew of volunteer artists and people who had sites to display the 8 by 8 foot “quilts” based on traditional quilt patterns.
Now they are showing up on barns and other buildings throughout the county. Check out the website: www.pearfestival.com/quilts.asp.
Get into your car, take a Sunday afternoon drive and see them all.
Special thanks to Jeremy and Jim for helping put up the quilt, to Annette, Susan, Gerri, Marilyn, Kerrie and Vicky for creating and painting the quilt, to Bill for recording the event and of course to Pam for helping at every step of the way.
And a big thanks to Robert “Bob” McIvor for offering his beautiful white barn to be the home for our quilt.
You will see “Full Blown Rose” when you drive south on Highway 29 on the left just before Renfro Drive and the Kelseyville exit.
My mom did not get to see her quilt displayed on the barn, but she saw the other quilts in Big Valley and saw her quilt being created. She loved it.
Gary Maes M.D.
Lake County
