The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce its upcoming Atrium and Main Gallery exhibition for September, the popular, biannual Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild members exhibit. This highly anticipated event showcases local artistry in fabric and will run from Saturday, September 19th through Sunday, October 11th. The public is invited to celebrate the grand opening on Saturday, September 19th, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The opening reception is free of charge, features light refreshments, and offers a prime opportunity to meet the talented artists behind the quilts.
The Main Gallery will display an array of large, small, wall-hanging, and miniature quilts. Visitors are encouraged to actively participate by casting a ballot for their favorite entries across six categories: machine-quilted large quilts, solo quilts, small quilts, wall hangings, miniatures/miscellaneous, and the challenge quilts. Each category is color-coded by its individual paper label for easy identification. This year’s thematic “America The Beautiful” challenge pushed members to create an original small quilt, with a perimeter of no more than 100 inches, inspired by a line from the famous song. Families visiting the gallery can also request a special quilt-themed scavenger hunt for children, and young participants will receive an “Art Takeaway” packet courtesy of Art’s Friends.
The Atrium Gallery will shine a spotlight on the guild’s deep commitment to regional community aid. Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild members handcraft comfortable fabric items for families and individuals in need. Their community outreach projects include Humble Haversacks and Bumble Bags packed with items for local cancer patients via The Humble Bumble Project, as well as NICU mattress covers and whimsical pillowcases crafted specifically for children staying at Hershey Children’s Hospital. Members also make quilted placemats for local Meals on Wheels recipients, fidget quilts that provide crucial sensory and tactile stimulation for patients living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, honor quilts gifted to veterans in hospice care at UPMC, and a handmade comfort quilt for every single child entering foster care in Tioga County.
The atrium will showcase A Little Bit of Whimsy quilts, which are small art quilts available for purchase at $35 each throughout the exhibit. All proceeds from these sales will go to the Humble Bumble Project once the exhibit wraps up.
The Humble Bumble Project is a registered 501(c)(3) charity located in Tioga County, PA, focused on supporting pediatric and young adult cancer patients and their families. To find out more about their services, check out their website at www.humblebumbleproject.com.
Additionally, small art quilts will be on sale for $35, with all proceeds directly benefiting The Humble Bumble Project, a local non-profit supporting regional cancer patients and their families. Visitors can also buy raffle tickets for this year’s feature raffle quilt, “Rose Legacy,” a stunning 83-by-83-inch, hand-quilted masterpiece.
Representing roughly 100 quilters of all skill levels across North Central Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York, the guild dedicatedly furthers the craft through fellowship and education. The group routinely hosts workshops, local community workgroups, and lectures from nationally recognized artists. This event marks their 13th exhibition at the Gmeiner. Regular guild meetings are held on the third Monday of every month at the Gmeiner center, and visitors are always welcome.
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