For more than 200 years, colorful bed quilts have been a traditional way to brighten beds and decorate Tennessee homes. Manifestations of a maker’s dedication to family, as well as sources of warmth and comfort, individually-crafted quilts are also creative expressions. A quilt’s three layers of top, filler and back may further hold a wealth of hidden stories—private stories, economic or political stories, stories of race and gender, and stories of changing tastes. All are imbued with the emotions and memories of those who made them and experienced them. Between the Layers: Art and Story in Tennessee Quilts, selected from the Tennessee State Museum’s vast collection of quilts, highlights the artistry and diversity of the state’s quilt makers and the great variety of stories their quilts tell. It is the Museum’s first new exhibition since its grand opening.
On view February 8 – July 7, 2019
The Museum will be hosting a series of events in conjunction with the quilt exhibition:
Lunch & Learn: Using Quilts to Interpret the Experiences of African American Women in Tennessee
In Conversation: Bets Ramsey & Merikay Waldvogel, Reflections on Tennessee Quilting by Two Master Quilters:
Tennessee Quilts: Discovery and Identification
Tennessee Traditions: Quilting Classes