In the Autumn of 2022, after the pain and isolation of the pandemic and facing into the gloom of a cost of living crisis the committee of the Southern Branch felt it was time to have something to look forward to: a chance to show off our work again and give a little fillip to the soul! The idea of a Branch Exhibition burst into being.
The membership was enthusiastic and once the title for the exhibition was announced they got to work. Meanwhile, Heidi Wischniewski took the reins and did great work tracking down a venue, gathering all of the paraphernalia needed to put on an exhibition and forming a team to help her as she planned and organised.
Came the day of the opening and there were more than thirty stunning quilts and other projects by twenty-nine makers on display in Abbystrewry Hall in Skibbereen. The exhibition was opened on the evening of Thursday 14th July by Mary Palmer, who was witty, funny and sincere in her praise of patchwork and quilting in general and the quilt makers of the IPS Southern Branch in particular. The appreciative audience was delighted.
It was a busy weekend with a surprisingly high footfall, particularly on Saturday during the market and on Sunday after church. Some visitors had a go at hand stitching a quilt-as-you-go hexagon. One such, Linda Syme of Midleton, East Cork was very happy with her experience “I heard about the exhibition from a committee member and decided to come down for the day. I dabble in different crafts, so I’ve done a little patchwork, but this is amazing, and the display is superb.” Linda seemed very happy with her hexagon and said “…the activity made the whole exhibition meaningful, and it really gives you the confidence to try it. Love it!” When asked to pick a favourite piece from the exhibition Linda had great difficulty but eventually singled out Simona Damerell’s African ladies’ piece for its colour, movement, and use of embellishment.
Linda wasn’t alone in her appreciation of the exhibition, here are a few more quotes from visitors : “Absolutely stunning and such variety. WELL DONE ALL!” Patricia Tomlin, Drimoleague; “Woo! Breath-taking art.” Frank Fiorini, Alicante, Spain; “Spectacular craftsmanship. An absolute pleasure to browse.” Naomi Dieter, Skibbereen; “I so want to learn it!” Jayne Logan, Belfast; “Lovely quilts! So amazing!” Roger and Christie Colby, Oklahoma, USA.
And finally, just to echo the lady from Drimoleague: WELL DONE ALL!
Tracy Wardle
