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Virginia Quilt Museum Celebrates 20 Years

The Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg is now in its 20th year.  Some of the quilts in its collection are centuries old.  Preparations are in full swing for the museum’s first-of-its-kind seminar called “Civil War Quilts,” on July 24th and 25th.  WMRA’s Scott Lowe recently took a tour and met the museum’s new executive director.

The Virginia Quilt Museum is different than other tourist attractions because, as the new executive director of the museum Kimberly McCray explains, so many of us have a personal connection to quilts. In the past they were functional: durable and driven by a need for comfort and warmth.

KIMBERLY MCCRAY: But now more and more quilts are made to be hanging on the wall and actually be seen as works of art, so there’s this dual function.  'Oh this is art …something very special… beautiful techniques but also I can relate to this because I have this on my bed at home.'

And beauty is in the eye of the beholder ...there are many ways to see what a beautiful quilt has to offer.

MCCRAY: Viewing the quilt and appreciating it visually as a piece of art just like you would at any art gallery... but then we also are trying to push more and more towards a scholarly view of quilts here at the museum.  This could be women’s studies.  Rural life, folk art, even industrialization.  You know, the change from making quilts purely by hand to nowadays mostly using sewing machines.

McCray, previously the director of the nationally recognized Port o’ Plymouth historic museum in eastern North Carolina, earned degrees in history from both the University of North Carolina and James Madison University.  She’s originally from Augusta County. 

The quilt museum, which grew out of an original collection that had been housed at the Belle Grove Plantation, is now in its 20th year.  It’s a private non-profit that takes no federal or state funding.  Operating funds come from memberships and sponsorships of events, sponsorships of the quilts that are on display , raffles of quilts, special events, and gift shop sales.   Every three months, the exhibits on each of the museum’s three floors are completely changed with quilts culled from the permanent collection of about 300 quilts, donations, and loaned quilts as well as antique and toy sewing machines.  

MCCRAY:  This is Virginia.  We have quilts 200 - 300 years old.  And of course think about the size of Virginia in the past.  At one point we stretched all the way to the Mississippi River

Gloria Craft Comstock is the curator and registrar of the museum.  She’s responsible for proper display and care of the quilts as well as getting the story behind a piece She can’t name a favorite ...why ?

CRAFT COMSTOCK: … because you can describe a quilt by its intricacy or you can describe it by the tiny little stitches that the quilt maker made... you can describe it by the total aesthetic or you can describe it by the history.

CATHERINE GENOVESE: So what makes a quilt come alive is the color.

Catherine Jenovici articulates the striking beauty evident from the very moment one enters this hidden jewel of Harrisonburg.

GENOVESE:  The one we are standing in front of has among the most vibrant color schemes I’ve ever seen.  There’s bright bright burning orange, there’s scarlet, there's purple, there’s dark blue, there’s lime green, there’s sparklies, there’s silk.

As the new director of a popular area tourist attraction, McCray is curious about the museum's visitors and where they come from.

MCCRAY: We do get some regular locals but a lot are just passing through the valley and they find out about us from Massanutten or from a local publication. In fact yesterday we had two visitors form Nova Scotia. Most people that come here do have some sort of interest in quilting already.  They’re quilters, their mother is a quilter, etc., but we also get people who are just 'Hmmm I’ve never been to a quilt museum, I’ve never even heard of a quilt museum. Let’s check this out.'

While Kim, her staff and volunteers strive to preserve the history and culture of quilting, its success is probably best measured by the enthusiastic response of visiting patrons like Ann from Washington state:

Ann: Well I’m a quilter and I like history and of course I love the Civil War.  I love any kind of textiles and I love just going to things like this and I love the house and history … I want a job here...can I get a job here ?

Originally from Blacksburg and Roanoke, Scott has been a broadcaster for more than three decades. Starting in 1985 as a DJ at WSLQ/WSLC, and moving to the valley in 1989, his broadcasting career progressed through a variety of air personality positions including program director, morning show host, and play-by-play sports announcer. Scott joined WMRA as Sunday Morning Announcer in 2008. In the summer of 2015, Scott's service to our listening community expanded as he took on the role of Membership and Volunteer Services Manager. Got questions regarding your membership? Ask Scott!