MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Nov. 14, 2026) — Around 100 guests attended the opening of two quilt art exhibitions on Nov. 13 at Piedmont Arts. The reception featured live music by pianist Ann Nichols and a gallery talk with exhibit curators Linda M. Fiedler and Betty Blessin.
"The Art of the Quilt" brought together 96 quilted works by 56 artists from the southeastern United States, showcasing the region's remarkable diversity of artistic voices and quilting traditions.
First held in 1998, the biennial exhibition followed the success of a solo show of Fiedler’s work at the museum. “The then exhibits director wanted to know if I knew any other quilters who might put together a show,” said Fiedler. “So I contacted some of my friends,” and the show was born.
Now in its 15th year, the exhibit features traditional bed quilts, art quilts, wearable textiles, and innovative mixed-media pieces. Fiedler says each work demonstrates how quilting has evolved into a sophisticated art form, using color, texture, pattern, and stitching to tell compelling stories and express individual perspectives.
This year’s exhibit was inspired by the theme “Journey.” Artists used a wide range of techniques, styles, and personal narratives to reflect on the many journeys that have shaped their lives, whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or creative.
Fiedler noted that quilt artists have been on a creative journey “since the first time we picked up a piece of fabric, a pair of scissors, and a quilt pattern.” She hopes the theme will speak to viewers and inspire them to explore their own creative journeys.
The Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild is also exhibiting in the museum’s Lynwood Artists Gallery. Themed "Happy 250th Birthday, America," the exhibit celebrates American quilting traditions and the vibrant quilting culture that continues to thrive in the foothills of Southern Virginia.
Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild is a Community Partner of Piedmont Arts. The group meets monthly at the museum and welcomes everyone interested in quilting.
These exhibits will be on display through Jan. 9, 2027. Exhibit admission is always free.
The exhibits are sponsored by Bunco Babes, Olivia and Pres Garrett, Libby Kormos, Nancy Philpott, Julie Thomas, Jackie Thornton, Brenda and Joe Williams, Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild, Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson Jr. Charitable Foundation Trust, Lynwood Artists, and What's Your Sign.
About the Curators
Fiedler is an award-winning quilt maker from Meadows of Dan, Virginia. Her quilts have won national and international awards, and her quilted clothing has appeared in such prestigious shows as the Fairfield Fashion Show and the Hobb’s Fashion Show in Paducah, Kentucky. Her quilts also hang in private and corporate collections throughout the country. She has curated “The Art of the Quilt” since 1998.
Blessin is a fiber artist from Stoneville, North Carolina. She is a member of Lynwood Artists and curates the organization’s gallery at Piedmont Arts. Her work has been exhibited at galleries and museums across the Southeast, including Piedmont Arts and Red Dog Gallery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She has served as co-curator of “The Art of the Quilt” since 2018.
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