Visitors to the Wellington County Museum and Archives can enjoy the colour, beauty and design of quilts by award-winning quilter Renske Helmuth of Mapleton until June 1.
Helmuth designs a visual landscape of memories, travels and rural settings that reflect a wide range of experiences and stunning technical skills, museum officials state.
Born in Friesland (Netherlands), Helmuth developed her artistic skills in teachers college where she was given instruction in needlework, knitting and crocheting.
However, it wasn’t until she moved to Canada in 1970 that she discovered her true passion in appliqué quilting.
“Appliqué is a compelling medium for exploring the colours and textures of the natural world. Wonderful fabric samples stir my imagination of what I can do,” she said.
Helmuth and her husband raised their two children on a farm near Moorefield, where she continued to hone her skills as a quilter, designer and teacher. Rural themes and her Friesian roots provide much of the inspiration but, inspired by her visits to Africa and Japan, she has incorporated the colours, fabrics and designs that reflect the wider world of textile art. Many of the two dozen quilts on display embrace ‘sashiko’ techniques (Japanese embroidery on indigo-dyed fabrics). Helmuth is also well known for coordinating and designing quilts for the Mennonite Central Relief Committee. The museum and archives is located on Wellington Road 18 between Fergus and Elora. Admission is by donation and the facility is open weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm and 1 to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
