ARTHUR – The village of Arthur is getting a fresh coat of paint for its 150th anniversary.
With birthday celebrations approaching on Canada Day, nextdoor neighbours and Arthur Horticultural Society members Doris Cassan and Thea Ouwehand are orchestrating the creation of Arthur’s own barn quilt trail to bring the colour-curious to town.
So-called barn quilts may conjure images in the mind’s eye of old-timey textiles nailed to the broadside of a barn, but Cassan cleared up the misconception.
The quilts are frames of aluminium and plastic composite, brushed with healthy amounts of bold paint and mounted on building facades or placed in gardens to bring artwork into the open.
A design which will appear in a barn quilt commissioned by the Wellington North Cultural Roundtable for Arthur’s 150th anniversary. (Submitted photo)
Each square made, although individually spread around the village, will represent the pieces of a fully formed quilt.
Inspired by a colour-filled quilt trail in nearby Palmerston, Cassan and Ouwehand hope the community will grab some paint brushes and help to create a trail here, encouraging exploration of the village ahead of its anniversary.
The pair became enthralled with the artwork last year, having participated in a quilt-making workshop held by Bonnie and Jim Dopfer of Barn Quilt Creations in Palmerston.
Now, Cassen and Ouwehand are hosting their own quilt-making workshop at Arthur’s community centre (Arthur Arena) on March 26, facilitated by Bonnie Dopfer, who also created the Wellington County Barn Quilt Trail Association.
A brochure for a March 26 barn quilt workshop. (Submitted)
The Wellington North Cultural Roundtable, according to Cassan, has chipped in funds to provide a $20 rebate off the cost of making a quilt for the first 20 people who have theirs displayed before Canada Day.
The Arthur Agricultural Society also stepped up with funds, covering the rental of a room at the community centre for the March workshop.
Cassan says six people are signed up for the workshop so far, with an additional 14 participating in the quilt trail.
A recent quilt Cassan painted with 10 colours took two weeks to complete, but workshop participants will have pre-made designs available that can be finished entirely in the five-hour lesson.
“Offering the workshop is one thing, but the real goal is to get these quilts up,” Cassan said.
A barn quilt made by Doris Cassan. (Photo submitted)
County residents can also order take-home kits as a do-it-yourself project and for those less artistically-inclined, a quilt can be commissioned.
Arthur Home Hardware, Foodland Arthur and the cultural roundtable were the first to commission quilts that will be produced by Ouwehand, an artist in her own right.
Cassan and Ouwehand are in the midst of approaching other local businesses and organizations to sign on and install large quilts on their buildings, with the goal of attracting visitors downtown.
The Arthur quilters are hoping for at least 30 barn quilts to be installed by July, but Cassan hopes to see more.
“Wouldn’t it be lovely to get 40 … that would be something else,” she remarked.
Quilters will have their addresses added to a Google Map created by the Wellington County Barn Quilt Trail Association that will guide people to the creations around Arthur.
And, closer to Canada Day, the group also plans to have a printed brochure available.
“I like Arthur, it’s a friendly little town … I would like to help with the celebrations,” Cassan said about the COVID-friendly endeavour.
For more information visit: www.facebook.com/BQArhurArea or call Doris Cassan at 519-848-2019 or Thea Ouwehand at 226-332-2269.
