Quilting exhibit starts Thursday

What does the word "current" mean to you? Air currents? Traffic patterns? Clams at a party? Marilyn Fashbaugh's quilt named "Currents" could be about all that and more, she says.

Fashbaugh is the featured artist at the Brigham City Museum-Gallery's Quilt Festival, which runs from Thursday, June 26, through Thursday, July 31 (and open on July 4).

Fifteen of Fashbaugh's art quilts and works by 13 other artists will hang in the museum.

Fashbaugh almost didn't become a quilter. She was introduced to to the craft in 1960, when she was a young mother and was invited to quilt an applique piece with other women during a church function. But her stitches were all wrong and were ripped out by a supervisor in front of everyone. Fashbaugh was mortified. Fifteen years went by before she felt like she had the confidence to create her first quilt.

When she moved to Reno, Nev., she decided she needed a spread for her bed that would match her new carpeting. She sewed a long cabin quilt based on a pattern she found in a magazine.

Since then, quilting has occupied a prominent position in her life. She opened a quilt store in Reno, participated in quilting retreats at Point Bonita State Park in San Francisco, and for three years was co-chairwoman of the Nevada State Historical Quilt Project, traveling to 17 locations and documenting more than 3,000 quilts.

Although she has done traditional quilts, her work is now more contemporary art quilts, inspired by festivals, nature and Native American traditions.

Fashbaugh now lives in Clinton.

The Brigham City Museum-Gallery is located at 24 N. 300 West. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

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E-mail: carma@desnews.com

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