Quilts & the Stories They Tell

Paducah Quilt Murals Inc is proud to announce that the premier panel of Quilt City USA® Murals featuring the iconic quilt Corona II, Solar Eclipse (1989) by Carol Bryer Fallert-Gentry was unveiled on September 13, 2017, at AQS QuiltWeek® Paducah Fall. The timely unveiling also coincided with Solar Eclipse 2017. Paducah and Western Kentucky were in the path of totality during this historic celestial event.

This beautiful quilt has been reproduced as a mural on the floodwall facing the Schroeder Expo Center and Carroll Convention Center at 415 Park Street, Paducah, KY 42001. (More About Corona II: Solar Eclipse.)

Lead artist Char Downs of Pinecone Gallery in Paducah’s Lower Town Arts District devoted nearly 600 hours recreating Corona II, Solar Eclipse. The Paducah Quilt Murals will not look like barn quilt squares. The goal of this project is to recreate a trompe l'oeil (visual illusion in art used to fool the eye into perceiving a painted detail as a three-dimensional object) version of the quilt that will showcase stitching detail, color variations and texture. Locally based artists have been juried and selected for painting upcoming murals.

The Second Quilt In the Series

Melinda Bula described her quilt “…and Our Flag was Still There!” as “a painting without any paint.” Muralist Stefanie Graves recreated the quilt using paint for the Quilt City USA® Murals project.

This mural was unveiled on Veterans Day, November 11, 2020, at 11 am. Watch the video of the unveiling.

Stefanie Graves used paint to replicate the fabric, stitches and thread of Melinda Bula's quilt.

Ancient & Modern Artforms

Quilting and Mural Painting

The evolution of quiltmaking and mural painting are celebrated in this important public art project. Both artforms have become fascinating community records. The history of America can be seen in the history of quilts, though it began long before European settlers arrived in the New World. Likewise, as early as the Stone Age, wall paintings have informed us on the evolution of our cultures.

Quilting and visual arts have played a major role in transforming Paducah’s creative landscape over the last five decades. This Quilt City USA® Murals Project marries the artistry of quiltmaking and mural painting. Many cities across the United States are known for their murals–from graffiti to realism–but Paducah has taken this public art process to a highly technical level that requires finely trained and skilled artists.

Paducah Kentucky is:

Home to the American Quilter's Society, the largest membership quilting organization in the world, and The National Quilt Museum of the United States of America
A Mecca and “bucket list” destination for quilters and quilt enthusiasts from around the world
The location of AQS QuiltWeek Spring and Fall events

In addition to portraying the importance of quilts, the QCUSA Murals Project showcases the unique quality and skills of the visual artists living in this UNESCO Creative City.

This beautiful mural is painted on the floodwall facing the Schroeder Expo Center and Carroll Convention Center at 415 Park Street, Paducah, KY 42001.