Letter from the Director Dr. Robert Bishop
"I was pleased to have the opportunity of calling attention to America's rich textile heritage by serving as national chairwoman for The Great American Quilt Festival... An unprecedented number of antique quilt exhibitions and related displays featured magnificent examples from the past. The very best contemporary quilting efforts were also highly visible. Fifty-one prize-winning quilts — one from each state and one from United States territories — were selected by twenty-nine regional and nationaljudges from the Great American Quilt Contest. These winning quilts recorded many of the finest contemporary quilt-making efforts...... The Great American Quilt Contest produced a number of handsomely designed, beautifully crafted quilts. Regional judging led to the preliminary selection of two quilts from each state which were transported to New York for final, national judging. Ultimately a single winner from each state and a winner from United States territories and military possessions were selected. From these the grand prize winner, "Glorious Lady Freedom:' by Moneca Calvert of Carmichael, California, and
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The Great American Quilt Festival, a Museum of American Folk Art event, sponsored by Scotchgard brand products, in celebration of the Statue of Liberty Centennial, was the most spectacular quilting and textile event of its kind ever held in New York City. The Festival, from April 24 through 27 at the New York City Exhibition Pier consisted of many diverse, component parts. Exhibitions of antique and contemporary quilts, craft classes, workshops, lectures, quilting demonstrations, quilt clinics and a "wearable art" fashion show were among the programs that inspired Honorary National Chairperson Barbara Bush to write in her introduction to the book, All Flags Flying: American Patriotic Quilts as Expression of Liberty, published for the Festival:
Grand prize winning quilt,"Glorious Lady Freedom7 by Moneca Calvert. the first runner up,"Spacious Skies;' by Charlotte Warr-Andersen of Kearns, Utah, were singled out for their remarkable beauty. The two top quilts and the state winners formed the special exhibition "Expressions of Liberty: PrizeWinning Quilts from the Great American Quilt Contest:' presented at The Great American Quilt Festival by Scotchgard brand products. Several exhibitions were also offered: "Made in USA:' sponsored by J. C. Penney Company, Inc. featuring 20 spectacular quilts from the Museum of American Folk Art's permanent collection, including five Victorian crazy quilts recently donated to the Museum by Margaret Cavigga;"Continuity and
Change" showcasing 15 outstanding Amish quilts given to the Museum by David Pottinger, William and Dede Wigton and Phyllis Haders; "Small Sensations;' funded by Judi Boisson presenting doll quilts, crib quilts, sewing birds and thimbles; "Quilts Fantastic" — four inventive textiles — two celebrating Hollywood and Broadway and two designed by well-known modern and folk artists; and a special group of quilts made from quilt blocks designed by children in a contest sponsored jointly by Laura Ashley, Inc. and the Museum of American Folk Art. Also on view was the 1000-foot banner, "From Sea to Shining Sea;' a collective work by over 400,000 mem13