Art on Hundreds of Walls

Barn quilts, like this one for the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association at Blyth Campgrounds can be seen around the county.

Art on hundreds of walls

Barn quilt tour maps out 160 artworks created for Huron’s IPM

One of the lasting legacies of last September’s International Plowing Match in Walton is the trail of over 160 barn quilts it inspired throughout the county.

Local business owners Tim and Donna Prior sponsored a barn quilt competition as part of the IPM’s beautification program and as a result barn quilts have been erected on homes and barns in all corners of the community.

Many of the barn quilts are situated in the centre of the county, ranging north from Hensall to Seaforth and Clinton through to Blyth, Walton and Brussels in the north, but there are barn quilts in all corners of the county, including north of Fordwich in the north, to near Port Albert in the west and Exeter and Dashwood areas in the south.

Barn quilts are often eight feet squared panels of wood that have been expertly painted and hung upon barns or homes or erected on lawns in rural areas. They may reflect favourite farm equipment brands, family heritage or history, all in an artistic manner that has become the envy of many.

The quilts has been brought together in a book, that was on sale during the IPM in September and will continue to be sold in the county this winter, although a sales location had yet to be determined at press time.

The Huron trail has also been documented as part of the Ontario Barn Quilt Trail and can be found and mapped at barnquilttrails.ca.

The online map of the over 160 barn quilts can be saved to Google Maps from the website and accessed through GPS.

While the website has map information and names for all of the barn quilts, the book includes a small story on each barn quilt and the inspiration behind its art. The book was crafted by Vicky Morrison of the IPM Beautification Committee.

For more information or to drive the trail, visit barnquilttrails.ca and search for the Huron trail.