Columbia State Community College’s Pryor Art Gallery will feature the exhibit “Home, Heart, Heritage: Quilt Project Celebrating Black History,” featuring art from Michael McBride. The exhibition will be open to the public from January 29 until March 1.

“Pryor Art Gallery is pleased to be the first venue to showcase these quilts completed over a course of several years at Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center in Hendersonville,” said Lisa Hoffman, Pryor Art Gallery curator. “Curator Cheryl Strichik's vision to tour the show in schools, universities and libraries is an excellent example of how visual and quilting arts combine to honor and educate the public about Black Americans who greatly contributed to our country.”

The exhibition is a project undertaken by Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center to honor and celebrate Black History Month in conjunction with a relevant exhibit. Completed over the course of several years, the project consists of five quilts honoring Black Americans who have impacted the story of our great country.

In Monthaven’s free workshops—open to those of all ages, genders and races—the community came together to learn about these noteworthy individuals and create and decorate pieces that would later become the quilt. Columbia State is the first venue for the touring show of quilts that will go to schools, universities, libraries, etc. The quilts vary in size; the smallest is 53” x 66” and the largest is 60” x 60”. Designed and quilted by Gene and Sue Greer, this project only encompasses one of over 300 quilting projects they have completed together.

The opening reception and artist talk, which is also free and open to the public, will be February 8 from 5 – 7 p.m. McBride will be in attendance as a special guest and speaker at the reception.

For additional information about this exhibition, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/PryorGallery or on Facebook at ColumbiaStatePAG.

For more information about the Pryor Art Gallery, contact Hoffman at 931.540.2883 or lhoffman5@ColumbiaState.edu.