When I think of quilts, I think of a lovely creation by my grandmother. It’s a black textile with orange and pink floral patterns dotting the surface and she made it while my mother was pregnant with me. I still keep it around the house and it’s brought me immense comfort over the years, whether I’m missing family or just the pacing of the South. So call me surprised, or just ignorant, when I discovered that quilting isn’t unique to the South or even the United States. It’s a global art form. 
Quilt art, sometimes referred to as “soft paintings,” has more in common with fine art than it does with the traditional quilting style my grandmother knew. And from June 15 to Aug. 31, the Brigham City Museum will be presenting the International Quilt Invitational Exhibit complete with universally prized quilts by artists from Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Some of the “paintings” depict biblical figures like couple Samson and Delilah. Others depict costumed revelers, royal musicians, alpacas, Bixby Creek Bridge and a 76-inch-tall David, from the David and Goliath story.
The exhibit will showcase five works by Featured Art Quilter, Connecticut based artist Barbara Barrick Mckie, who has won awards at the American Quilter’s Society Show, the International Quilt Festival and the Denver National Quilt Festival. Her works are strong in texture, rhythmic and graphically pleasing. The themes of her pieces focus on nature, people and still life. 
Admission to the Brigham City Museum is free and it is located at 24 North 300 West. Operating hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11- 6 p.m. and Saturday from 1-5 p.m. The International Quilt Invitational Exhibit will be open from June 16 to Sept. 1. For further information, call 435 226-1439 or visit www.brighamcitymuseum.org.
