Barn quilt unveiled at Western Reserve Playhouse

by Alex Vukoder

A new barn quilt was unveiled on the Western Reserve Playhouse, one of the stops along the newly opened Heritage Barns of Bath Trail.

The Discover Bath Barns committee – a group created through the Heritage Corridors of Bath to preserve and enhance township barns – and the Western Reserve Playhouse hosted a quilt design competition. The prize was the transformation of the winning 12-by-12-inch quilt square into an 8-by-8-foot painted barn quilt, now proudly displayed on the Playhouse barn.

The winning design, “Sun of Bath” by local artist Laura Blanche, was unveiled during an event in October, hosted by WRP Creative Director August Scarpelli. Blanche’s inspiration was the Bath Township logo, which incorporates a blazing sun logo. Local quilt and history experts, as well as members of WRP and Discover Bath Barns, selected the winning design.

Michele Whitehurst, project lead for Discover Bath Barns, highlighted the partnership and thanked local business Polka Dot Pin Cushion for its support.

Walt Kaminski, craftsman and WRP volunteer who painted the barn quilt, joined Blanche and other community members, including James and Lisa McClellan, Maureen Katanic, Greg Gulash and Libby Bauman, for the unveiling. ∞

Main photo: Michele Whitehurst (l) from Discover Bath Barns; Walter Kaminski, barn quilt painter; Laura Blanche, quilt design contest winner; and August Scarpelli, Western Reserve Playhouse creative director pose in front of the barn with its new quilt. Photo courtesy of James McClellan.