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“Quilts Made With Love”, an exhibition of quilts made by Camden’s own Betty Gaines Kennedy

Photo’s by Kristin Law and Ethan Van Sice

 

 

“Quilts Made With Love”, an exhibition of quilts made by Camden’s own Betty Gaines Kennedy, drew dozens of Wilcox residents out for a night on the town this past Saturday evening. The show was hosted by Wilcox Artworks and took place at the “Gallery on Broad” in downtown Camden.

Over 100 guests filed in and out of the venue with the accompaniment of dual-acoustic guitars played by Mr. Jimmy Brock and Mr. Chris Burford. Once inside, a large sampling of over sixty quilts were draped for display, each with their own title, dimensions, and detailed descriptions for the awe-inspired perusal of visitors.

“She worked as hard as we did all week at the Gallery, writing her narratives for each quilt,” says Mary Margeret Kyser, who is the Gallery Secretary, coordinator, and chief bottle washer. “She also finished two quilts in just a few hours leading up the event. We have learned so much from Betty and her brilliant mind.”

Kyser calls Miss Betty’s quilts “a compilation of art, skill and and mathematical equations.” They ranged in both size and complexity. One of the larger peices, “Coral Chrysanthemum” was composed of brightly-colored, equilateral triangles. They were arranged into various hexagonal shapes to create a kaleidoscope effect, which were then sewn into strips to complete the quilt. “Usually, the results are pleasing, but sometimes not,” Miss Betty quipped in the description.

A bevy of refreshments were offered to the guests in the form of sparkling champagne and bite-sized crumpets. Kristin Law, Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center, was a ravishingly hospitable hostess. Several guests hung around for the complimentary snacks and foot-tapping tunes, which reverberated down Broad Street long after many guests had come and gone.

 

 

Having Her oldest friend, Jimmy Brock, play music for the event was an idea Miss Betty presented during the very first conversations with The Gallery’s coordinators. “Betty loves old school country music,” Kyser says, “She told me that they used to hold supper club and dances back in the day and she would sing with the band! Jimmy Brock made the perfect accompaniment for her show.”

On the other side of town, The Pecan on Broad was open for business and providing shoppers with a somewhat impromptu wine-tasting service. A dozen of the Pecan’s most enjoyable wines flowed on a gracious tap. It was just the right ending to a very successful night in Downtown Camden.

Gallery Hours will be Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturday, from 10:00am through 2:00pm. This exhibition will be on display through Saturday, November 7th.

For additional information, please contact Wilcox ArtWorks at wilcoxartworks@gmail.com. Wilcox ArtWorks is a 501c3, organized to improve the quality of life by promoting the arts, while providing educational opportunities for the residents of Wilcox County. Membership in Wilcox ArtWorks is open to the public: Individual Memberships are $40, Family Memberships are $45, and Corporate Memberships are $75.

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