The Historical Society of Delaware presents a new exhibition featuring the quilts of Teresa Barkley at the Delaware History Museum beginning in September 2005.

The exhibition spans 35 years of the artist’s work, featuring more than 40 quilts designed and made by Barkley.  Born in Nebraska and raised in Delaware, Barkley began sewing at age five and completed her first quilt by age 15.  That quilt was first exhibited at the Delaware State Fair, where it won a blue ribbon and launched her lifelong passion for quilt making. Barkley’s quilts can be found locally and internationally in museum, corporate, university and private collections. She studied fashion and textiles at the University of Delaware and later became a pattern maker in New York City ’s Garment Center. 

Barkley’s quilts show a number of influences that have contributed to her trademark style: scrapbooks, collage, use of vintage fabrics, found objects, and materials not usually thought of in quilting, such as clothing labels, linen books and bank bags.  All her quilts are narrative in nature either telling a specific story, commenting on an American value or situation, or commemorating a particular event. 

Teresa at work. (Photo credit: Gavin Ashworth)

The exhibition will illustrate the diverse ways in which quilts function in our society, ranging from sources of comfort and security to art objects.   For a peak at some of her quilts on display, click here.

  In addition to her finished quilts, the exhibit will also include objects representing Barkley’s artistic life, such as ribbons won at the state fair, images of family scrapbooks that inspired her, early unfinished quilts, samples of her collection of vintage and found materials, and at least one “work in progress.”

Barkley will present a slide lecture October 6, and Saturday gallery talks on October 8 and November 12. Click here for a full program listing.

Quilt Stories by Teresa Barkley is a complementary exhibition to Quilt Voices, a group exhibition being held at the University of Delaware during the same time.  One of Barkley’s quilts will be included in the Quilt Voices exhibition.

The Delaware History Museum
504 Market Street - Wilmington , Delaware
(a short distance from the Amtrak station)
Hours: Monday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Please note: The museum will be open during the holiday season,
except November 24 and December 24).
Admission is $4 Adults, $3 seniors/students,
$2 children 2-18, under 2 are free. 

For more information call (302) 656-0637.

This exhibit is presented by the Historical Society of Delaware
with generous support from the Delaware Humanities Forum,
a state program of the
National Endowment for the Humanities.
        

This exhibit is closed. For reference only.

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