By Saige Traise, Naturally L&A — Picture this: you’re driving along the rolling countryside, fresh air all around you, and a destination of gorgeous art works full of vibrant colour appears before you. That’s what you get when you follow the Greater Napanee Area Barn Quilt Trails!
For nearly 4 years local artist Pat Dubyk has been devoted to creating and placing these vibrant pieces of art, each with a special story to tell. Each quilt uses colours with intention and the traditional barn quilt style of straight lines and geometric pattern to tell a story, often one that is near and dear to the barn quilt’s host. Now that we have nearly 20 quilts scattered across the area, we would love to invite you to come out and see these local masterpieces.
So, grab your camera and bring your curiosity as we set out to unravel the threads of creativity and tradition along Greater Napanee’s Barn Quilt Trails!
1. Apples
Janssen’s Orchards, 668 County Road 4, Odessa
Though originally created for a cider company outside the region, this beautiful set of barn quilts found themselves in need of a new host. After much time spent searching for the right location, they found their forever home at Janssen’s Orchards in Odessa, making these the only L&A quilts outside of the Greater Napanee area.
As an apple orchard, the set of apple quilts fit their theme perfectly, but what made these quilts special for me was the creative way that they are now displayed. Rather than leaving them traditional, the Janssens Orchards team decided to split the quilt in two so that it acts as an entrance to the orchard shop.
Stay tuned, as this art installation isn’t complete yet. More is coming to make the entranceway a complete, sleek, welcome to the orchard.
2. Miss Supertest III
Hickory Lane, Greater Napanee (see map below for exact location)
When the initial prospect of painting a boat was introduced to Artist Pat Dubyk, the answer was easy: no way. Boats are characteristically round, completely going against the straight, geometric style of barn quilts as a whole. After some out of the box thinking, the Miss Supertest III barn quilt was born, acting as a fantastic tribute to the award-winning hydroplane boat from the mid 1900’s.
Showcased on a unique triangular board to suit the building it was mounted to, this quilt is filled with colourful symbolism. In this portrayal, viewers are looking at the boat head on, with a brightly coloured “rooster tail” of water stream shooting up at the back. The blue is representative of the water that the boat is travelling down, and the green showcases the trees along the shoreline of the Long Reach that the boat took to the Napanee river.
As you can see, Miss Supertest III is a unique representation of a gem in Canadian marine history, proudly shown to celebrate the amazing journey of the boat.
3. Seasons Of the Maple Leaf
20 Pearl St, Napanee
As one of the newest additions to the barn quilt trail, Seasons of the Maple Leaf is an important piece that acts as a reminder to the value of teamwork in creating something impactful. For this project, lead artist Pat Dubyk collaborated with the Town of Greater Napanee’s Communities In Bloom committee.
From planning the design, to drawing and painting, this project was a labour of love that consolidated in its installation in Napanee’s Conservation Park early this August. Each leaf is painted using different shades of one colour, and when they are all put together it is clear to see that they are representative of the four seasons we experience in this area. Between the beautiful location of the painting and the crisp artwork, this will be a piece for the community to enjoy for years to come.
4. GNA Colours
1178 County Rd 8, Greater Napanee
Believe it or not, rather than being painted for the purposes of displaying the official colours of the Greater Napanee Area, this barn quilt was made as a project of passion for the artist, with turquoise being one of her favourite colours. While looking for a home for this quilt, Pat coincidentally found a matching painted bicycle in front of the North Fredericksburg Community Hall and knew that this would be the perfect location for the art. As it turns out, this eye-catching design is an ideal representation of the Greater Napanee colours, now even adorned with a floral background to enhance the installation for all to see.
5. Double Helix @ Dragons Lair Workshops
3034 County Road 9, Napanee
Said to be artist Pat Dubyk’s most difficult and time-consuming quilt, this masterpiece was designed specifically to compliment her Napanee home. Knowing that the exterior of her new home would be black, she decided to go with a solid black background to allow the utilized colours to be that much more eye-catching.
After months of reconfiguring the design to perfection, jaw dropping results that incorporate a variety of colours and a unique style while staying true to the parameters of barn quilt art was born. See this quilt, along with 2 other complimentary quilts at her County Road 9 home while travelling the barn quilt trail. This intricate piece of art in an absolute must see for enthusiasts and appreciators alike.
See the barn quilts for yourself!
See all these quilts and many more along the Greater Napanee Area Barn quilt trails in Lennox & Addington. Each of the quilts can be found along the map below. For more information visit the official Greater Napanee Area Barn Quilt website.
