The passion Athens’ residents have for their city can be felt through The Athens Quilt Trail, an interactive, local and collaborative project.
The Athens Quilt trail is currently on display in Donkey Coffee in the backroom, hanging above people feverishly working on assignments and lounging on couches. The Quilt Trail includes the projects: Stamp Storytelling, Variable Star Stories, Through Lines and Quilted Athens.
A wall of instant film photographs of friends, stamped quilt squares, a large banner of Athens and squares with personalized messages from visitors on the trail.
Caroline Murphy, an *Appalachian gal” who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in graphic design and art administration from Ohio University, is the artist behind the Quilt Trail. The project is on display in Donkey until April 26.
The Quilt Trail was a collaborative art experience between locals and Murphy, as she wanted the end result to be “a gift” to the residents here, and the people who interacted with the project. To create the project, Murphy left materials in multiple businesses in Athens including the Athena Cinema, Court Street Coffee, Little Professor Book Center and Bleeding Heart Vintage.
Materials were available for interaction from Jan. 23 to Feb. 27 before it was collected by Murphy and displayed in Donkey on March 2, with help from her friends.
Paige Weir, a junior studying musical theater, has a theater history class in the Athena Cinema, and was able to sign Quilted Athens, “the quilt-inspired composite of Athens.” Weir said people gathered around the composite after class to doodle, and converse.
“It was a bonding point for me and my brother when he came for siblings weekend,” Weir said. “It was one of our activities during siblings weekend. During our theater history class, it was something for us to do, and I've caught up with people I don't usually get to talk to after class. It's a really cool project.”
Some people who signed the composite wrote about their passion for friends and partners, while others wrote out comedic messages or left a drawing. Murphy said including everyone’s work in the final display was vital.
“I didn't want the work that is made by the community to be ripped out from that community and away from the context that it was created, and then put it in a white cube,” Murphy said. “That didn't feel right for this warmth that I really felt like the work emanated and needed to stay within. I felt like Donkey was kind of just the perfect space where they already have this really amazing rapport with community members (and) with artists.”
According to its website, the Quilt Trail is inspired by the Quilt Barn movement started by Donna Sue Groves, an Appalachia native. Quilt barns are barns consisting of a “large quilt block square attached or painted” to the side of the barn.
Eddie Umsted, a manager at Donkey Coffee and an OU alumnus, said quilting is ingrained into Appalachian culture and essential to the region.
“I’ve seen a lot of art shows here and so the quilt (show) is cool because it looks, it feels like the essence of being a community space,” Umsted said.
Umsted said he often serves Murphy coffee and feels connected to her and other artists displaying their pieces in Donkey.
“(The back room is) usually featuring local artists, community members, some of our own baristas are artists, and put up their own work and things like that,” Umsted said. “So it's really a place that really promotes a community and artistry, and sharing with others.”
Umsted said Murphy’s Quilt Trail is different from the many other art shows he has seen previously and encourages new customers to explore the art around the shop.
Murphy said she felt lucky to have local business owners willing to host an interactive experience during the project's creation and tried to choose places that were walkable and accessible through Athens Public Transit.
“I was thinking about what areas are community gathering spaces, but still have a variety in the things that you can do,” Murphy said. “So again, thinking about, where do people already really enjoy gathering, and where are some areas where I could facilitate more of a public gathering space and spotlight the businesses that are in the area that are really already doing the work to make community happen in Athens.”
Murphy said she sees herself as the “art facilitator” behind the Trail, and wanted to showcase it in Donkey Coffee, as she always enjoyed their art displays. Murphy said her next step is to donate the collection to the Athens Community Center and the United Campus Ministry Center for permanent display.
