By: Senator Jay Rockefeller
In our home and throughout my Senate offices, you’ll
find quilts. Beautiful, West Virginia-made quilts. My wife
Sharon and I truly cherish them, partly because of how striking
they are, but also because of the wonderful history she and
I have with the folks who made them – artisans from Cabin
Creek Quilts.
For decades upon decades, West Virginia artisans have been
capturing the spirit of our great state in remarkable ways.
Through hand-blown glass, woodwork, crafts and candles, they
are turning everything we love about West Virginia into beautiful
works of art.
To make sure that this tradition of craftsmanship continued,
nearly 40 years ago, Sharon found a quilting cooperative --
Mountain Artisans, which brought together West Virginia quilters
and promoted their work across the nation. Her initiative drew
attention to the work that so many West Virginians were doing,
and it gave them the opportunity to turn their talents into
essential income for their families.
It was through Mountain Artisans that Cabin Creek Quilts – another
cooperative -- grew, and ended up flourishing. Over the years,
hundreds of residents have created beautiful works of Appalachian
art, and through Cabin Creek Quilts they’ve been able
to sell their work in West Virginia, and all across the country.
Today, a new owner, Rebecca Stelling, is re-energizing both
Mountain Artisans and Cabin Creek Quilts. She appreciates,
as do Sharon and I, that the work of West Virginia artisans
is something to be treasured, but also moved forward. Under
Rebecca’s guidance, the pieces made through Cabin Creek
are now a bit more vibrant and contemporary – giving
traditional folk art a whole new twist.
Entrepreneurship is an essential part of who we are as a state,
and it continues to be an important part of our economy – which
is why what Rebecca is doing is so essential. She’s promoting
artisans, giving them the opportunity to do what they love
most, and making their work the perfect fit for today’s
more modern world. Hers is the type of vision we need in order
to encourage even more entrepreneurs around our state, and
to bring even more attention to our state’s creative
culture.
Folk art is, you could say, one of the most important pieces
making up the patchwork of West Virginia’s history. And
years ago, we knew it was something that needed to be cultivated
and supported, so that it would also become a part of our state’s
future. Today, both Mountain Artists and Cabin Creek Quilts
have been revived – and for that, Sharon and I couldn’t
be happier. |
