NORWICH – NBT Bank’s Wall of Art currently features The Barn Quilts of Chenango County. NBT Bank is partnering with the Barn Quilt project and The Chenango Foundation Inc. for the Wall of Art display though the end of October.

On display are several samples of barn quilts in a 2’ x 2’ size, painted by local barn quilt artist Susan LaFever. Also on display is a 4’ x 4’ “community quilt.” Community quilts can be displayed either on a building or in a prominent location in front of a community building, such as a library or town hall. This quilt was designed and painted by Golden Artist Colors, Inc. staff at Colorscape Chenango in 2008, and the pattern is a Bullthistle quilt pattern. An 8’ x 8’ version of this quilt is hanging on the grandstand at the Chenango County Fairgrounds, visible from East Main Street in the City of Norwich.

The Barn Quilts of Chenango County project has been in development for over two years. A group of volunteers have been working to create and display quilt pattern squares painted on 8’ x 8’ wooden blocks on barns throughout Chenango County. Similar to barn quilt trails in many mid-western counties, the goal would be to have a drivable barn quilt trail to promote agri-tourism and beautify Chenango County’s landscapes. Several quilts are already hung in Columbus and New Berlin, and the Village of New Berlin has been displaying mini-quilt blocks on their flower planters all summer.