What Quilts Reflect Back to Us
On View October 4 – 21, 2025
This exhibition is the culmination of local quilter and textile artist Francesca Olsen’s summer residency through the Berkshire Art Center. The exhibition takes place at Arrowhead and is free and open to the public; quilts created by Olsen will be available for sale with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Berkshire County Historical Society.
Quilts from the BCHS collection will be on display, including those dating from Herman Melville’s time at Arrowhead through the present. To celebrate, a free opening “show and tell” event will take place on October 10 at 5:30 pm. Olsen will talk about the collection, her own quilting and her residency experience. Quilters are invited to bring and share their work in five-minute bursts; pre-registration is required for this portion of the talk. Pre- register here
The exhibit investigates and highlights the history of area quiltmakers, many of whom did not leave much personal information behind. “Going through the archives, I was struck by how many quilts didn’t have their own handmade labels. I was delighted to see the ones that did, because they’re such a wealth of information about the maker, the time period, and the intent behind the quilt,” said Olsen
BCHS has quilts dating back hundreds of years that showcase trendy-at-the-time embroidery, memorialize special events in the area, and stand as examples of classic quilt blocks like baskets and pinwheel stars. Many of these quilts were made by hand, and their precision is stunning. “I think these quilts deserve to be seen. I’m excited for people to examine them up-close and learn about the way they were constructed,” Olsen said. “Quilters are traditionally women, and often, when looking at a piece, the quilt maker is left in the margins. It feels right to celebrate these different works and acknowledge that craft is fine art on its own.”
Included in the exhibit will be Olsen’s own work in conversation with historic examples. One throughline are bias-cut quilts, made by cutting the fabric diagonally and often featuring diamonds or complicated stars with dozens of pieces. Inspired by Arrowhead’s green fields and wildflowers as well as these historic quilt masters, Olsen made a diagonal star quilt to explore these construction methods and end result.
About Francesca Olsen
Francesca Olsen is a quilter, writer, and consultant. Her creative work focuses on storytelling, heritage, ritual, magic, and the power and significance held in objects and stories. Olsen is a connector whose work aims to build community by holding space for others and creating a dialogue around legacy, history, and the symbolism we assign to it.
She is the recipient of a 2024-25 Artists at Work grant, a WPA-inspired program that funds a year of artist work with community organizations. North Adams Project grant via MASS MoCA’s Assets for Artists, a 2021 grant from the North Adams Artist Impact Coalition, and a 2022 grant from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Martha Boschen Porter Fund. She has reached hundreds of artists via digital marketing talks for various arts and culture organizations across New England.
