Camden,
Alabama– Black
Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center (BBTCAC) will host its annual Patchwork Festival on Saturday, September 13th, from 10am to 3pm, in conjunction with a
weekend of exciting activities around Wilcox County, including author and
Southern food blogger, Stacey Little, the annual production of The Gee’s Bend
Play, Wilcox ArtWorks’ Quilt Walk, and Gee’s Bend Raised’s Airing of the Quilts.
The Southern Bite cookbook author,
Stacey Little 
will be available for a
cookbook signing on Friday, September 12th from 12:30-2:00pm.BBTCAC
Guild Memberswill join BBTCAC Board President, Garland Smith, and
Little for a Presidents Circle Event Friday evening from 5:00 – 7:00 pm
including cooking demonstrations and a wine tasting event. Little’s easy, delicious recipes and heartfelt stories
have brought millions to his blog, SouthernBite.com, and have been featured on the Today Show and Fox & Friends. 
Stacey’s deep Southern roots (Little is the grandson of
Wilcox County’s Albert and Louise Robinson) have him firmly planted in central
Alabama, where he lives with his wife, little boy, two dogs, and his collection
of cast iron skillets. For President’s Circle & Guild Membership
information, please contact Black Belt Treasures or visit our Membership page
at www.blackbelttreasures.com.
Throughout the
day on Saturday, artists’
demonstrations in pottery, quilting, stained glass, painting, and basket making
will be offered, while volunteers will be hosting one of the most popular
features of the day - art activities for youth of all ages. Demonstrating
artists include: Sam Williams, Willie Poole, Deborah Carter, Lolita Dickinson,
Sherry Martin, and Betty Bain. BBTCAC activities
will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until 3:00 p.m. at 209 Claiborne Street
in historic downtown Camden. Delicious
lunches will be available onsite through Wilcox
Area Chamber of Commerce.
Friday and Saturday,
Wilcox ArtWorks is coordinating their 2nd Annual Quilt Walk. 
Historic and Contemporary Quilts will be on display at
various churches and businesses around Camden, with area quilters demonstrating
their craft. Tickets will be available through any Wilcox ArtWorks member or at
BBTCAC. If you are interested in displaying quilts, either historic or modern,
please contact Jeanie Lambert at jlambert1947@gmail.com or at (334) 682-4746,
or Frankie Gaddy at fgaddy@aol.com or at (205) 516-7202.
In Gee’s Bend, Gee’s Bend
Raised’s Mary Virginia and Danny Pettway will be hosting the Airing of the Quilts Exhibit on
Saturday from 9am – 3pm in Gee’s Bend (For internet and
GPS - use Martha Jane Road, Boykin, Alabama).
Airing of the quilts was a tradition among the women of Gee’s Bend that was
born out of necessity but was also a time to celebrate and show off their
artistic and creative talents to their peers. On display will be never before
exhibited quilts of Sweet T.
Pettway, quilts from the
collection of M. Virginia Pettway, and wrought iron sculptures by Anvil Forge. 
In
addition, Gee’s Benders Productions will be performing Elizabeth Wilder’s Gee’s Bend Play at the Ye Shall Know
the Truth Baptist Church in Alberta, AL on Saturday, September 13 at 4pm. Tickets
may be purchased through Ann Matthews at (334) 682-5012 or through Rev. Clinton
Pettway (251) 423-4508 or (334) 573-9228.
The 2014
Patchwork Festival is made possible by the generous support of the Black Belt
Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of South Alabama, the Daniel
Foundation of Alabama, and contributions from members of the Black Belt
Treasures Guild. Please visit www.wilcoxareachamber.com for more information on these and other events in Wilcox
County.
Black Belt Treasures
Cultural Arts Center is a non-profit organization with the mission of promoting
the many talented artists and craftsmen from the Black Belt region and of
representing their products to larger markets via a gallery shop and an
e-commerce website. Beginning in 2005
with seventy-five artists, there are now over 450 artists and craftsmen representing
nineteen counties in Alabama’s Black Belt region. For information about the
Patchwork Festival or other events, please contact Black Belt Treasures at
334.682.9878 or visit our website www.blackbelttreasures.com.