Greater Napanee Barn Quilts: An Interview with Pat Dubyk
Last summer, while driving around the Bay of Quinte region with a friend visiting from Europe, I was asked about the many vibrant, large-scale art installations on the sides of barns and houses. At the time, I knew very little about the graphic paintings featuring designs of stars, flora, and farm animals. Since meeting local artist Pat Dubyk, I now know that they’re barn quilts. Traditional rural folk art with roots in the early 1800s, originating in the Pennsylvania Dutch community, barn quilts are large-scale paintings, often replicas of actual cloth quilts. At the time, barn quilts depicted an aspect of agriculture specific to the farm or family who owned the barn and were meant to bring good fortune.
This rich tradition of barn quilts continues to this day, with many featuring symbols that have meaning for the people who create and commission them. The designs reflect and celebrate the history and culture of farming communities. The tradition can even be traced back to the time of the Underground Railroad, when stops along the railroad would hang actual quilts outside their homes to denote a safe house for people escaping slavery.
Written by Allison Nichol Longtin
Read time: 4 min
Pat Dubyk is an important name in barn quilts. You’ve likely seen her oversized work, towering over country roads, greeting you warmly with bright, colour-blocked geometric shapes. “I’ve only ever made one quilt in my life,” muses Pat. Her husband, Ron, first learned about barn quilts on a visit to London, Ontario. He shared his discovery with Pat and in 2013, she created her first barn quilts in Prince Edward County, which they called home at the time. Thus began the PEC Barn Quilt Trail. The first barn quilts were painted by students at local schools, and brought together individual student art pieces into a large patchwork. There are now over 300 barn quilt installations in the County.
Pat and her husband relocated to the Greater Napanee Area four years ago, at which time she established the Greater Napanee Area Barn Quilt Trail, which features nearly 30 barn quilts. Pat received a grant from Lennox & Addington County to create several of the first barn quilts in the area and has donated many of the others. She hopes the trail and the tradition will take off in the area. Part of a North American network of traditional rural art, the trail is an outdoor art gallery on a massive scale, open 365 days a year.
Pat’s passion for the art form and for the place she calls home is evident. She didn’t always work as a painter, but she’s always been creative. She felt called to do something big and bold. Pat describes every barn quilt she makes as a collaborative process, as telling a story that’s near and dear to the hearts of the people who commission her creations. Each barn quilt is made with intention, right down to the choice of colours, which have meaning and significance. She tries not to make the same design twice; each barn quilt is unique.
Her advice to people looking to commission a barn quilt for their space? Start by measuring your space, then, “go as big as you possibly can, where you’re going to put it up…Think big! Take advantage of the space…I like people to know the best ways to present [the barn quilts.]” And when Pat says, big, she means BIG! Some of the barn quilts you’ll find on the Greater Napanee Area Barn Quilt Trail measure 8 feet x 8 feet.
And no, you don’t need to have a barn to have a barn quilt. You can put a barn quilt on a house, on a sign, on a shed, or even indoors. Anyone can commission or sponsor a barn quilt. You can even learn how to make your own on a smaller scale, by taking a workshop with Pat in her Napanee studio. She’s building a name for herself and making community connections to keep the tradition of barn quilts alive. Pat takes great pride in revisiting her work throughout the Bay of Quinte and seeing how well her barn quilts are standing the test of time; a testament to her craft and care.
Visit gnabarnquilttrails.ca to follow the trail, to book a workshop, or commission a barn quilt.
A note about trail etiquette from Pat: “Stopping along busy roads can be dangerous and illegal. Use caution when slowing down or stopping near a site. Most sites are on private property and should be viewed from a public road. Please do not trespass on private property. Enjoy the trail.”
