Cactuses, split rail fences, and decaying barns sprawl across an expansive landscape of ... quilts? Contemporary quilts return to Longmont with a new exhibit that takes on the American West. Don't Fence Me In: Contemporary Quilts brings together 20 northern Colorado textile artists who portray the old and the new West in these quilts. Two art quilting groups, the Piecemakers and Quilt Explorations, have collaborated on this show, which will feature approximately sixty quilts, 2'x 2' or 2'x 3' in size. Contemporary art quilts use the techniques of quilting in new and innovative ways, piecing together realistic scenes and abstract visions. These quilts are cool: A fence becomes calligraphy, cattle brands merge with quilt blocks, and even the cowpies are tasty.

Don't Fence Me In begins with an opening reception for the public at 7 pm on Friday, March 21, and runs through May 18 at the Longmont Museum.

For more information on the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, please visit us at: http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/museum/index.htm