JOIN US TO BE A PART OF LANCASTER’S LIVING HISTORY!
Lancaster-based Artists Libby Modern and Jill Good have been commissioned by Debra Simon Art Consulting to create a large-scale public art installation for Art at Amtrak, the official public art program of Amtrak. This piece, titled A Place for Every Piece: Lancaster’s Living Quilt will transform Lancaster’s station, the second busiest Amtrak station in Pennsylvania, into a vibrant gateway that celebrates the city’s rich heritage and dynamic present.
“A Place for Every Piece” unfolds in two interconnected phases: 16 large scale window designs of a quilt back designed by Modern and Good, complemented by a collaborative community effort to create an accompanying quilt back to be on display at the Lancaster station.
Phase 1 of “A Place for Every Piece” is centered around an improvisational patchwork quilt, designed specifically to fill the station’s 16 window bays by artists Jill and Libby. Using locally sourced materials, including discarded clothing and textiles from Lancaster County, the artists combine vintage and modern fabrics to infuse the piece with authentic elements of local life. The patchwork design is photographed, enlarged and manipulated through a subtractive process, then applied to the concourse windows with translucent vinyl, allowing the cityscape to become part of the quilt’s pattern. This approach mirrors Lancaster’s commitment to honoring tradition while embracing the new, reimagining a historic view of the city through textiles in a modern context. The result is an ever-changing, interactive design impacted by light, time of day, and the positions of viewers. Cloth cut from local feedsacks of long-gone businesses and farms joins fabric from modern-day t-shirts and clothing, creating a visual representation that introduces present-day Lancaster while celebrating its renowned quilting heritage.
Phase 2 “Lancaster’s Living Quilt" will build upon the collaborative nature of the first phase. Libby and Jill will be facilitating the collection of textiles, fabrics, and stories from residents to weave into a community-engaged quilt to be displayed at the Amtrak Station.
We want YOU to be part of this extraordinary project.
Throughout this fall, we are seeking contributions of textiles and fabrics that hold special personal or cultural significance. Each piece will be carefully incorporated into a grand quilt, accompanied by the story behind it. Attend one of our community workshops where you can create a piece of work inspired by the project, or just stop in with your submission and tell us about yourself. You can also contact us for pickup, or find one of our submission stations around the city where you can drop off your textile at your convienence.
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS:
Monday, Sept. 23 from 6-9pm
Open Studio at Modern Art
Tuesday, Oct. 1 from 5-7
at the Lancaster Public Library
The combination of these two approaches – the professional vision of the artists on one side of the quilt, with the collaborative community-driven design on another – will create a rich, layered representation of Lancaster. It will stand as a testament to the city’s ability to honor its past, celebrate its present, and look forward to its future, leaving a lasting impression on visitors and residents alike.
