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The Alliance for American Quilts recently notified TQS of the passing of Merry Silber (1914-2011). Merry Silber originally thought of quilts as blankets for the bed until she visited the home of her daughter, Julie Silber. Julie had quilts hung as decorations on her walls. She quickly changed her mind and began to see quilts in a different way.
Merry began to accumulate a collection of quilts and devoted herself to learning about their artistry and historical value. She curated her first quilt exhibit at the Galerie de Boicourt in West Bloomfield, MI in 1971. After this she went on to produce 13 annual quilt shows at the Somerset Mall in Troy, MI. These shows were groundbreaking in that not only did they show the quilts off to the public, she supplemented the exhibit with lectures, workshops, and vendors.
Merry also worked as an appraiser, helped build collections and assisted in the Michigan Quilt Project. She gave numerous lectures, designed many fundraising quilts and funded quilt projects. One of her favorite projects dealt with the blocks made to commemorate the Kindertransport. She also curated many shows including the first show in America dedicated to Jewish quilting.
Merry Silber was truly a quilt treasure and you can learn more about her by clicking here.
(photo: The Alliance for American Quilts)
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