Six Historic Barns Display Quilt Art in Central New Jersey Trail

Six old barns now show quilt art across Montgomery Township and Hillsborough. The Barn Quilt Trail of Central New Jersey just opened. Montgomery resident Karen Tuveson started it through the nonprofit Catalytic Arts Incubator.

These installations blend art with history and farming. Six different artists created work for the first year, each barn getting its own piece.

The Agridor Farm sits on Skillman Road in Skillman. Felipe Bermuda Duarana made the quilt there. Over at Pariso Farm on Fairview Road in Skillman, you'll find Kate Eggleston's piece.

Hidden Springs Lavender Farm stands on Route 601 in Skillman with art by Melanka Coppola. From Hobler Park, visitors can see the Fiori Barn displaying Sumi Chatterrjee's work.

Matthews Farm on Route 206 in Belle Mead has Emily Gilman-Beezley's quilt. Belle Mead Co-Op at 100 Township Line Road in Hillsborough shows Fiona Clark's creation.

Money came from the Somerset County Culture & Heritage Commission, which partners with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The Blodgett Family and the Wess Family pitched in. Private donors and community supporters helped too.

A public meeting happens on Dec. 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Somerset County Library-Montgomery Branch. Come meet the artists. Farm owners will be there. So will the selection committee, partners, and volunteers who built the trail.

The event costs nothing. Catalytic Arts, a New Jersey 501(c)3 nonprofit, will host it.

These installations tell local farm stories and keep rural heritage alive. The trail stretches from Montgomery Township into Hillsborough, linking communities through quilt art.