“Welcome with Open Arms” at Lavender Sense

The first barn quilt in Elgin County, an 8×8 foot painted mural, was erected

"Welcome with Open Arms" barn quilt at Lavender Sense

August 26 near Lavender Sense, a lavender farm on Ash Line, Wallacetown.

“Let’s see how it can build some traffic,” said Jesper Andersen, Lavender Sense owner. “Tourism is a relatively easy thing to do.”

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A barn quilt mural is made of two sheets of high-grade plywood which has an individual quilt block pattern transferred to the plywood and painted with specifically chosen outdoor paint and sealed to withstand the weather. Twenty-five barn quilts have already been erected in the town of Wardsville and in the municipality of southwest middlesex. Those barn quilts were each given a pattern inspired by the lifestory of George Ward, the founder of Wardsville, and they were made to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of Wardsville. The murals, being on display on the side of the road, are intended to draw tourists who will drive across the region visiting each mural.

Local artist Rick Sommer, who runs the Made on Earth art gallery on Longwoods Road, was a consultant on the Wardsville barn quilts. Jesper Andersen said he met Sommer when he visited Lavender Sense, and they got to talking about making another barn quilt.

“About six weeks ago, we decided to pick a pattern that would reflect the colours of lavender,” said Andersen. “The sign means ‘Welcome with open arms’.”

Andersen says he hopes that many more barn quilts will appear in Dutton-Dunwich and Elgin County in the future, so as to drive up tourist traffic while embellishing the countryside.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Jesse Cnockaert, The Chronicle