‘Two Rivers’ quilt going on display in Portland

A quilted masterpiece dedicated to two wild and scenic Central Oregon rivers is starting the New Year with an opening at the Oregon History Museum on Wednesday on exhibit through Feb. 24).

The unique, 40-foot-long quilt made by eighteen 18 Oregon master quilters will be joined by informational signage, a video presentation, and custom-tied steelhead flies made by Sherry Steele.

The expanded exhibit wraps the quilts in the context of the project for which they were created and provides a wider range of information and visual elements for viewers.

Two rivers frame the Sisters Country, Whychus Creek and the Metolius River. A community’s effort to revitalize these waterways inspired the creation of this quilted masterpiece.

With a special focus on revitalizing Whychus Creek which runs through Sisters, Two Rivers, Three Sisters is the story of a river and a community coming together.

Thanks to the efforts of many partners, water once again flows in Whychus Creek. Native fish are returning to spawn for the first time in 40 years and a community is re-discovering a gem in its own backyard.

Sherry Steele, from Sisters, designed and tied The Whychus Canyon Steelhead Fly to honor the Deschutes Land Trust’s creation of Whychus Canyon Preserve. That fly, along with others from her collection, will accompany the quilt exhibit.

Sherry has been fly fishing and tying for 12 years. She received the Oregon Council 2010 Federator of the year award, The Federation of Fly Fishers National 2010 Oregon Award of Excellence and Central Oregon Fly fishers Special Recognition Award for encouraging fly tying and fly fishing in and beyond Central Oregon. She and her husband Eric are members and active volunteers for the Deschutes Land Trust.

Sherry says, “I can’t imagine living anywhere other than Sisters. It’s truly amazing what the Land Trust has accomplished here and I’m proud to play my small part”.

Just as Whychus Creek unites the quilts, the creek connects the many organizations working together for its restoration.

* The U.S. Forest Service and National Forest Foundation are partnering to revitalize Whychus Creek in a Treasured Landscapes conservation campaign known locally as the “Tale of Two Rivers.”

* The Deschutes Land Trust protects and restores private lands to further benefit the Creek.

* The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show initiated Two Rivers, Three Sisters to tell the story of Whychus Creek through the lens of fiber art.

This exhibition is a unique showcase of the strengths of Sisters: rich artistic talent, stunning landscapes and partnerships that truly make a difference. Learn more about the project at www.istersOutdoorQuiltShow.org.

Two Rivers, Three Sisters is presented by US Bank with support from Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, the National Forest Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, the Roundhouse Foundation, Deschutes Cultural Coalition, and Deschutes Land Trust.

The Oregon History Museum at the Oregon Historical Society is located at 1200 SW Park Avenue in downtown Portland. Museum hours are Monday – Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM and Sunday from Noon – 5 PM. Visitor information and a list of current exhibits can be found at WWW.OHS.ORG.

About the Oregon Historical Society

The Society has served as Oregon’s primary research collection and museum about Oregon history since 1898. OHS has an extensive collection of historical pieces, including over 85,000 artifacts and 3 million photographs and films. It safeguards and presents Oregon’s history through a museum, research library, traveling exhibits, school programs and website content.