The Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn will open its 45th annual Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibition with 73 art quilts from around the world and an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
Artist Paula Kovarik's HERD exhibition also opens Oct. 31, as the center prepares a November open house, free weekly sewing sessions and a slate of youth classes and workshops.
Quilts=Art=Quilts includes work from Australia, Canada, Mauritius, Switzerland and Taiwan. Award winners will be announced at 5 p.m. during the reception.
Several exhibiting artists will take part in a Director's Tour at 1 p.m. Nov. 1. The tour is included with regular $10 admission and is free for members.
Artist talks and a quilt-themed cabaret
Four Trunk Shows will give visitors a chance to see artists' quilts and hear about their process and inspiration. Susan Griffith is scheduled for Nov. 8, Linda Salitrynski for Nov. 15 and Rachel Ivy Clarke for Dec. 13.
The Nov. 22 program, Threads of Self: Quilting Story, Care + Resistance, will feature Rochele Royster, Liz Lance, Soup Russell and selected Threads of Self participants.
Kovarik's HERD presents stitched three-dimensional creatures alongside her other work. She says the pieces reflect her responses to politicians, public life and strained relationships in the country. The Memphis, Tenn., artist and fiber art teacher spent more than 30 years as a professional designer before turning to a full-time art practice.
Kovarik will discuss her process and inspiration at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. The Artist's Talk is included with regular admission and is open to the public.
The creatures will be raffled off, with winners drawn after the talk. Tickets are available at the center's first-floor reception desk or by calling 315-255-1553. Winners do not need to attend the drawing.
The exhibition runs through Jan. 3, 2027. After it closes, winners can pick up their pieces or pay to have them shipped.
Auburn Public Theater has arranged Whistle While You Quilt, a quilt-themed cabaret to accompany the exhibition opening. Performances are at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 and 30 and Nov. 5 and 6, and at 2 p.m. Nov. 1. Tickets are $25 through Auburn Public Theater's events page.
Free studio sessions and open house
Starting Nov. 4, the center's sewing studio will open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday for free drop-in sewing. Participants may work on their own projects using studio machines or join a Community Quilt Project benefiting local charities.
A free, family-friendly open house is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. Visitors can see the refurbished Clay Studio and try glazing pumpkins.
The second-floor Sewing Studio will also be open for quilt-making, with other hands-on art activities and light refreshments. Galleries will be open during the event.
Youth classes and fall workshops
Art After School: Ready, Set, Sew! is for children ages 7 to 11 and meets from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Nov. 4 through Dec. 16, with no class Nov. 25. The cost is $105 for members and $115 for nonmembers. Registration is available through the center.
Leaf Trinket Dish Making runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, for ages 6 and older, with parents welcome. The cost is $10 per person or $30 for a family group. Register for the class.
One Night Teen Wheel Throwing is set for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, for ages 11 to 18. It costs $15 for members and $40 for nonmembers. Registration is online.
Kovarik will teach Patterns, Skins and Stitch: Three Days of Free Notion Fun from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 through 30. Participants will experiment with stitching and create a beast to join a parade. Workshop registration is available.
The Fall 2026 Fiber Retreat runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 13 through 15. Fiber artists will have access to the sewing and dye/wet studios, and lunch is included. Participants bring their own work. Register for the retreat.
The Schweinfurth Art Center is at 205 Genesee St. in Auburn.
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