Hancock Town Library to display Security Blanket in gallery

Hancock Town Library installed a new art exhibit this week focused on the concerns of women and families through national and local art, on display through Saturday, Aug. 1. Security Blanket, a project founded by Lynn Estomin, brought together 30 female artists from all over the country to create a floor-to-ceiling quilt. The project is inspired by the security offered by a baby blanket. Twenty-six squares are letter blocks. Each artist/quilter chose a particular letter of the alphabet and designed a block to illustrate the theme of women's visions for a better world. The media, processes, concept and design, as well as choice of the word the letter represents, were up to each artist. Each square represents a different letter and a social issue connected with that letter. For example, A stands for access, F for freedom, R for respect and E for equality. Heidi Mack, who organized the Hancock exhibit, said she worked with Estomin in Pennsylvania. When Estomin, reached out, looking for public places to display the quilt, Hancock Town Library leadership was excited by the opportunity. "There are a lot of things happening with this new administration, as far as women and rights and freedoms, and she (Estomin) had a concern about that," Mack said. "So, she gathered a bunch of women and sent the project out as a national outreach as a way of pulling together in some artistic way this range of issues of concern for women and families." So far, the quilt has been on display in Philadelphia; Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; Oneonta, New York; Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Lockhaven, Pennsylvania; and Dayton, Virgina. After Hancock, the quilt will move on to Cincinnati, Ohio. "The founder also has created a beautiful catalog, a full color catalog," Mack said. "Each page has a full color picture of the quilt with a bio of the artist and what the art about the artist and also about her piece, so it's a very nice catalog to go with the show." However, the building has a full gallery to display work, and the quilt will only take up one wall. To go along with it, Mack curated pieces by 11 regional artists along the same theme to fill out the space. Estomin will come to Hancock on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2-4 p.m. for an artist's reception. She will speak at 3 p.m. on the project. Exhibits can be viewed in the Daniels Room of the Hancock Library during regular library hours: Monday and Wednesday, 2-6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Call the library, 603-525-4411, before visiting to ensure no special events are scheduled at that time. For more information about the exhibit, visit securityblanket.art.