Quilt City USA® public art project expands with murals honoring Mary Hammond and America’s 250th anniversary

PQMI’s Lead Artist Char Downs, with muralist Stefanie Graves, recreated a trompe-l'oeil painting of a vintage quilt from Hammond’s personal collection.

Paducah, KY, June 8, 2026 — Paducah Quilt Murals Inc (PQMI) proudly announces the upcoming installation of two additions to the Quilt City USA® Murals public art project: Mary’s Mural-Diamond Field, a community and friends funded tribute to the late Mary Armstrong Hammond, former executive director of the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), and Nautical Stars, an America250KY commemoration mural celebrating the nation’s semiquincentennial.

Mary’s Mural–Diamond Field to Honor Mary Armstrong Hammond

A public dedication ceremony will be held Monday, June 15, 2026, at 3:30 pm at the floodwall adjacent to the Paducah Expo Center, 415 Park Street. A reception hosted by the Paducah CVB will follow at City Hall, 300 South 5th Street.

PQMI’s Lead Artist Char Downs, with muralist Stefanie Graves, recreated a trompe-l'oeil painting of a vintage quilt from Hammond’s personal collection. The quilt features the Diamond Field pattern—an adaptation of the classic honeycomb design popular in the 1930s and 1940s—composed of hand-pieced and hand-quilted hexagon flower blocks arranged into repeating diamond formations.

For more than three decades, Hammond, led the CVB with vision and unwavering dedication. A champion of Paducah’s creative identity, she served on numerous tourism industry and professional business boards locally, nationally, and internationally. She was the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and honors–both personally and professionally for the CVB where she was the Executive Director for 23 years. Her vision played a pivotal role in Paducah’s UNESCO Creative City designation. While her professional accomplishments were significant, the friendships she nurtured throughout her life and career were her greatest treasure. The overwhelming crowd-sourced financial support for her mural reflects the deep respect and affection she inspired.

“Mary’s Mural will offer friends and colleagues a place to keep her memory alive,” said PQMI Board Chair Gayle Kaler. “For those who didn’t know her, it will demonstrate how the arts offer comfort and show how one person can make a lasting difference in a community.”

Nautical Stars Quilt Mural Commemorates America’s Semiquincentennial

The Nautical Stars mural, based on a Mariner’s Compass quilt by California quilter and author Judy Mathieson, is currently being painted by Kijsa Housman at MAKE Studio, 628 Broadway, and is scheduled for installation by July 4 as part of the America250KY grand finale celebration.

The mural is sponsored by Wayne and Bonnie Browning with support from the Kentucky Arts Council and Kentucky Historical Society. Browning, former AQS Executive Show Director and chair of the Quilt Selection Committee, noted the quilt’s historic significance.

“Nautical Stars was one of the quilts I selected in 2000 as a member of a committee representing McCall’s Quilting to identify the 100 Best Quilts of the 20th Century,” said Browning. “With rivers being one of Paducah’s main industries, it seemed fitting to include a quilt with a Mariner’s Compass block in the Quilt City USA Murals project.”

Quilt City USA Murals Public Art Project Continues to Grow

The Quilt City USA Murals and their location have evolved since the premier of Caryl Bryer Fallert Gentry’s Corona 2: Solar Eclipse in 2017. Situated on the Greenway Trail, the site of the murals was included in the City's BUILD grant riverfront redevelopment plan, which included curb extensions for an improved pedestrian experience. With the installation of the American250KY mural, the floodwall will feature six completed murals.

The creation of a quilt mural can take as long as a year or longer to complete. Two additional murals are already sponsored and scheduled for installation:

Coming in 2027 - Tree of the Arts

Currently being painted by David Lucht of Cowango Studio in the Lower Town Arts District. The quilt by textile artist Marisa Márquez (formerly of Spain) is sponsored by brothers Jim and Tom DeCillis in honor of their parents and in recognition of Paducah’s UNESCO Creative City designation.

Coming in 2028 - The Visitation

An award-winning quilt by Ricky Tims, internationally recognized contemporary quiltmaker, storyteller, and co-host of TheQuiltShow.com, was sponsored through a global crowdfunding effort by the worldwide quilting community.

Local Artists Auditioning to Join the Mural Artists Group

Twelve artists who responded to PQMI’s Call for Artists will attend an information meeting on Thursday, June 11 at 5:30 pm at Pinecone Gallery & Studio at 421 N 7th Street in the Lower Town Arts District. Attendees will learn about the audition and jury process for inclusion in the Mural Artists Group and receive instructions on how to create a sample quilt painting that demonstrates their ability to accurately recreate a three-dimensional quilt onto a flat surface.