Opening Reception for Historic Quilt Exhibit, Artists David Pearce, Sue Steele & Radford Thomas
Venue: Montgomery Museum of Art & History, Christiansburg
Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Event Types: Food, Miscellaneous, Arts & Theatre
Cost: Free
Description:
The Montgomery Museum of Art & History presents the Opening Reception for the Historic Quilt Exhibit, Artists David Pearce, Sue Steele Thomas and Radford Thomas on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

The Montgomery Museum is thrilled to announce four exciting new exhibits that celebrate local art and history, offering a rich representation of local cultural heritage and artistic talent.

Featuring artworks in metal, clay, and wood "Sculpture by David Pearce" is an exploration of shape and form sure to draw your interest. Pearce says, "Artists progress best when they work in multiple media." He also paints in oil and watercolor and carves eggs. Pearce employs the direct metal sculpture technique, where the metal is shaped rather than cast in a mold. He particularly favors copper due to its malleability and the ability to develop a patina. His artistic inspirations include Alexander (Sandy) Calder and Henri Matisse.

“Faces, Places, and Machines,” an upcoming exhibit at the Montgomery Museum of Art and History, showcases the work of husband-and-wife painters Sue Steele Thomas and Dr. Radford Thomas. They have both had successful careers in teaching and painting and hold the title professor of art. This duo spent decades instilling the importance of the visual arts into their students. Both have exhibited in solo, invitational, and international exhibitions. Steele Thomas earned an MFA degree from Radford University, while Radford Thomas holds a Ph.D. from The University of Texas.

The new history exhibit “A Stitch in Time” examines quilts in the story of Montgomery County. A quilt is a bedcover made from layers of fabric, usually a top, an inner fill, and a backing. The quilt maker would usually create the top themselves, then hold a quilting bee with family and friends to help stitch all the layers together. The changes in quilting over time illustrate a variety of social, cultural, and design changes in America from the eighteenth century through the present. Quilting in Virginia is representative of these national trends and the Montgomery County quilts on exhibit cover all but the earliest periods of this story. The Quilting Party is a generous sponsor of this exhibit

Admission is free and open to the public.

Food and refreshments will be served.

The Montgomery Museum of Art & History is located at 4 East Main Street in Christiansburg, VA.

For more information, visit: https://www.montgomerymuseum.org/press-releases-1/april-9 or https://www.facebook.com/GetToKnowMMAH or https://www.instagram.com/montgomerymuseum/ or call 540-382-5644.