COLTON -- The Town of Colton Tourism & Beautification Committee will be presenting its next ‘How-to’ Barn Quilt Workshop & Painting Session on August 25-27 at The TAUNY Center located at 53 Main Street in Canton.

The overall goal of the 3-day session is to introduce participants to barn quilts and to build confidence to paint them. Ruth McWilliams, as the town’s Tourism & Beautification Coordinator, will provide an overview about barn quilts and the basics from inspiration to installation. Through hands-on activities participants will learn about and practice the basic steps.

This session is limited to ten (10) projects due to space limitations and for presenters to provide guidance and assistance to participants. All participants will either paint their own barn quilts or come as a team member assisting an owner. Only 2x2 foot barn quilts with designs having straight lines can be done during this Basics Session. Two-by-two footers are easily done by one person but teams of two are allowed.

The registration fee to be paid by all participants is $25; and it must be paid to Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) by August 24. Anyone planning to paint a barn quilt, whether the owner of it or a team helper, should call (315) 386-4289 to register.

Also the owners of the barn quilts must contact Ruth McWilliams to discuss designs and colors by August 24 so the Tourism & Beautification Committee has the materials needed for set up on August 25. A minimum of 4 hours is needed on August 25 for participants to finalize design and color selections and to prepare boards for painting. Owners of the barn quilts being painted will be able to choose from about 40 colors of Benjamin Moore Aura Waterborne Exterior Paints (Low Lustre) in the Affinity Colors palette. Contact Ruth by calling her at (315) 262-2450 or e-mailing her at ruth@catamountlodge.com.

The workshop day is August 26 from 10am to 6pm, during which each participant will receive basic information and begin painting. Then on August 27 between 10am to 6pm participants will finish painting their barn quilts. On the third day it usually takes participants 3 or 4 hours to complete their projects.

The fee to attend includes two costs—registration fee and materials fee. First—the registration fee for all participants, including the owners of the barn quilts and helpers, is $25 each payable to TAUNY. Second—owners of the barn quilts must pay for all materials (board, primer, paint and tape) being acquired by the Tourism & Beautification Committee from Triple A Building Center in Potsdam, Coakley Ace Hardware in Canton, and elsewhere. Unless the cost of the boards has increased, the cost of materials is expected to be $35 for a 2x2 foot barn quilt painted with 3 colors or $40 if painted with more than 3 colors. On August 26 owners of the barn quilts will receive invoices from the Tourism & Beautification Committee with payment due that day by cash or check.

Participants must bring their own snacks and meals. A selection of drinks will be provided.

The complete announcement is available on the Town of Colton’s website at the same web address given above. It provides further details about the event and barn quilt projects to be painted during the event. Also the website includes photos and other information about barn quilts up around the Town of Colton and in other communities including Hammond which kicked off the barn quilt movement in St. Lawrence County in 2013.