The Visitation by Ricky Tims - Quilt Mural Project

Hello Everyone,

I hope this message finds you well. I’m Gayle Hillert, retired VP of Education for BERNINA of America. Though I may be retired, my love for—and commitment to—our remarkable quilting community is stronger than ever.

I’m reaching out to you with something truly special.

Ricky Tims’s quilt, The Visitation, has been nominated for inclusion in the Quilt City USA® Mural Project in Paducah, Kentucky. This wonderful project—a program of Paducah Quilt Murals Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization)—honors quilts of significance by transforming them into stunning, hand-painted murals on Paducah’s floodwall. These murals aren’t photographs—they are meticulously hand-painted replicas that celebrate the artistry and legacy of quilting for generations to come.

The goal is to raise $25,000 to cover all costs associated with creating this mural. This includes commissioning a professional mural artist who will devote a year or more to hand-paint the quilt replica, which will be rendered at a much larger scale than the original. Each mural receives ten layers of protective coating to guard against the elements and provide defense in the event of vandalism. In addition, every mural is accompanied by a permanent concrete pedestal with a cast-bronze plaque engraved with details about the quilt and its maker—and this particular mural proudly inscribed: “Sponsored by the Worldwide Quilting Community.”

The site of this 24/7 public art project is the 332-foot floodwall adjacent to the Schroeder Expo and Carroll Convention Center, 415 Park Street—next to the location of Paducah’s AQS QuiltWeek® convention. It’s the perfect home to showcase these amazing quilts that have impacted our quilt world so significantly.

Quilts selected for this project represent those with historic, educational, humanitarian, or environmental relevance—or those that have become iconic for their time. I’m sure you’ll agree that The Visitation, designed and created by Ricky, certainly qualifies. It is an extraordinary example of today’s art quilts and was just awarded Best of Show at Houston's 2025 International Quilt Festival.

Funding for Quilt City USA Murals is made possible entirely through private donations and grants. To ensure The Visitation takes its place on this prestigious wall of art, we're asking our quilting community to join together in raising the $25,000 needed to create the mural.

Contributions may be made through our GoFundMe campaign, and every donor—no matter the size of the gift—will be recognized on the Quilt City USA Murals website: www.quiltcityusamurals.org. While you may choose to give anonymously, we encourage you to share your name so it can be included as part of our worldwide quilting community supporting this endeavor.

This is a wonderful opportunity for quilters around the world to come together and create a lasting tribute to our shared artistry and heritage.

Together, we can make this mural a reality.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Gayle Hillert