Statement

My work explores the expressive potential of textiles to hold emotion, memory, and narrative. Through abstraction I draw on personal experiences, using moments of joy, uncertainty, loss, and transformation to create layered compositions that evoke both intimacy and complexity.

The comfort that quilts provided in my childhood continues to draw me to them as a creative medium. Lying beneath those warm layers, I often wondered about the stories embedded in each scrap of clothing and my place within a larger family history. While quilts traditionally suggest safety and home, their softness becomes a means to explore more challenging themes of discomfort, tension, instability, and the search for balance. I am interested in the emotional charge that emerges when softness holds unease and when repetition becomes both a source of freedom and a form of constraint.

Genealogy and personal history are central to my practice. Tracing family stories through archival documents reinforces my sense that emotional threads of love, loss, hope, and resilience are both deeply personal and widely shared. I favor surface-design techniques that highlight the hand of the maker, including direct mark-making and asemic writing—illegible marks created while reflecting on language tied to each piece.

Through digitally layered motifs, my current work builds an evolving visual vocabulary that becomes increasingly intricate and nuanced. The resulting compositions are structured to suggest narrative while leaving space for interpretation. I invite viewers to find reflections of their own histories within mine, honoring the quiet power of cloth to hold what words cannot.

Exhibitions

2025

  • “Visions Interpretations 2025” Visions Museum of Textile Art, San Diego, CA. October 18, 2025-January 10, 2026. Jurors: Holly Brackmann, Luisa Gil Fandio and Paula Kovarik.

  • Bower Center’s 4th Biennial National Juried Fiber Arts Exhibition” Bower Center for the Arts, Bedford, VA. June 24-August 9, 2025. Juror: Sarah P. Bolduc.

  • “Facade” SAQA regional exhibit. Petersburg Area Art League, Petersburg, VA. Juror: Natasha Isenhour.

  • “Vantage Points” solo exhibition. Virginia Quilt Museum, Dayton, VA.

2024

  • “Quilts=Art=Quilts 2024” Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY. November 2, 2024-January 5, 2025. Jurors: Dorothy Caldwell and Michael James.

  • “The Art of the Quilt: Experiment” Piedmont Arts, Martinsville, VA. November 8, 2024-January 11, 2025. Jurors: Linda Fiedler and Betty Blessin.

  • “12th Annual National Juried Exhibition” Bower Center for the Arts, Bedford, VA. Juror: Allen TenBusschen.

  • “Sew to Speak” BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown, MD. Juror: Deb Cashatt.

2023

  • Reflections” VA/NC SAQA Regional Traveling Exhibit.

  • No Boundaries” Virginia Quilt Museum, Harrisonburg, VA. Juror: Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi.

  • Bower Center’s 3rd Biennial National Juried Fiber Arts Exhibition” Bower Center for the Arts, Bedford, VA. Juror: Elsabé Dixon.

  • “Smoky Mountain Quilter’s Quilt Show” Knoxville Expo Center, Knoxville, TN.

  • “2023 Form, Not Function: Quilt Art at the Carnegie” Carnegie Center for Art & History, New Albany, IN. Jurors: Kathleen Loomis, Kate Lydon and Clara Nartey. Award of Excellence Presented by Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists

  • “Interwoven: The Many Voices of Fiber” Riffe Gallery, Columbus, OH. Curator: Tracy Reiger.

  • “QuiltFest Greenville” Greenville Convention Center, Greenville, SC.

  • “Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival” Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA.

2022

  • “Quilt Visions 2022” Visions Museum of Textile Art, San Diego, CA. Jurors: Sheila Frampton Cooper, Petra Fallaux and Lisa Walton.

2021

  • “Threefold: The Art of the Triptych” online exhibit produced by the Mountain Art Quilters of Asheville, NC.

  • “Quilts=Art=Quilts 2021” Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY. Jurors: Jane Dunnewold and Karen Schulz. Best in Show Award.

  • “2nd Biennial Fiber Arts National Juried Exhibition” Bower Center for the Arts, Bedford, VA. Juror: Paula Golden.

  • “Art Quilts from Southwest Virginia” Fiber and Fabric Artists exhibit, Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library, Blacksburg, VA.

2020

  • “Found Again” Art Quilt Network Exhibit, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH.

2019

  • “Pushing the Surface” Invitational Exhibit, Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum, Coshocton, OH. Curators: Roxana and Elisa Deadman.

  • “30 Years of QSDS” Chaddock & Morrow Gallery, The Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH. Curator: Tracy Reiger.

2016

  • "Party On!" Richard M. Ross Museum, Delaware, OH.

  • "Sew Far, Sew Good" Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXVII, Hampton, VA.

  • "No Girls Allowed!" Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Golden, CO.

2015

  • "Southern Rhythms at McKissick" McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

  • "Quilt National 2013 - Traveling Collection C" European Patchwork Festival, St. Marie-aux-Mines, France.

 2014

  • "Quilt Visions 2014: The Sky's the Limit" Visions Art Museum, San Diego, CA. Jurors: Sue Benner, Patty Hawkins and Bruce Hoffman.

  • "Men Who Quilt" Virginia Quilt Museum, Harrisonburg, VA.

  • "Quilt National 2013 - Traveling Collection C" Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA.

  • "Without A Word" Zanesville Museum of Art, Zanesville, OH.

  • Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXV Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA.

  • "Quilt National 2013 - Traveling Collection C" Riffe Gallery, Columbus, OH.

2013

  • "Quilt National 2013 - Traveling Collection C" Saint Louis University Museum of Art, St. Louis, MO.

  • "Divergent Paths" Two-person exhibition at Lynchburg Art Club, Lynchburg, VA.

  • "Quilt National 2013" The Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH. Jurors: Judith Content, Linda Colsh and Penny McMorris.

2012

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium Fabric 2012, Columbus, OH. 

2010

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium Fabric 2010, Columbus, OH. 

2009

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium Fabric 2009, Columbus, OH. 4th Place Award

2008

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium Fabric 2008, Columbus, OH. Honorable Mention

  • North Carolina Quilt Symposium 2008, Wilmington, NC. Best Use of Color Award and 2nd Place Award

  • Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XIX Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA.

2007

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium Fabric 2007, Columbus, OH. Honorable Mention

  • North Carolina Quilt Symposium 2007, Mars Hill, NC. 1st Place Award

  • Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XVIII Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA.

Exhibitions Juried

2024

“Form, Not Function: Quilt Art Biennial 2025” Cultural Arts Center, New Albany, IN.

Selected Teaching Experience

2024

  • AQS Quilt Week - Daytona Beach, Ocean Center, Daytona Beach, FL. February 21-24, 2024. Simply Stunning Stars Workshop, Floral Tapestry Workshop, Playing with Fabric Paints Workshop, The Thread’s the Thing Workshop, Trunk Show Lecture.

  • Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, Hampton, VA. February 29-March 3, 2024. Adventures in Gelli© Plate Printing Workshop, Floral Tapestry Workshop, Surface Design Shuffle Workshop.

  • Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, Des Moines, IA. March 26-28, 2024. Trunk Show Lecture, Threads & Embellishments Lecture, Playing with Fabric Paints Workshop, Surface Design Shuffle Workshop.

  • Virginia Consortium of Quilters (VCQ) Celebration, Smith Mtn Lake, VA. April 18-21, 2024. Playing with Fabric Paints and Soy Wax Batik Workshops.

  • Quilt Guild By the Sea, Boca Raton, FL. May 14, 2024. Trunk Show Lecture via ZOOM.

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS), CCAD, Columbus, OH. Mark as Muse Workshop (5 days) June 3-7, 2024. Surface Design Shuffle Workshop (2 days), June 8-9, 2024.

  • Mid-Appalachian Quilters, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA. June 27-30, 2024. Exploring Shibori Workshop (2 days) & Color Cross Dyeing Workshop.

  • Western North Carolina Quilters Guild, Henderson, NC. October 17-18, 2024. Adding Color to Cloth Lecture and Color Cross Dyeing Workshop.

2023

  • Road to California 2023, Ontario, CA. January 16-20, 2023. Playing with Fabric Paints (2 days), Adventures in Gelli Plate Printing (1 day), Soy Wax Batik (2 days).

  • Minnesota Contemporary Quilters, Minneapolis, MN. January 23, 2023. Trunk Show Lecture via ZOOM.

  • AQS Quilt Week - Paducah, Schroeder Expo Center, Paducah, KY. April 26-29, 2023. Simply Stunning Stars Workshop, Floral Tapestry Workshop, Surface Design Shuffle Workshop, Color Theory 101 Lecture.

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS), CCAD, Columbus, OH. Print & Play dye workshop (5 days) June 5-9, 2023. Printing Possibilities silkscreen workshop (2 days), June 10-11, 2023.

  • Mid-Appalachian Quilters, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA. July 14-16, 2023. Parfait Dyeing Workshop (1 day), Soy Wax Batik Workshop (1 day), Playing with Fabric Paints Workshop (1 day).

  • Quilter’s Guild of Indianapolis, via ZOOM. Trunk Show Lecture at 7pm, August 10, 2023. Simply Stunning Stars Workshop on August 12, 2023.

  • Randolph Quilters Guild, Asheboro, NC. September 7, 2023. Color Theory 101 Lecture.

  • Calico Cutters Quilt Guild, West Chester, PA. September 13 & 14, 2023. Color Theory 101 Lecture and Gelli Plate Printing Workshop.

2022

  • Golden Leaf Quilters Guild, South Boston, VA. February 8, 2022. Threads & Embellishments Lecture.

  • PAQA-South, Cary, NC. March 25-26, 2022. Surface Design Shuffle (2 days). Sign up here: Surface Design Shuffle - PAQA

  • Minnesota Contemporary Quilters, Minneapolis, MN. April 13, 2022. Gelatin Plate Printing Workshop via ZOOM.

  • Arlington Quilters Unlimited, Arlington, VA. May 9, 2022 - Zoom Trunk Show & May 14, 2022 - Surface Design Shuffle Workshop.

  • Springfield Quilters Unlimited, May 17, 2022. Trunk Show lecture and 3-hour Simply Stunning Stars Workshop.

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS), CCAD, Columbus, OH. May 30-June 3, 2022. Mark as Muse workshop (5 days).

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS), CCAD, Columbus, OH. June 4-5, 2022. Surface Design Shuffle workshop (2 days).

  • Mid-Appalachian Quilters, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA. July 15-17, 2022. Color Cross Dyeing Workshop (1 day), Soy Wax Batik Workshop (1 day), Floral Tapestry Workshop (1 day).

  • Star Quilters Guild, Roanoke, VA. September 12, 2022. Threads & Embellishments Lecture.

2021

  • Heart of the Triad Quilt Guild, Winston-Salem, NC. March 1, 2021. Threads and Embellishments Lecture.

  • Springfield Quilters Unlimited, Springfield, VA. March 16, 2021. Color Theory Lecture.

  • AZ Studio Group, Scottsdale, AZ. March 28-30, 2021. Print & Play Dye Workshop (3 days).

  • Friendship Quilters Guild, Linthicum, MD. May 13, 2021. 7:30 pm. Trunk Show Lecture via ZOOM.

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS) 2021. June 5 - June 13, 2021. Printing Possibilities (2 days), Color Explorations (5 days) and Surface Design Shuffle (2 days). All events via ZOOM. QSDS.com

  • SAQA Indiana. June 22, 2021, 3:00 pm. Playful Patterning with Fabric Paints Lecture via ZOOM.

  • AZ Studio Group, Scottsdale, AZ. November 13-15, 2021. Print & Play Workshop (3 days). November 18—20, 2021 Print & Play Workshop (3 days).

2020

  • Stone House Quilters, Manassas, VA. January 13-14, 2020. Color Theory Lecture and Floral Tapestry Workshop.

  • Star Quilters Guild, Roanoke, VA. March 2, 2020. Trunk Show Lecture.

  • The Quilt Show, Episode #2704. August 9, 2020. More info: TheQuiltShow.com

  • Peaks & Pieces Quilt Guild, Bedford, VA. September 26, 2020. Floral Tapestry Workshop.

  • Stitch Party Studio, Madison, NC. Oct. 3, 2020. Hexagon One Block Wonder Workshop.

  • Gate City Quilt Guild, Greensboro, NC, November 5, 2020, 7:15pm. Trunk Show Lecture via ZOOM.

  • Apple Valley Needle Threaders, Berryville, VA. November 12, 2020. Trunk Show Lecture.

  • Peaks & Pieces Quilt Guild, Bedford, VA. November 21, 2020, 9:30am - 4:30pm. One Block Wonder Workshop.

2019

  • Floyd Quilt Guild, Floyd, VA. April 1, 2019, 10:00 am Color Theory Lecture.

  • Textile Artists of Virginia, Blacksburg, VA. April 2, 2019, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Gelli Plate Printing Workshop.

  • The Quilting Party, Blacksburg, VA. April 2, 2019, 7:00 pm Trunk Show Lecture.

  • LeTort Quilters of Carlisle, Carlisle, PA. April 15, 2019, 7:00pm Threads & Embellishments Lecture. April 16, 2019, 9:00am - 3:00pm Floral Tapestry Workshop.

  • Stone House Quilters, Manassas, VA. May 13-14, 2019. Trunk Show Lecture and Floral Tapestry Workshop.

  • Quilt Surface Design Symposium, Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, OH. June 3-7, 2019, Dyes & Paints Workshop (5-day). June 8-9, 2019, Playing with Fabric Paints Workshop (2-day).

  • Mid-Appalachian Quilters, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA. July 12-14, 2019, Parfait Dyeing Workshop (1 day), Soy Wax Batik Workshop (1 day), Floral Tapestry Workshop (1 day).

  • Quilt National Summer Classes, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH. July 29-31, 2019, Designing the Surface Workshop (3 days).

  • Baltimore Heritage Quilters Guild, Baltimore, MD. Sept. 21, 2019. Floral Tapestry Workshop.

  • Haymarket Quilters Unlimited, Haymarket, VA. November 8, 2019, Color Study Workshop.

Publications

  • Patchwork Professional 04/2024, Partner Medien Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany

  • Quilt Visions 2022, Visions Museum of Textile Art

  • SAQA Journal, Volume 31, No. 2, 2021. Artist profile.

  • Quilt Visions 2014, The Sky's The Limit, Visions Art Museum

  • Quilt National 2013, Dragon Threads

  • Ricky Tims Kool Kaleidoscope (DVD), Autumn Rock Media Productions

Media Appearances

Groups and Associations

  • Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA)

  • Art Quilt Network (AQN)