Events › Stitching Stories: A Quiltmaker's Journey

Join and celebrate with us in welcoming award-winning Atlanta quilting artist Nicole Blackwell to the Buckhead Library! It is not often that we have an art quilt exhibition so make sure to come out and see this one-of-a kind, exquisite work by Ms. Blackwell. A public exhibit reception will be held on Saturday, September 14th @ 2:00PM.

Nicole Blackwell Bio:

I have been quilting since the late 1990s; beginning as a way to remember my maternal grandmother, Carrie Mae Covington. When she passed away, I cherished the few items she left behind. In her honor, my very first quilt was made from one of her well-worn and well-loved housedresses. Just learning to sew, it also became a teddy bear and a "Grandma" doll. This is when my love of fabrics began as I understood the meaning and memories that a piece of fabric could hold.

Eventually, I took a beginner's class from a local fabric store to learn the fundamentals of quilt making. In the class I learned the proper use of my equipment by creating a sampler quilt of classic blocks (First Class Sampler.) At the conclusion of the class, I was off to experiment on my own. Besides the core basis, there are many variations to quilt-making. In fact, I adhere to few rules. I consider myself a mostly self-taught quilter. I learn by trial and error; and sometimes trial and success. This learning process is my journey through continual self-improvement and essential self-expression.

Each new quilt offers an entirely unique opportunity to speak; taking its own path and reaching its own destination. When all is said and done, the finished quilt is always a welcome and unexpected surprise. We arrive at completion together. Through my journey, I have been motivated by theme of family life and personal experience. As I am a child of the 70s and 80s, soul music has been a soundtrack to my life. Given this many of my quilts are named after songs or lyrics that are significant to me.