Brazil 18years + Chicago 20yrs + Paducah since 2005 These have shaped my path and interests. I spent many years as an active artist (ceramics and textiles) but have focused on promoting the creative community online since 2010. My current projects are Artizan Made and this site, Creative PlaceMakers.
Quilts are a part of our identity as a UNESCO Creative City here in Paducah, Kentucky, USA. Our tourism office does a great job at covering the creative life of our town along with quilting highlights like The National Quilt Museum, The AQS Quilt Show and more. We just had the quilt show recently, normally bringing in over 30,000 visitors for the event, and at that time, the Yeiser Art Center holds Fantastic Fibers, one of my favorite events! This juried exhibit never disappoints, showing art quilts and fiber art that often break traditional approaches by using interesting materials or touching on thought provoking subjects. I visited the show and also wanted to see a new mural by Tanya Neitzke honoring the work of Ian Berry, a textile artist who uses denim as his medium. I had my dog, Bruno, with me, who was mostly patient….
Fantastic Fibers
“The Fantastic Fibers exhibition is a nationally acclaimed celebration of fiber art in its many forms. Established as an annual event, it has a rich history of highlighting innovative and traditional approaches to textile and fiber-based art, making it a large part of Paducah’s vibrant cultural scene. The exhibition attracts artists from across the nation, showcasing works that push the boundaries of creativity, technique, and materials.
Fantastic Fibers emphasizes the versatility of fiber as a medium, featuring everything from intricate quilting and weaving to experimental mixed-media creations. By fostering artistic innovation and craftsmanship, the event plays a vital role in promoting fiber art as a dynamic and evolving discipline.
For the community, Fantastic Fibers is a source of inspiration, education, and pride, drawing visitors and artists alike to Paducah, a UNESCO Creative City. Attendees have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a diverse array of works, deepening their appreciation for the beauty and versatility of fiber art.” Yearly event at the Yeiser Art Center
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Bruno at Yeiser
I photographed some of the Fantastic Fibers textiles and looked up the artists so that you can click on the image to visit their sites. Quite a few pieces had social statements reflecting on the chaos we are experiencing here in the United States. The arts have always held testimony to current events and I find it interesting to see what people come up with as a statement.
A textile is not something that happens over night, but can take months of work. If there is a message there, the artist handles it day after day until it is complete, so it can become like a prayer, a deep meditation of something that has a profound impact on the maker and hopefully that translates over to the viewers.
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Mary Vaneecke – Where Do We Go From Here
“My Where Do We Go From Here? series explores way-finding in a chaotic world. I take Japanese shibori hand-dying techniques and reinterpret an old art form for contemporary times.”
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Hsin-Chen Lin – Set Off To Explore
“I am thrilled to have my work, Set Off to Explore, included in the Fantastic Fibers 2025 at the Yeiser Art Center in Paducah, KY. What a privilege to share the joy of representing Taiwan. I wish you all peace and health.”
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Kathy Knapp – Dichotomy of Red
“This jacket reflects mixed emotions of what the color red means to me. It expresses both love and anger over the loss of my mother to dementia. The predominate color red is symbolic of both emotions, whereas the more purple hues are indicative of the disease itself. The beaded floral vines on the front and reverse views are suggestive of the quickly growing amyloid plaques degrading her mind, while exaggerated/deflated sleeves represent the loss of her once powerful personality.”
“I am a fiber artist. I make something I call Wildscapes, little plots of nature created from hand-dyed wool yarn, sticks and stones, and hundreds and hundreds of French knots.
My Wildscapes grow from a deep-rooted connection to the wild world just beyond my studio door. They are an invitation to pause, reflect, and find a moment of calm in the beauty of the untamed outdoors. I consider them a bridge from my world to yours, a reminder of the invisible threads that connect us all to the natural world and to each other.”
“In 2022, I worked on diptychs that combined my love of ornithology and drawing. I created pairs of drawings consisting of one self portrait and one bird species. I used home-made natural dyes and paints, often coating my body with these, and physically imprinting myself on different surfaces. At this time, I was also exploring methods for making paper and dyeing and staining paper and other surfaces.”
“A contemporary mixed media/fiber studio artist, Adrienne Sloane absorbs and translates current events into multifaceted and deeply felt constructions that reflect both her own moral universe as well as the ethos of the day. Having begun as a sculptural knitter, she continues to draw from a fiber toolbox while increasingly incorporating techniques of new media to address the timely yet universal issues that make up the body of her work.”
“Susan Lenz is a fiber and mixed-media artist renowned for her ability to transform found objects into meticulously composed works of art. From a distance, her pieces captivate with striking cohesion and visual balance. Up close, they reveal intricate layers of unexpected materials, stitched textures, and repurposed elements chosen with precision to create an astonishing interplay of form and meaning. The daughter of German immigrants, Susan has built a life devoted to creativity, craftsmanship, and artistic exploration.”
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Panel of Quilts
This panel shows social commentary from two artists, Wendy Starn has the two on the left and Aynex Mercado has the one on the right. Interesting how well they look together! The pink one in the middle has a very subtle message that you can see when you stand at an angle. “Control guns, not women.”
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Wendy Starn – Control Guns Not Women
Wendy does not seem to have a website, but I found this comment on her Facebook page:
“I visited Atlanta in early 2023, and as we were driving through the Grant Park neighborhood, I noticed signs in many yards that said CONTROL GUNS NOT WOMEN. And so, the idea for this piece was born. When are triangles not just triangles? When they are female reproductive organs? When is a lacy border not just pretty? When it is patterned with guns. In this country, guns currently have more rights than women. Everyone deserves the fundamental right to control one’s own body, and to come home alive.”
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Wendy Stam – Yearning
“250 years ago, Paul Revere took his famous ride, and a shot was heard ’round the world. We still strive for the same ideals today.”
Fantastic Fibers 2025 – Aynex Mercado – Drowning Liberty
“Our country feels like a storm-tossed sea, with waves of turmoil crashing ever higher. As society grows more unstable, I wonder how long the Statue of Liberty—our beacon of pride and unity—can remain upright amidst the chaos. Can we restore harmony before liberty is swept away?”
The Quilt City USA® Murals project is the brainchild of former Mayor Gayle Kaler, who saw this as an opportunity to enhance Paducah’s reputation as an international destination for quilters and fiber art enthusiasts.
““With the UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art designation, the quilt murals are a perfect opportunity to showcase how Paducah is a catalyst for connecting cultures through creativity. There’s no better vantage point for a 24/7 public art attraction than the 19-panel concrete floodwall outside the Convention Center, where quilters attend workshops with internationally celebrated instructors and visitors from across the globe are immersed in their craft. It’s what makes us who we are.” ”
Each of the murals are painted on pellon and then installed on the wall. The artists who have worked on this project have spent months and months working on the designs, a dedicated show of respect to the textile artist represented and to the knowledge that these pieces will be seen by thousands of people in the years ahead. This section of the wall is directly across the entrance to the Julian M. Carroll Convention Center which hosts many other events besides the Quilt Show.
Julian M. Carroll Convention Center in Paducah, Kentucky
Each piece below has a full image, a close-up and the plaque that is installed in front of it. I was so impressed with how the painters all captured the the stitching and feel of fabric in their work. This page has several nice videos that were made about the process.
Corona II, Solar Eclipse
“Lead artist Char Downs of Pinecone Gallery in Paducah’s Lower Town Arts District devoted nearly 600 hours recreating Corona II, Solar Eclipse by Carol Bryer Fallert-Gentry.”
Char has worked on many projects over the years that involved the community. She is a treasure!
“The American Quilters Society Show was the first exhibit for Corona 2: Solar Eclipse, and it won the $10,000.00 Best of Show (1989) purchase award and was donated to the National Quilt Museum.”
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc – Corona II, Solar Eclipse by Carol Bryer Fallert-Gentry painted by Char Downs
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc – Corona II, Solar Eclipse by Carol Bryer Fallert-Gentry painted by Char Downs – detail
…and Our Flag was Still There!
“Melinda Bula described her quilt “…and Our Flag was Still There!” as “a painting without any paint.” Her quilt was purchased in 2013 by the National Quilt Museum. Muralist Stefanie Graves recreated the quilt using paint.”
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc – …and Our Flag was Still There! by Melinda Bula painted by Stefanie Graves
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc – …and Our Flag was Still There! by Melinda Bula painted by Stefanie Graves – detail
Quilt City USA Murals – Paducah …and Our Flag was Still There! by Melinda Bula painted by Stefanie Graves
The Cheyenne Has Gone
Ian is not a quilter. He is a textile artist who layers cut denim to create dimensional scenes as well as installations that engage viewers into participation and awe. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he was here in Paducah and love his passion for his work and his engaging personality and humility. I hope he comes back again!
“Berry is no stranger to Paducah. In April 2018, AQS and Paducah Arts Alliance (PAA) teamed up for a creative collaboration as Berry participated in the PAA’s artist in residence program, presenting talks and demonstrations to students and arts organizations, and later creating an impressive multi-room denim art installation for AQS QuiltWeek.”
“Tanya Neitzke, originally from Watertown, NY, is an artist and the Assistant Professor of Painting and FYE at the West Kentucky Community & Technical College’s Paducah School of Art & Design. She received her M.F.A. degree at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Her work has been included in various solo, two-person, and group national and international exhibitions.
Neitzke is especially excited to replicate one of Berry’s art pieces with paint. “I first meant Ian Berry and his beautiful in-depth work when he came to Paducah for AQS QuiltWeek in 2018,” said Neitzke. “I am honored to use my love for paint to render Ian’s work and live in the world of Indigo that he lives in.” Neitzke will be using studio space at PSAD to paint the mural.”
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc – The Cheyenne Has Gone– denim textile by Ian Berry painted by Tanya Neitzke
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc – THE CHEYENNE HAS GONE by Ian Berry painted by Tanya Neitzke – detail
The banner at the top is also a detail of Tanya’s painting.
Quilt City USA Murals – THE CHEYENNE HAS GONE denim textile by Ian Berry painted by Tanya Neitzke
All of the artists shown here have invested a lifetime of study, trial and error and experience in their work to achieve the excellence we see. This commitment often comes with a great financial risk as the arts are not a stable discipline in the United States. They are almost expected to go through that “ring of fire” to finally “make it”. There are not enough funders or investors who can create opportunities for young or budding creatives and yet, statistics show clearly that cities, neighborhood and places that prioritize creativity, diversity and the environment thrive. They are places where people want to live because they are fun, vibrant and interesting.
The National Endowment for the Arts published an interesting report on how the arts impact our economy. There is a lot of info there but I will just pull a few points that caught my eye:
In 2023, the most recent year for which data are available, arts and culture again surpassed its annual value added to the U.S. economy with $1.2 trillion, representing 4.2 percent of the nation’s GDP.
In 2023, the total value of the nation’s arts exports was nearly $37 billion greater than the value of arts imports from other countries.
As in previous years, the arts added more to U.S. GDP than did the sectors of agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting; mining; outdoor recreation; and transportation and warehousing.
If the arts contribute so much to our economy, why don’t we get as much investment as agriculture, mining or transportation? Let me zoom in on the quilt industry for a couple of eye opening numbers. The Craft Industry Alliance provides valuable information to its members, most of whom work with supplies, patterns, and workshops. Founder, Abby Glassenberg, keeps up with trends in the industry and is a wiz at analysis. She wrote an article about the size of the quilting market in 2024:
The quilt market is expected to reach $5 billion by 2027. There are now 85 million “active creatives” in the US and Canada, representing more than $35 billion in sales. (Active creatives are defined as individuals who have made a creative project in the past 12 months.)
The average quilter identifies as female (98%) and is retired (70%) and in her 60s with a household income of $70k or more. The average quilter began quilting regularly at age 48 and considers themselves to be at an intermediate level. After having sewn for an average of 22 years, the average quilter started a first quilt at age 39. They are comfortable with technology and have 10 years of quilt-making under their belt. The average quilter starts 11 projects a year, and finishes 9, spending six hours per week dedicated to working on quilting projects.
Average quilters have two preferred places to shop for quilting supplies in general: 61% prefer their local quilt shop and 16% prefer to shop online.
New quilters represent 11% of the total quilting population.
Quilters prefer free video content on YouTube as a primary source of inspiration, motivation, and education.
For Paducah, “Quilt City USA” is a designation that recognizes the economic impact of the quilts, fabrics, threads, batting, machines, workshops and all of the other tools that have become their own industries of specialization. We have had people come from Japan, Brazil and many other countries for the Quilt Show. This is why many of us are aghast at how tourists are being treated here in the US and what the tariffs might to all of the small businesses that support the quilt industry. Knitters, beaders, and other makers also have their own niches, trade shows, and suppliers who depend on people having disposable income in order to pursue their enjoyment of the “do it yourself” lifestyle.
Finally, the arts and creatives provide time honored spaces where ideas can be explored, usually in a non violent way. The social commentaries at Fantastic Fibers are not decorative pieces. They were made to provoke some kind of a reaction. Some people will just walk on by while others might stop and reflect. At this point, we still have freedom of speech and the ability to grow the garden of ideas. These are under attack and one thing we can chew on is that artists and creatives have a lot of power to influence our economy and our ability to engage in the pursuit of happiness. Support the arts.
African American quilts in the vicinity of the Alabama River (possibly Gee’s Bend), Wilcox County, Alabama. Photograph attributed to Edith Morgan, circa 1900. Image courtesy Souls Grown Deep Foundation Read about the Freedom Quilting Bee – Baltimore Museum of Art
Do you have any favorite quilts, textiles, or public art that you would like to share? Does your city or neighborhood invest in the arts? Leave a comment below and drop the links you would like us to see. If you are reading on a phone, you will have to scroll aaaall the way down to see the comment box.
