The piece, "The Thread That Made Me," will premiere at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX, in November 12-15, 2026. The special exhibit is called: Soul Stories: Threads of Human Existence. Soul Stories is an art collective comprised of 26 well-known international artists. I am very proud to be included in this group. Visit me during IQF, at the special exhibit, and say hello!
This whole-cloth, dye-painted quilt is a portrait of my mother, Dorothy Jane Kensler Stone, created in warm oranges and deep browns that echo the softness of old sepia photographs. I chose this palette intentionally—sepia suggests memory, lineage, and the way time gently fades what the heart still remembers vividly. Working with these tones allowed me to hold her presence in a space that feels both historical and intimately alive. Her portrait is drawn from a photograph taken by my father, whose faint reflection appears in the car’s hubcap—a quiet witness within the image capturing the intertwined presence of both parents within a single remembered moment.
Each layer of dye and every line of stitching became a quiet act of remembrance. As her likeness emerged from the cloth, I found myself in conversation with the past—honoring grief, love, and all the subtle textures of a relationship that continues to shape me long after her passing in 2000. The process was slow, tactile, and contemplative, mirroring the way we revisit memories: tenderly, and with both ache and gratitude.
Although this portrait is deeply personal, its sepia tones and softened edges invite viewers to recall their own stories - those faded photographs, lost loved ones, and the shared human experience of holding on. This quilt reflects the enduring connections that continue long after someone is gone. It is both a remembrance and an offering: a place where color, cloth, and memory intertwine to keep a life present.
