American artist Patty Kennedy-Zafred creates screen prints of historical images which she then makes into quilts. Her quilts depict incredibly moving themes including child labour and Japanese Internment . Describing herself as ‘fundamentally a story teller,” her work is incredibly thought provoking and stays with you long after you have viewed the images themselves. 

Firstly where are you based and where do you work?

I work from a studio space in my home, which is located in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.  In addition, I dye my fabric in the lower level of my home, and do all of my printing at Artists Image Resource, a print facility in Pittsburgh.  I am incredibly lucky to have access to AIR and their expert staff, for advice and instruction.

What is your background in textiles? 

I have been sewing my entire life, from the time I was young, but did not start making quilts until the mid-1980s.  Since I have no formal education in art or textiles, I would say I am primarily self-taught.  But I have been gifted by my membership in the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, which is the home Guild to some amazing textile artists.  Through the Guild, I have been able to participate in classes with some wonderful teachers, including Jan Myers-Newbury, Risë Nagin, Terrie Mangat, Linda Colsh, and Jane Dunnewold, to mention a few.  Certainly my education in journalism, with a minor in photography, has had a tremendous influence on the style of work I create.  But the real game changer for my current work, over the past decade, was learning to silkscreen.

Can you briefly describe your textile career so far?

Initally, much of my work was traditional, but I began to venture into the innovative art quilt movement in the 1990’s and started to exhibit my work – first in regional exhibitions, then national and international exhibitions.  Working behind the scenes with regional exhibitions and organizations, including Fiberart International exhibitions (held in Pittsburgh) had a large influence, exposing me to new possibilities and ideas.

How do you describe your work? 

Primarily my work is narrative, an attempt to create a personal dialog with the viewer, which is interpreted through their memories and experiences.  People are reminded of a time, a person, even a family member, depending on their perception of the piece.  Simply stated, my work is hand pulled silkscreen images on hand dyed fabric, or in the case of some of the pieces in the American Portrait series, on vintage feed sacks.  The dyeing and printmaking are definitely my favourite aspects of the process.

Can you talk through the process of creating a piece?

My work usually begins with an image that appeals to me, or a group of images.  Much of my work utilises historical images, and old photographs, so there is considerable time spent, working on the images to prepare them for the silkscreen process.  Thereafter, I dye the fabric in colour ways which reflect the subject matter in some way, and sets the mood.  The images are printed, then the process of the actual making the quilt begins, which follows the traditional concepts of piecing, quilting, etc.  More recently, I do try to lay out the images in Photoshop to get an idea of what the visual arrangement of the images may look like, and also arrange the dyed fabrics on my design wall to visualise the background, perhaps dyeing more fabric or different colours.  But after printing, often those initial concepts are drastically changed, as things can look quite different after the fabric is printed.  Printed pieces get moved, rearranged, swapped, again and again, for days sometimes.

I know it’s a hard question but roughly how long does one piece take?

The thought process and ideas can simmer in my mind for a long while, but once images are selected, I begin dyeing the fabric.  Since most of the fabric is dyed more than once, preparing the fabric for printing can take several weeks of daily dye sessions.  Printing is a relatively quick process, typically in one day. Then another several weeks of layout, piecing, and quilting.  Since many of my quilts are very large, the entire time from start to finish can be months.

How has your work evolved over time?

Definitely my skills have improved over time, particularly in dyeing fabric.  Recently, I have learned to screen print in multiple colours, rather than just one, which is complex, but exciting.

Where do you find your inspiration?

It’s often just one image that often inspires me, and I begin to develop a story with additional images to build a narrative.  I often work in series, that also is helpful; one story often leads to another.  Since I have a journalism background, being able to tell stories through the medium of textiles is a perfect fit.

Can you give any advice to aspiring textile artists? 

My advice would be to follow the style and create the work that makes your heart sing, rather than follow what may appear to be popular trends.  Keep learning, try new techniques, and look at art created outside of the textile medium.  Let inspiration be your guide.  And enter exhibitions; sharing your work is immensely satisfying.  

What are you most proud of in your career so far? 

Certainly, I am proud of my exhibition history, prizes and awards, but for me, the best measure of success is when my work touches someone in a personal way.  Fortunately, I have not only been able to witness that occurrence at exhibition openings, but have received countless emails from exhibition visitors, relating how my work has touched them in an emotional way.  To me that is the true measure of success.

www.pattykz.com