I have some very exciting news to share: two of my textile wall art pieces (also known as quilts) are now part of the State of Connecticut’s art collection and are on display at the Elihu Burritt Library at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain.
As a lifelong Connecticut resident, this feels like a big deal to me, both personally and professionally. I’ve spent years working to promote quiltmaking, textile wall art, as an art form, so having my quilts acquired by the State of Connecticut feels especially meaningful.
How the State purchased my textile wall art
The quilts were acquired through Connecticut’s Art in Public Spaces program, a program that was established in 1978. The program requires at least one percent of the cost of constructing or renovating publicly accessible state buildings to be allocated for the commission or purchase of artwork, including textile wall art, for those buildings.
For the new library annex at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), the Connecticut Office of the Arts and CCSU put out an open call to Connecticut artists. They were looking for original artwork for the new space, with a particular focus on two-dimensional, wall-mounted work.
I had submitted work to a similar call a few years earlier for a new building at Southern Connecticut State University. My work made it to the second round of consideration that time, but none of my pieces were purchased. When I saw the call for art in early 2025 for the CCSU project, I decided to try again. I submitted several of my fiber art and quilt pieces for consideration.
This time, I got the exciting news.
First came the news about my Infinite Possibilities #1 quilt
The State of Connecticut expressed interest in acquiring my quilt, Infinite Possibilities #1. I made this quilt in 2023.
There is also a little story behind this particular quilt that makes its selection even more meaningful to me. I had entered Infinite Possibilities #1 in the juried QuiltCon show two years in a row, and it wasn’t accepted either time.
It’s a good reminder that art is subjective.
A quilt not being selected for a juried exhibition doesn’t mean it isn’t successful or meaningful. Sometimes the right opportunity for a piece comes along somewhere completely unexpected. And honestly? I’d much rather have my quilt purchased for a state collection and displayed in a university library than have it juried into a show for a few days.
After the State expressed interest in Infinite Possibilities #1, they asked what other quilts I had that might complement it. They had additional wall space they wanted to fill, so I sent along images and information about some other pieces.
That’s how my Big Island Sunset quilt became part of the collection, too.
One of the pieces that I suggested was Big Island Sunset because I thought its color palette complemented Infinite Possibilities #1, and the committee decided to purchase it as well.
From my Studio to the State
A representatives from the State of Connecticut picked up both quilts from my home studio in December 2025. The pieces then went through professional preparation for their new home. Infinite Possibilities #1 was professionally mounted for display, while Big Island Sunset was professionally framed. Both quilts were installed in the Elihu Burritt Library in Spring 2026, once construction on the building was complete.
A road trip to see my textile wall art.
My friend and fellow artist friend Janet Warner had two of her oil paintings selected for the same CCSU library project. This summer we took a little road trip together to see our work in its new home.
There’s something pretty surreal about walking into a building and seeing your own work hanging there. They’re now part of a collection of artwork owned by the State of Connecticut and are being permanently displayed in a public university library.
You can check out all of the artwork displayed at the Central Connecticut State Library here.
Why this means so much to me
I’ve lived in Connecticut my entire life and attended the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts. Having my work recognized and acquired through a Connecticut state program feels incredibly special.
I’ve also spent much of my career making, designing, teaching, and talking about quilts. One of the things I care deeply about is helping people see quilts not just as something we make for our beds or our homes, but as a legitimate form of artistic expression.
Quilts can be functional. They can be personal. They can tell stories. They can be beautifully crafted objects.
They are also art.
Having two of my quilts purchased by the State of Connecticut and displayed in a university library feels like a wonderful affirmation of that idea. It also feels like a nice reminder that rejection from one opportunity doesn’t tell you everything about the value or potential of a piece of art. Sometimes the quilt that doesn’t get into the show ends up finding a completely different audience and a much more permanent home.
