Stories from the Storm
Storm Madness by Vicki Ball
Quilting is a practical skill and a dynamic form of storytelling that has been used by women, especially, across time and space. In Appalachia, we have a long tradition of quilting from which we draw inspiration. And across the world, people have used community quilting projects to raise awareness about issues that matter to them, like the iconic AIDS quilt, for example. We honor the quilters who came before us and draw upon the power of this artform as a collective endeavor.
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Collective Processing
connecting the stories
Candlelight by Sophia Van Bumble
Working with quilters, fabric artists, and community members across multiple neighborhoods and counties, PAGE is organizing quilting workshops to help preserve stories about what people lost, learned, or gained from their experiences with Hurricane Helene. In these workshops, participants (all ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds are welcome!) will brainstorm to develop their ideas and learn simple techniques to create a single fabric quilt square that tells a story. Participants have the option to write down or verbally share the story of their square, so it may be recorded and preserved as well.
The quilt-square workshops, phase 1, will unfold in the Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2025. We welcome anyone interested to contact us to learn more about how they might participate. Once we have hosted multiple workshops and gathered as many quilt squares as possible, we will create a large physical quilt (or multiple quilts) as well as a digital version. The quilt-assembly, phase 2, will occur in a variety of ways, including in group workshops and by working with quilter volunteers to assemble and finish the pieces.
We intend to exhibit the completed quilt-art pieces in various community sites, physical and virtual, over time, starting in 2026.
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