Stitched stories: ETSU grad student showcasing quilts

Soft gallery lights cast a warm glow over intricate textiles, their rich colors and delicate stitching telling stories woven through generations.   

One quilt, with a striking geometric pattern of black and blue hues, features diamond cutouts framed in yellow embroidery, a contemporary twist on a timeless craft.  

Another is dominated by warm rust tones and combines more traditional patchwork.  

Despite the differences in appearance, each one tells a personal story.  

“All of these quilts I've made are pieced together with fabric that my grandmother, my mother, or I have used or worn throughout our lives,” said Annie Hutchins.  

The Jackson, Mississippi, native is a graduate student at East Tennessee State University working toward a Master of Fine Arts. Her work is on display at ETSU’s Tipton Gallery, located in downtown Johnson City, through March 28.  

“I wanted to come here because ETSU and Appalachia have a lot of history when it comes to quilting,” she said. “Making the quilts here just makes so much sense.”  

Every stitch in these quilts carries the weight of family history. Scraps of baby clothes. A mother’s favorite suit. Window valances from a childhood home.   

“I want people to see this and maybe think about the women who came before them, as well as where the history of craft and sewing comes from,” she said. “That history is so rich in this area, and I think it is important to be mindful of the many crafters who came before us.”   

Hutchins’ work is part of a packed spring semester at ETSU’s art galleries.   

Here’s a look at what is happening from now until May, with much of the art produced by ETSU students:  

• Caitlin Maltbie’s work runs March 24-April 4 at Slocumb Galleries. 
• Don Miller and Elijah Sells’ art is on display March 31-April 17 at the Tipton Gallery. 
• “Iterations” is available from April 7-17 at Slocumb Galleries.  
• A graphic design exhibition is open from April 21-May 2.  
• Mary & Jim Martin Student Juried Exhibition is April 21-May 9 at Slocumb Galleries.  
• Work by Providence Academy students will be displayed May 5-9 at Tipton Gallery.   

The Tipton Gallery is located at 126 Spring Street in Johnson City and is open Thursdays and Fridays from 5-7 p.m. The Slocumb Gallery sits on ETSU’s main campus at 232 Sherrod Drive and is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.  

“The work of our talented students is incredibly inspiring,” said Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, a member of the Department of Art and Design and the director of the department’s art galleries. “We welcome the public to come out and engage with us.”  

The March calendar is full of arts-related events at ETSU, home to a vibrant community of artists and performers.