biography
Laurel Izard is an award-winning artist who exhibits her artwork throughout the United States and Canada. She currently lives and makes art full time near the southern shore of Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana with her artist husband Edwin Shelton and three cats. Currently She and her husband have been exhibiting together in galleries and art centers in the Midwest.
As soon as she could hold a needle, she started sewing but didn’t begin creating textile art until 2010. She received a BA from Northern Illinois University, with majors in art and anthropology, and an MFA in ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After collage Izard and her husband started a ceramic business called Izwin, and together they produced and wholesaled colorful whimsical tabletop wares to galleries, boutiques, and department stores throughout the country.
After years of self-employment, she taught art in numerous after-school and summer programs and finally at Marquette Catholic High School. Currently she teaches textile art workshops focusing on embroidery and art quilts. Her philosophy as an artist and teacher is that an integral part of being human is to be creative and continues to teach others how to discover their inner artistic resources.
Her philosophy as an artist and teacher is that an integral part of being human is to be creative and continues to teach others how to discover their inner artistic resources.
fiber artist statement
Making art, for me, is both a meditation and dialogue with the materials and the elements of art. I make art of some kind every day because it feeds me emotionally and spiritually. My studio environment is filled with a large assemblage of artworks, rocks, fossils, pottery, and old lunchboxes that have been collected over the years. Collecting has influenced my work beyond visual cues and such things, as vintage books, ephemera, and old textiles become the materials in my work. I am a collector of images as well and have over 50,000 images of art, science, science fiction, quilts, animals, artists work and you name it stored on Pinterest. My background in anthropology has always played a big part in my art, and interest in how we see the world physically and spiritually. My work has been exhibited in galleries, and art centers all over the country, and I have won awards along the way.
A fascination with sewing and textiles started as early as I could hold a needle, but I never really considered it as my main art making material until 2011. Since then, I have spent hours creating small intensely embroidered images loosely based on the archetypes of the tarot. The Pandemic has been the time of the quilt as I have produced many art quilts that portray endangered animals and express my feelings about the state of the world.
selected juried and invitational exhibitions
| 2026 | 4th Street Print Exhibition, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| EXPOSURE, Summer 2016 Surface Design Journal: Textiles for the End of the World, volume 50, Number 2, page 31 | |
| World of Thread Festival-Local, National, and International Contemporary Fibre Art, Queen Elisabeth Park Community and Cultural Center, Oakville, Ontario, Canada | |
| 83rd Annual Salon Show, My America, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana | |
| Art Evolved: Intertwined exhibited as part of Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Contemporary Craft Show, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| 42nd New Legacies: Contemporary Art Quilts, The Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Colorado | |
| Art from the Heartland 2026, Indy Art Center, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| Artist as Quiltmaker, Firelands Association for the Visual Arts, Oberlin, Ohio | |
| Art Quilt Elements 2026, Davenport, Ethel Sergent Clark Galleries, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania | |
| Fight Club!, Artlink Contemporary Gallery, Fort Wayne, Indiana | |
| 2026 No Boundaries, Virginia Quilt Museum, Harrisonburg, VA | |
| Pollinators, a Studio Art Quilt Association exhibition, International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas | |
| Common Threads: The Fabric of Our Community, ACE Gallery, Oceanside, California | |
| Asking For It, Radial Art Center, Omaha, Nebraska, Blue Cat Gallery, Wayne Nebraska, Tugboat Gallery, Lincoin, Nebraska | |
| Art Evolved: Intertwined, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel, Mississippi |
| 2025 | Faceted Fiber, 4th Floor Gallery, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, Illinois |
| 82nd Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana (catalogue) | |
| Emulate, Recreate, Translate: SDA’s 2025 International Exhibition in Print, Fall edition of the Surface Design Journal | |
| Elevate: A Group Show of Fiber and Textile Based Art, William Scofield Gallery, Vancouver, Washington | |
| Tactile Terrain, Hackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| Untamed, online exhibition hosted by Art Fluent: www.art-fluent.com/gallery/untamed/ | |
| International Fiber Arts XII Exhibition, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, California | |
| 38th Annual Northern National Art Competition, Nicolet Collage Art Gallery, Nicolet College, Rhinelander, Wisconsin | |
| Spaces Between, The Surface Design Association’s 2025 Exhibit, Florida CraftArt, St. Petersburg, Florida | |
| Form, Not Function: Quilt Art Biennial, The Floyd County Carnegie Cultural Arts Center, New Albany, Indiana | |
| CAVA’S 36th Annual Members’ Exhibition, Bridgeport Art Center Gallery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| 26th International Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| sustainABILITY, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, California | |
| Art Evolved: Intertwined, SFuller Craft Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts | |
| A Drop of Emerald Poison, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Lafayette, Indiana | |
| Here & Now, Online exhibition, Art-Fluent | |
| 2024 Michiana Annual Art Competition, MAAC Box Factory for the Arts, Saint Joseph, Michigan | |
| Interplay: SDA’s Member + Student Exhibitions, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio | |
| Excellence in Fibers III, Fiber Art Now Exhibition, Texas Quilt Museum, LaGrange Texas | |
| The Best of 2024, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio | |
| OH+5 Contemporary Art of Our Region, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio | |
| Intertwined, Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Art Museum, La Conner Washington | |
| CAVA Winter Exhibition, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, Illinois | |
| A Drop of Emerald Poison, Indiana Heritage Quilt Show, Monroe Convention Center, Bloomington, Indiana | |
| 2024 | 81st Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana (catalogue) |
| 46th Elkhart Juried Regional, Midwest Museum of Art, Elkhart, Indiana | |
| Quilts Unlimited 2024, View 3273, Old Forge, New York | |
| Off the Wall, SAQA Virtual Gallery | |
| Skull & Bones III, Memento Mori Gallery, Lakewood, Colorado | |
| Art Quilt Elements 2024, Davenport, Ethel Sergent Clark and Vidinhoff Galleries, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania | |
| Joining Threads, Timeless Textiles, Newcastle, NSW, Australia | |
| Transparency, Surface Design Association, Unio Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, Illinois | |
| Myth & Folklore, The Rising Phoenix Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Here & Now, Online exhibition, Art-Fluent | |
| 2024 Michiana Annual Art Competition, MAAC Box Factory for the Arts, Saint Joseph, Michigan | |
| Interplay: SDA’s Member + Student Exhibitions, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio | |
| Excellence in Fibers III, Fiber Art Now Exhibition, Texas Quilt Museum, LaGrange Texas | |
| The Best of 2024, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio | |
| OH+5 Contemporary Art of Our Region, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio | |
| Intertwined, Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Art Museum, La Conner Washington | |
| CAVA Winter Exhibition, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, Illinois | |
| A Drop of Emerald Poison, Indiana Heritage Quilt Show, Monroe Convention Center, Bloomington, Indiana | |
| byCONTRAST, The Artisan Gallery at Broome County Arts Council, Binghamton, New York | |
| Stitched, Woven and Hooked, curated by Whitney Bradshaw, Hyndman Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2023 | Art Evolved: Intertwined, juried by Beth C. McLaughlin, Jane Sauer, and Lisa Ranallo, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT |
| sustainABILITY, Neely and Biggs Gallery, Windgate Museum of Art, Arkansas | |
| 24th International Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| 11th Annual Bridgeport Art Center’s Art Competition, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, Illinois | |
| MAAC in the Box 2023, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan | |
| 2023-Women in Art, sponsored by Las Laguna Art Gallery, Las Laguna, California (online) | |
| 29th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Art Barn School of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana | |
| Tenuous Threads: Atlantic Gallery 2023 Juried Exhibition, juried by Patricia Miranda, Atlantic Gallery, New York, New York | |
| COLOR, juried by Ann Rintz, ARC Gallery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| 6th Annual Birds of a Fiber Exhibit, Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, LaConner, Washington | |
| 45th Elkhart Juried Regional, Midwest Museum of Art, Elkhart, Indiana | |
| Growing Up Now, ARC Gallery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| 80th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana | |
| From Fiber…M. G. Nelson Family Gallery, Springfield Art Association, Springfield, Illinois | |
| International Fiber Arts XI, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol California | |
| Excellence in Fibers III, Exhibition in print, Fiber Arts Now, Fall edition | |
| 10x10x10xTieton 2023, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington, (catalogue) | |
| No Boundaries, Virginia Quilt Museum, Harrisonburg, Virginia | |
| A Celebration of Color 23, International Quilt Festival, Long Beach, California | |
| Afterlives, Surface Design Association Spring 2023 Selections Online Exhibit, Destini Ross, Guest Curator |
| 2022 | Small Matters, juried by Pattie Chalmers, 437CO Art Gallery, Colorado Mesa University, Mesa, Colorado |
| 44th Elkhart Juried Regional, Midwest Museum of Art, Elkhart, Indiana | |
| sustainABILITY, juried by Tali Weinberg, New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts | |
| Mark My Words, Curated by Hannah Hamond hagman, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Extreme Craft, Curated by Thom Maltbie, Dillsboro Arts Friendshp Center, Dillsboro, Indiana | |
| Threads, Christopher Gallery, curated by Beth Shadur, Prairie State College Chicago Heights, Illinois | |
| 5th Annual birds of a Fiber Exhibit, Curated by Amy Green, Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, LaConner, Washington (catalogue) | |
| 79th Annual salon Show, juried by Chris Cosnowski, South Shore arts, Munster, Indiana | |
| Art from the Heartland 2022, juried by Jean Robertson, Indianapolis Art center, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| Michigan Fine Arts Competition, juried by Marina Pacini, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, Michigan | |
| Michiana Annual Art Competition, juried by Thea Grigsby, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan | |
| Chesterton Women’s Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana, Honorable Mention | |
| Dune Birds in Art, juried by Kristina Knowski, Indiana Dunes Center, Chesterton, IN | |
| Sacred Threads, Floris United Methodist Church, Herndon, Virginia | |
| Extinction, Save the Planet, Online exhibition hosted by Gallerium Art Exhibitions | |
| Undomesticated, juried by Jane Kim, Gallery One Visual Arts Center, Ellensburg, Washington | |
| Best of 2022, juried by Betty Talbot, Ohio Craft Museum, and CVA Gallery at Kent State University, Ohio | |
| OH + 5 , juried by Quinn Alexandria Hunter, Emily Prentice, Shoji Satake, Dairy Barns Arts Center, Athens, Ohio |
| 2021 | 4th Midwest Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
| The Valdosta National, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia, (online exhibition) | |
| Small Works Big Talent, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach California, (online exhibition) | |
| 2021 All Women Artist, Contemporary Art Gallery Online, (Online exhibition) | |
| Animal? Mineral or Vegetable? 2D National Juried Exhibition, Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary, Dallas, Texas | |
| Bridgeport Art Center 9th Annual Art Competition, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, Illinois (catalogue) | |
| 12th Annual 10 x 10 x 10 Tieton, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington (catalogue) | |
| 78th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana (Suzanne Cooley Memorial Award) | |
| Art Prize, Atwater Brewery, Grand Rapids, Michigan | |
| Words Fail, SAQA Virtual Gallery | |
| Uncommon Threads: Fiber – Quilting – Weaving Art, San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center, San Fernando, California-Online Exhibition |
| 2020 | Found Again, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio |
| Circles and Cycles, SAQA Regional Show, Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, Findlay, Ohio | |
| 11th Annual 10 x 10 x 10 Tieton, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington (catalogue) | |
| Small Works Show 2020, Core New Art Space, Denver, Colorado | |
| Wild Things, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, virtual exhibit, https://www.cultural-center.org/wildthings | |
| A Common Thread 2020, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |
| Local at LCA: 40th Anniversary of the Area Artists Association, Brinka Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 25 Million Stitches, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, California | |
| Color My World, Area Artists Association virtual show, https://www.areaartistsassociation.org |
| 2019 | Small Works Big Talent, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, California |
| The Best of 2019, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio | |
| The Crow Show, The Studio Door, San Diego, California | |
| 30 Years of QSDS, Dairy Barn-Chaddock Morrow Gallery, Athens, Ohio | |
| Speaking of Fibers! Stories of Importance, Missouri Fiber Artists, Morton J. May Gallery, Maryville University, St. Louis, Missouri | |
| Chesterton Women’s Club Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Endangered, St. Louis Artists Guild Galleries, St. Louis, Missouri | |
| Small and Smaller, Site: Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York |
| 2018 | The Best of 2018, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio |
| Art of the Book, Gallerie Renee Marie, Benicia, California | |
| Celebrating Women, Location 1980, Costa Mesa, California | |
| Art From the Heartland 2018, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| 10 x 10 x 10 Tieton, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington | |
| The Fool’s Journey Through Life, The Studio Door, San Diego, California (catalog) | |
| 64 Arts Exhibition, Buchanan Center for the Arts, Monmouth, Illinois | |
| Art Comp 2018, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Craft Forms 2018, 24 International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania | |
| The Dark Arts II, Squid Ink Online Gallery | |
| Critters II, Artless Bastard, LaPere, Wisconsin | |
| FASA 44th Annual Juried Fiber Art Exhibition, Say Si, San Antonio, Texas |
recent group exhibitions
| 2026 | Around the Bend, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, Indiana |
| Divergence-An Art Quilt Network Exhibition, 37th Annual Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia | |
| Hanging Prepositions, A SAQA Indiana exhibition, I Fell Gallery, Bloomington, Indiana | |
| IWCA Spring Member Exhibit, Indiana Women’s Caucus for Art,, Roti Roti Art center, Buchanan, Michigan | |
| 2026 Birds of a Fiber Exhibition, Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, LaConner, Washington | |
| 2025 | Create, Connect, Resist, Ellen Firme Gallery, Beverly Shores, Indiana |
| Gathering Light, Area Artist Association group exhibition, Roti Roti Art Center, Buchannan, Michigan | |
| Hear Our Voices: Recent Work from the Indiana Woman’s Caucus for Art, Community Gallery, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, Indiana | |
| SAQA Indiana Showcase, Kennedy Art Center, Marion, Indiana | |
| Create, Connect, Resist, Barker Hall, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Chesterton Woman’s Club Art Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana, Merit Award | |
| 2024 | It’s About the Square, Chesterton Center for the Arts, Chesterton, Indiana |
| SAQA Indiana Showcase, Kennedy Art Center, Marion, Indiana | |
| Essential Spaces, Indiana Women’s Caucus for Art Exhibit, Moon Tree Studios, Plymouth, Indiana | |
| Knee High by the 4th of July, Art Barn School of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana | |
| QSDS Challenged Ones Exhibition, Crane Building, Columbus College of Art and Design | |
| Around the Bend, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, Indiana | |
| Funky Fractals, 2024 Winter Quilt Show, Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts, Cedarburg, Wisconsin | |
| Art Restoration, University of Chicago Medicine Cancer Care, Crown Point, Indiana |
| 2023 | QSDS Challenge, 2023, Crane Building, Columbus College of Art and Design |
| The Illustrated Accordion, KBAC Gallery, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan | |
| Annual CAC Member’s Exhibit, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| The Art of SAQA Indiana Showcase, ArtSpace, Athenaeum, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| One Foot In, Rising Phoenix Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Horizons Reimagined, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, Indiana | |
| Rhythm of the Season, Clark Gallery, Fernwood Botanical Gardens, Niles, Michigan | |
| Member Show 2023, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, New York |
| 2022 | Small Works Members Show, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
| Members Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Box Factory Members Show, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan | |
| Self-Portrait Show, John James Audubon Museum, Henderson, Kentucky | |
| Threads, Christopher Gallery, Prairie State College Chicago Heights, Illinois | |
| 2022 Quilt Challenge, Fine Art and Fibers, John James Audubon Museum, Henderson, Kentucky | |
| Around the Bend, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, Indiana | |
| Emergence, Buchanan Art center, Buchanan, Michigan | |
| Collaboration 2021, Southwest Indiana Arts Council, Evansville, Indiana |
| 2021 | Color My World, A Virtual Area Artist Association Gallery Show |
| 25 Million Stitches, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, California | |
| Collaboration 2021, John James Audubon Museum, Henderson, Kentucky | |
| A Common Thread 2021, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |
| A New Beginning, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Members Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| 2020 | A Common Thread 2020, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Local at LCA: 40th Anniversary of the Area Artist Association, Brinka Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2019 | A Common Thread 2019, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| The Artist’s Narrative, Indiana Welcome Center Gallery, Hammond, Indiana | |
| Threads of Life, The Rising Phoenix Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| International Women’s Day Exhibition, The Nest, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| The Illustrated Accordion, KBAC Gallery, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan | |
| 5 x 5 at the Depot, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| Fiber Art, Artspace Uptown Artist Lofts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Layering, Laurel Izard and Edwin Shelton, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| 2018 | A Common Thread 2018, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Deliberate Strokes, Valparaiso Art House Gallery, Valparaiso, Indiana | |
| Artist Journey, Marshal J. Gardner center for the Arts, Miller Beach Arts and Creative District, Miller Beach, Indiana | |
| Material Culture, Nipsco Education Studios, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 5 x 5, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| 2018 CSA Valpo Preview Exhibition, South Shore Arts at the Artful Garden, Crown Point, Indiana | |
| Fold! Staple! Riot! The Oilwick Gallery, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| 10 x 10, Blink Contemporary Art, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Vessel, A Group Exhibition, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| Regional Impressions, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
recent solo exhibitions and two-person exhibitions
| 2027 | Convergence and Contradictions, Noyes Upstairs Gallery, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston, Illinois |
| 2026 | Light and Dark: Izard + Shelton, 106 Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Visions Repurposed, I Fell Gallery, Bloomington, Indiana | |
| Laurel Izard Art Quilts, The Village Gallery, Pines Village Valparaiso, Indiana | |
| 2025 | Stick a Pin in It, Little Nipsco Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Laurel Izard, River Walk Gallery, The Box Factory, St. Joseph, Michigan | |
| 2024 | Izard + Shelton, Fehline, Family Gallery, Transition Gallery, Roti Roti Art Center, Buchannan, Michigan |
| 2023 | Laurel Izard Art Quilts, First Presbyterian Church of Michigan City, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2022 | 4 the Birds, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana |
| 2021 | Laurel Izard: Robots and Dinosaurs, SFC Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2020 | On the Edge: Quilts of Endangered Animals, Art Barn School of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana |
| 2019 | Embroidering the Imagination, Work by Laurel Izard, Art Barn School of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana |
| 2018 | World and Work of Laurel Izard, The Rising Phoenix Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2016 | Laurel Izard, Riverwalk Gallery, Box Factory, Saint Joseph, Michigan |
| 2015 | Goddesses and Aliens, Nipsco Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2014 | Embroidered Archetypes, Brinka/Cross and North View Galleries, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
invitationals
| 2026 | |
| Inspired by Barbie, E11even2 Gallery, 78th Studios, Cleveland, Ohio | 2025 |
| American Childhood featured in Interpretations of an American Dream, Sauber Gallery, The Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio | |
| Revealing Inspiration with Fiber, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| Salutations, Art Center Gallery of Art and Design, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri | |
| Woven Worlds: Fiber as Medium, Thread as Language. South Shore Arts, Center for Visual and Performing Arts, Munster, Indiana | |
| Stitched, Woven and Hooked, curated by Whitney Bradshaw, Hyndman Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 2024 | Veil, Woven and Hooked, Drape and Stitch, curated by Ruth Lizabeth Poor, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
| Stitched, Woven and Hooked, curated by Whitney Bradshaw, Hyndman Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 2023 | Afterlives, Surface Design Association Spring 2023 Selections Online Exhibit, Destini Ross, Guest Curator |
teaching experience
| 2026 | Hand Embroidery with Vintage and Repurposed Fabrics, The Clearing Folk School, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin |
| Mixed Media Collage, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2025 | Grid Painting, Michigan City Art League, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Mixed Media Collage, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | Hand Embroidery with Vintage and Repurposed Fabric, May 4-9 September 8-12, The Clearing Folk School, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin |
| Workshop Instructor, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2024 | Workshop Instructor, August 19-23, The Clearing Folk School, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin Workshop Instructor, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| 2023 | Co-Facilitated AQN Spring Retreat, Columbus, Ohio |
awards and grants
| 2026 | Juror’s Choice Award, Artist as Quiltmaker, Firelands Association for the Visual Arts, Oberlin, Ohio |
| 2025 | Elaine Kirk “Blondie” Memorial Award, 82nd Salon Show South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana |
| Dale and Julie Bronson Award, 38th Annual Northern National Art Competition, Nicolet Collage Art Gallery, Nicolet College, Rhinelander, Wisconsin | |
| Merit Award, Chesterton Woman’s Club Art Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2024 | Hazel Taberner English Memorial Award, 81st Annual Salon Show, Munster, Indiana |
| 2023 | Second Place, From Fiber…, M. G. Nelson Family Gallery, Springfield Art Association, Springfield, Illinois |
| Third Place, 11th Annual Bridgeport Art Center’s Art Competition, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, Illinois | |
| 2022 | Fiber Arts Honorable Mention, , Michiana Annual Art Competition, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan |
| Merit Award, 79th Annual Salon Show, , South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana | |
| 2021 | Suzanne Cooley Memorial Award, , 78th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana |
| Tri Kappa Associates Award, , Chesterton Women’s Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2020 | Best of Show, , Small Works Show 2020, Core New Art Space, Denver, Colorado |
| 2019 | On-Ramp 2019 Fellowship, Indiana Arts Commission |
| Brian Lonsway Award for Humor in Craft, Best of 2019, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio | |
| Merit Award, Chesterton Woman’s Club Art Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2018 | Second Place, Art of the Book, Gallerie Renee Marie, Benicia, California |
| 2017 | First Place, Illiana Artist’s 17th Regional Juried Exhibition, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| First Place, Fiber Artists of San Antonio 43rd Annual Juried Fiber Art Exhibit, Kelso Art Center, San Antonio, Texas | |
| Merit Award, Michiana Annual Art Competition, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan | |
| 2015 | Renee & Sam Denmark Memorial Award, 72nd Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster,Indiana |
| 2011 | Second Place two-dimensional work, Lakefront Art Festival, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
publications
| 2026 | “Textiles for the End of the World”, Surface Design Journal, Summer edition, SDA’s 2026 International Exhibition in Print, p 31 |
| “Old Fabric, New Messages”, Art Quilt Studio, Winter 2026, Stampington & Company, pp 66-70 | |
| 2025 | Sacred Threads, Quilts about Joy, Inspiration, Spirituality, Healing, Grief, and Peace & Brotherhood, catalogue, independently published, p 225 |
| Surface Design Journal, fall edition, “Emulate, Recreate, Translate: SDA’s 2025 International Exhibition in Print”, p 46 | |
| 2022 | Sustainability Catalogue, Studio Art Quilt Associates, Hebron, Connecticut |
| PAN-O-PLY, Story and Art Michianna, Spring 2022 issue, panoplymichiana.com | |
| 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art, (catalogue) Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington | |
| 5th Annual Birds of a Fiber, exhibition catalogue, Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, La Conner, Washington | |
| 2020 | 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art, (catalogue) Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington |
| September Artist of the Month Pan-O-Ply Story and Art Michiana, panoplymichiana.com | |
| “A Life of Imagination and Creativity”, Linda Weigel, The Beacher, Volume 36, Number 45, November 12, www.thebeacher.com/pdf/2020/BeacherNov12.pdf | |
| Brush it UP, Area Artist Association Interview: https://vimeo.com/486612126 | |
| Five Woman’s Works Feature in Christopher Art Gallery’s Online Exhibit Entitled Threads, Jessi Virtusio, Daily Southtown, Chicago, Tribune, December https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-ent-prairie-threads-st-0101-20201222-guffqu6ioredlmdmt5rotruz2i-story.html |
| 2018 | 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art, (catalogue), Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington |
| 2017 | Global Murmurs Exhibit (catalogue) Textile Society of America, Times Square Building Gallery, Rochester, New York |
| 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art (catalogue) Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington | |
| 2016 | Urban Murmurs Exhibit (catalogue) Textile Society of America, Times Square Building Gallery, Rochester, New York |
| 2012 | “Carve it Up”; Cloth Paper Scissors, March/April 2012, issue 41 |
presentations and professional experience
| 2026 | |
| “Color Concepts”, Heritage Quilt Guild, Crown Point, Indiana | |
| 2025 | |
| “Old Textiles, New Messages”, Indiana Women’s Caucus for Art, May Zoom meeting. | |
| Hand Embroidery with Vintage and Repurposed Fabrics, The Clearing Folk School, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin | |
| Grid Painting, Michigan City Art League, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Mixed Media Collage, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2024 | Vice President, Area Artist Association, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Workshop Instructor, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| “Gotta Make Stuff”, Zoom presentation for the Wearable Arts Class, Bethany Christian Schools, Goshen, Indiana | |
| 2020-23 | April Artist Presentation for SAQA NY NJ monthly Zoom Meeting |
| Mentor for the SAQA Mentorship Program | |
| January Artist Presentation for SAQA Indiana monthly Zoom Meeting | |
| Gallery Talk, Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, Indiana | |
| Exhibition Chair, Area Artist Association | |
| September speaker for The String Along Quilt Guild, Valparaiso Nazarene Church, Valparaiso, Indiana | |
| “Gotta Make Stuff”, AQN Fall Retreat, Columbus, Ohio | |
| Juror 2023 Chesterton Art Fair, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Co-Facilitated AQN Spring Retreat, Columbus, Ohio | |
| “Gotta Make Stuff”, presentation for the Hoosier Art Patrons, Michigan City Library, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| November Artist Presentation, Surface Design Association-Indiana, Zoom Meeting | |
| On Ramp 2022 visual artist grant panelist, Indiana Arts Commission | |
| 2019-20 | Education Coordinator, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2019 | Docent for Exhibitions, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2019 On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Course, May 10-12, Nashville, Indiana | |
| 2016 | Artist Section Committee, Art Space, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Regional Initiative Grant Panelist, Arts Operating Support, Region 1, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana |
| 2007-16 | Visual arts teacher, Marquette Catholic High School, Michigan City, Indiana. |
| 2015 | Art Journaling, Visual Arts Class at The Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Gelli Plate Printing, Visual Arts Class at The Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 2010 | Quality Assurance Team member, AdvncED review of North Side High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
| 2004-09 | Art Instructor for the Northwest Athletic Club. Michigan City, Indiana. |
| Ceramics Instructor for the clients of Michiana Resources, at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 1982-2004 | Co-owner and designer for Izwin Inc., Producing handmade whimsical earthenware products for the home |
education
| 2008 | Transition to Teach Program, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana |
| 2005 | Master Practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming, SCS Matters, LLC Holistic Alliance, St. Joseph, Michigan |
| 1981 | Master of Fine Art, Ceramics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin |
| 1979 | Bachelor of Arts, Art and Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois |
