Trish Williams was born and raised in Chicago in the North Lawndale community, where she attends public school. Once she completed elementary and high school education, she attended Malcolm X Community College. Then, under the tutelage of Barbara Jone-Hogu, she was introduced to the AfriCOBRA collective and the South Side Community Art Center, where she was introduced to an even broader spectrum of African American artists.
While she has always created as far back as she can remember by drawing, painting, and sewing, but in 1997 she saw a book titled “A Communion of The Spirits” by Roland Freeman about African American quiltmakers and was reminded of her ancestors who carried on these traditions and knew that is what she must do too, but not for the beds, but for the walls because would encompass most of the things that she loved about art.
She’s exhibited local, national, and international, and her works are collationed globally, and several public art commissions in the Chicagoland area. Her work is also included in exhibition catalogs, magazine publications, and she is listed as one of 100 artists in the Midwest. She is also seen in the movie “Southside With You” about President and Mrs. Obama if you look quick enough.
The Women of Color Quilters Network is a non-profit organization* founded in 1985 by Carolyn L. Mazloomi, a nationally-acclaimed quilt artist and lecturer, to foster and preserve the art of quiltmaking among women of color.
It supports its membership through presentations, providing venues for sharing technical information, grant writing, and other services. It offers quilts and fiber art to museums for exhibition and researches and documents African American quiltmaking. In recent years, the Network has showcased the work of its members before national and international audiences. An important component of the network's activity is its quiltmaking in social and economic development projects. Educational projects and workshops foster exposure to the arts, creative development, and improved self-esteem. These programs present the benefits of quilting to audiences of all ages, income levels, ethnic backgrounds,s and learning abilities. *(IRS 501(c)(3))
Guest Artist - Rhonda Brady:
Rhonda Hardy is an artist committed to social empowerment by encouraging the appreciation of diverse cultures as seen through art. Her artwork has been exhibited and sold at venues such as the South Side Community Art Center, Gallery Guichard, and the Beverly Arts Alliance.
The journey to manifest my story started in high school, where I sought to learn everything I could about African and African American culture. I subsequently went to college and obtained a Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in clothing and textiles and became certified in Interior Decorating. So, it is a natural progression that I use my passion, skills, and knowledge as a tool to tell the story of the African American experience using the medium of hand-crafted textiles, fashion, and storytelling.
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