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The African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy will bring internationally renowned painter, author and quilt maker Faith Ringgold as keynote speaker at the Second Annual National African American Quilt Convention to be held July 11-14, 2018, in Lawrence, Kansas.  Ringgold will be featured at several events throughout the Convention, including giving the keynote address at the Spencer Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Kansas, as well as hosting a book signing, and workshop geared for children and youth at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas.

“Faith Ringgold is a rock star in the art and quilting worlds, not only for her amazing 60-plus year body of work but for all that she has done as a female African American art activist in this country,” said Marla Jackson, founder of the African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy and coordinator for the National African American Quilt Convention.  “It is a tremendous honor to have her speak about her life and career as an artist.” 

Faith Ringgold began her career in the early 1960s as a painter, art activist, feminist and educator.  Her protests, events, and exhibitions of the 1960s and 1970s broke ground and opened (museum) doors for artists of color and women.  Today, she is best known for her painted story quilts and her illustrated children’s books.  Ringgold has received more than 75 awards, fellowships, citations, and honors, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Fellowship for painting, two National Endowment for the Arts Awards, and 23 honorary doctorates.  She is Professor Emeritus at the University of California in San Diego, California and is represented by ACA Galleries in New York City.

The African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy and Marla Quilts, Inc., a Lawrence non-profit organization, will host the National African American Quilt Convention, a city-wide event in celebration of the history and legacy of the African American quilting tradition.  As the second event of its kind anywhere in the United States, the Convention expects to draw a national audience of 1,000 attendees to the city.  The National African American Quilt Convention has as its vision to inform and educate the public about the legacy and significance of the textile arts and mixed media as a unique contribution by African-descended people to American life and culture.  This vision will be achieved through a dynamic Convention program featuring quilt exhibitions throughout Lawrence’s Cultural Arts District; workshops taught by world-renowned artists; an Art Market Place; lectures; storytelling and performances, and more. 

Faith Ringgold's: Ancestry Part II Quilt will be on display through August 30, 2018, at The African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy in Lawrence, Kansas. The quilt can be viewed Monday - Sunday, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM with a $15 donation.

Ringgold’s appearance is made possible by a generous grant from the Lawrence Transient Guest Tax Grant Program funded by the Lawrence City Art Commission.  The Transient Guest Tax Grant Program seeks to encourage, promote and strengthen events and programs that benefit the Lawrence community and/or enhance the visitor experience in Lawrence. Sponsors include Lawrence Arts Center, Spencer Museum of Art, Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence Sarah’s Fabrics, Stitch on Fabrics, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, Textile and Fiber Department Visual Art.

Click here for event schedule and addresses.

Here are some photos from last year's convention.