{"product_id":"curator-s-talk-hidden-in-plain-view-art-in-southern-appalachia","title":"Curator’s Talk | Hidden in Plain View—Art in Southern Appalachia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*\u003cem\u003eLimited capacity—preregistration is required\u003c\/em\u003e*\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCo-curator of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eWarp, Weft, and the Grid\u003c\/em\u003e, Kathleen Curtis Wilson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurator Kathleen Curtis Wilson will present a series of photographs and share personal stories about her collection of bed coverlets woven by women in southern Appalachia, 1850–1930. An appreciation of Appalachian weaving was hindered by stereotypical images of Appalachia as a poverty-ridden, art-poor region. These images and a lack of women’s material culture studies in the region once made it easy to dismiss Appalachia as void of objects of art, creativity, and design worthy of national attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, graphic artists and laypersons will appreciate the simple designs of early coverlet patterns for the straight lines, accuracy, and bold color choices of this distinctive artistic tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe woven coverlets images presented during Wilson’s presentation make it apparent that many southern Appalachian weavers did not put away their looms in the nineteenth century but made a conscious decision to continue to weave and preserve beautiful objects for their own pleasure, as gifts for family members, or in celebration of important events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKathleen Curtis Wilson is the author of five non-fiction books:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Quiet Work of Women\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2001, reprinting 2026);\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eUplifting the South—Mary Mildred Sullivan’s Legacy for Appalachia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2005);\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eIrish People, Irish Linen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2011);\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eDancing at the Warm Springs Hotel\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2022); and\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eAdventurous Max Flax\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2023), an educational children’s book. Her first novel,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Fabric of Wishful Thinking\u003c\/em\u003e. (available 2026).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilson served as honorary fellow at both University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and Virginia Humanities, Charlottesville, Virginia. She has given scores of public speeches and lectures at professional conferences in the United States and abroad. Born in Michigan, Wilson studied weaving at The Cranbrook Schools. She established and operated Old Abingdon Weavers in Southwest Virginia from 1983–1993. She lives in Blacksburg, Virginia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Asheville Art Museum Store","offers":[{"title":"Museum Member","offer_id":41492055294010,"sku":"2766246","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Non-member Senior","offer_id":41492055326778,"sku":"2766247","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Non-member Student","offer_id":41492055359546,"sku":"2766248","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Non-member Adult","offer_id":41492055392314,"sku":"2766249","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1280\/3951\/files\/Kathleen-Curators-Talk-7.16.26-1.png?v=1782678754","url":"https:\/\/shop.ashevilleart.org\/products\/curator-s-talk-hidden-in-plain-view-art-in-southern-appalachia","provider":"Asheville Art Museum Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}