Students, faculty members and citizens of Auburn gathered at Fieldworks Project Gallery on Thursday, Jan. 21, for the opening of the Healing Quilts Initiative exhibition, which is in coordination with the Auburn University Women's Resource Center.
The exhibit will run through Feb. 20.
Tessa Carr, assistant professor of theatre and advisory board member of the center, said the featured quilts come from 16 Alabama fiber artists who wish to celebrate a cancer survivor in their lives.
Carr said after the exhibit, which has returned for the second year in a row, the quilts will be sent to chemotherapy centers within the region to help improve the atmosphere of cancer patients.
"It's to help bring a little color and warmth to people who are in a dark environment," said Tina Tatum, gallery coordinator of Fieldworks.
Sylvia Stephens, who graduated in journalism in 1977, participated in the exhibition for an interesting reason.
Stephens' mother, Mozell Benson, was a 2001 National Heritage Fellow quilter and local celebrity known for her beautiful quilts.
Shortly after Stephens' mother received the award, Stephens' took up quilting as well. Under the auspices of the Alabama State Council on the Arts she became her mother's apprentice.
Stephens said one of the committee members came to her last year and asked if she would make a quilt for the project, because her mother had passed away.
This is now Stephens' second year participating, and she said she has enjoyed sharing her passion and words of comfort with others.
For her quilt this year, she chose the theme of love.
"Love is universal," Stephens said. "Love makes all healing easier."
Stephens said she is appreciative of the Healing Quilts Initiative because it has brought her closer to Auburn.
Each quilt comes with a statement from the artist and an inspiration statement telling the viewer who the quilt is in honor of.
"This is a wonderful project that connects the community to the University," Tatum said.
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