Uncommon Cloth By: Colleen Hathaway

Colleen is a self taught Quilt Artist who transforms fabric into evocative works of art. Colleen has shown quilts in the Paducah Quilt Show, the Artisan Center in Berea KY and the Kentucky Museum. Her Kentucky Derby Quilt won first place in the AQS Show in Nashville, TN. Colleen’s “Roses for Dad” won first place in the Rhapsody of Roses Show in Innsbruck, Austria.

About the Artist
Colleen Hathaway is a self taught artist from Bowling Green, Kentucky who transforms fabric into evocative works of art. A 1973 graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Hathaway began her career in advertising before discovering quilting in 1989. Her transition from painting to textiles allowed her explore color, texture, and design in a more expressive way.

Artist Statement
Colleen approaches quilting much like a painter approaches canvas—using fabric as paint the sewing machine as her brush. Rejecting traditional quilting rules, she creates one-of-a-kind paintings in fabric that blend hand-dyed and commercial fabrics with rich embellishments such as yarns, beads, and dyed cheese cloth.

Selected Exhibitions and Awards
Quilt Expo VI (Innsbruck, Austria) – First Place, Rhapsody Roses Contest (“Roses for Dad”)
Nashville Quilt Show – First Place, Kentucky Memories Show (“Kentucky Derby”)
Paducah Quilt Show – Featured Works
Also exhibited Capitol Arts Center, The Kentucky Museum, and The Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea, KY

Artist’s Vision
Colleen’s work celebrates freedom, intuition, and experimentation. Each quilt begins as a mental image that evolves organically through the creative process. “I get this idea in my head and to see if I can transfer it to fabric. I never made traditional quilts; everything doesn’t have to match perfectly – everything just blend