Join us for a conversation in The Work of Their Hands with artist Beverly Smith. Beverly’s large-scale quilts combine a variety of drawing and surface design techniques to bring to life the stories of individuals connected to her ancestry and Southern roots.

Beverly Smith is a mixed media fiber artist. Through the depth of the colors, the layers, and the texture of the stitches, her quilts offer a means of expression that cannot be duplicated in another medium. Smith constructs collage-like art quilts using fabrics which she patterns with a variety of surface design processes. The surface is layered with machine stitching, hand embroidery, paint, transferred images, found objects and graphite drawings. The figure renderings come from live models and photographs based on legendary and people of personal importance, such as her 98-year-old mother, her sisters, and friends. Beverly’s quilts focus on themes from the Antebellum South that address past taboos and controversial issues. Taking inspiration from family conversations or childhood memories, Smith creates works that reflect the African American experience and preserve important histories.