Patty Kennedy-Zafred has been telling stories through the medium of textiles and art quilts for over thirty years, creating thought provoking narratives using fabric, dyes, silkscreens, and ink to develop a visual dialogue with the viewer. The interpretation of each piece is conceived through the lens of individual experiences, memories, or perspectives. Her quilts marry a lifelong fascination with photography, history, and stitch, often reflecting faces of pride and dignity, sometimes under challenging circumstances.

Kennedy-Zafred’s work has been exhibited in major national and international exhibitions, including Fiberart International, CraftForms, Art of the State Pennsylvania, Quilt National, Visions, Artist as Quiltmaker, Fantastic Fibers, Quilts=Art=Quilts, Fiber Options, New Legacies, SAQA Global Exhibitions, National Fiber Directions, and numerous invitational exhibitions and print publications. Her work has won top awards at both American Quilt Society competitions and International Quilt Festival, including the prestigious Masters Award. She was recently honored as a Master Visual Artist as part of the Preserving the Legacy Project in Pittsburgh. Her work has traveled across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, China, and Australia, and is part of the permanent collections of The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA, The Textile Museum, Washington, DC, International Quilt Museum, Lincoln, NE, San Jose Museum of Textiles, CA, Heinz History Center/Smithsonian Institution, Pittsburgh, PA, Emory University, Altanta, GA, and the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, Little Rock, AK, as well as private collections.


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