Fabric artist, Valerie C. White, included in Obama exhibit

Louisville fabric artist, Valerie C. White, and a dear quilting friend, was chosen to make an original project for inclusion in "Quilts for Obama: An Exhibit Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th president."

The exhibit was conceived by Roland Freeman, a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington. Also, he is head of the nonprofit Group for Cultural Documentation that is sponsoring "Quilts for Obama" with the Women of Color Quilters Network.

The show, additionally, features older and historical quilts, including one by Carrie Nelson of Georgetown, S.C., the oldest living member of Michelle Robinson Obama's family, according to Freeman. The exhibit, 801 K St. NW, ends Jan. 31. (It will be closed Jan. 20, Inauguration Day.) For information, call (202) 882-7764 or visit www.tgcd.org.

Valerie is one of 44 artists chosen to contribute to this exhibit. You can see her creation in the photo above, taken by exhibit curator, Roland Freeman. For those hoping the exhibit will travel to their town, don't get too excited, it doesn't appear to be a traveling exhibit. But there is talk about it being made into a book.

Valerie said, "I had such a good time at the opening it was like old home week."

The Louisville newspaper, the Courier-Journal, wrote a well crafted article about Valerie, this project and her quilting life and history. Get to know Valerie and her art better at her website, too.

If you happen to visit the Quilters World Magazine online you can view and download a pdf of Valerie's Fabric Jazz. Or pick up the February 2008 issue (not a typo, yes it was last year) my interview with Valerie and photos of some of her work are featured. It was one of my favorite articles and most fun interviews.

And see Valerie in her workroom or creative central in her home in Louisville in the photo to the right, taken by Pamela Spaulding of the Courier-Journal.

Valerie's life is almost as spectacular as her art. Way to go Valerie. Give Barack a hug for us!