A conversation about quilting, community, and the power of collaborative creativity.

Wednesday, July 15,  6-8 PM
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
20 4th Street (Corner of 4th & B Street)
Admission Free,  Reservations Requested

Join quiltmakers from the Petaluma Museum’s exhibit The Fabric of Democracy: Quilts and the Power of the People for a discussion about quilting, community, and the power of collaborative creativity.

Whether you’re a quilter, artist, history enthusiast, or simply curious about the role of creativity in community life, this conversation offers a unique opportunity to hear from artists whose work demonstrates the enduring relevance of quilting as a form of expression, connection, and collective storytelling.

Panelists

Pamela Van Halsema (We the People Quilt Project): Pamela Van Halsema is a graphic designer, educator, and community organizer who works at the intersection of art, education, and civic engagement. She is the creator and organizer of the We the People Quilt Project, a collaborative effort that invites community members to express their hopes and aspirations for the future through quiltmaking.

Karen Bolan (Quilting Professional): Karen Bolan is a quilt teacher, lecturer, and community-builder based in Santa Rosa who grew up in Petaluma. After a career as a drinking water engineer, she transitioned to teaching quilting full time in 2021. Today, Karen travels nationally and internationally, inspiring quilters to strengthen their communities through creativity, collaboration, and mutual support. She is passionate about the power of quilting to bring people together and foster connections both within quilting groups and in the broader community.

Melanie Walas (Stopped in Motion: Pandemic Art Quilts): Melanie Walas is a multidisciplinary Bay Area artist working in fiber, painting, and ceramics. She earned a degree in Fine Art from Messiah College and began her career at the Philadelphia Museum of Art before moving to California. Her work has spanned costume design, stop-motion animation, visual effects, and fine art. While at Industrial Light & Magic, she contributed to films including the Star Wars prequels, Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean, Rango, A.I., and many others. Her artwork has been exhibited throughout California, and she continues to work across multiple artistic disciplines.

Jessica Cadkin (Stopped in Motion: Pandemic Art Quilts): Jessica Cadkin grew up in Napa, California and earned a BA in Sculpture and Painting from San Francisco State University. Her work has appeared in exhibitions internationally and throughout California, including the Headlands Center for the Arts, Southern Exposure, di Rosa Preserve, and the Bedford Gallery. She became involved with The Process—fondly known as the Stitch & Bitchers—in 2015 and has been a member of Oakland’s Mercury Twenty Gallery since 2020.

Lauren Vogt (Stopped in Motion: Pandemic Art Quilts): Lauren Vogt moved to California after college in Illinois to begin her film career in San Rafael, working at various studios, including Industrial Light & Magic and Colossal Pictures. Her skills include sculpting, mold making, model painting, stop-motion puppet fabrication, and costume design and construction. Her work can be seen in films such as the Star Wars prequels, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, Howard the Duck, Spaceballs, and many others. Collaboration and teamwork have been the most valuable constants throughout her career, an ethos Lauren continues to carry into her work with The Process, a group of women who connected through the film industry.

Presented in conjunction with The Fabric of Democracy: Quilts and the Power of the People, on view at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum June 18-August 2 as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary commemoration. With thanks to the City pf Petaluma for their support of the exhibit and programming.