Episode 42 With Trish Williams

Trish Williams is a Fiber Artist Par Excellence. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Trish learned early from her mother and sister that she had a special talent. Her sister would take her artwork (unbeknownst to Trish) and sell it and bring Trish the money. This is how much her family believed in her and her gifts. Additionally, Trish read voraciously about art, famous artists, African American artists, and she was particularly drawn to work that made a social justice statement. While a student in the Upward Bound Program (a college preparatory program for high school students), Trish was exposed to a myriad of art from all types of artists – American, European, Latin and women. She states the cultural offerings that were placed before her, excited her and more importantly that exposure showed her that there were no boundaries to how she could show up in the art arena. She quickly connected to other fiber artists, especially those engaged in the quilting arts. She was struck by the richness of colors, patterns and the generation of innovative ideas. The stories that she heard in these quilting circles, especially from Black women amazed her and had her so enraptured that Trish quickly became committed to showcasing her work through an African American lens. As a result of the artistry and vibrancy of her work, it became commonplace for Trish’s work to be featured in both solo and group exhibits on college campuses, art galleries, museums, cultural centers and festivals. Her work is classified as “fine art” and it tends to fall into the categories of “Large Works”, “Darling Divis and Friends”, “Glad Bags”, “Wearable Art”, “Mix Media” and “Public Art”. Her patrons range from the wealthy to the collector who requests a payment plan. Trish makes her art accessible. Her work has been featured in anthologies, quilt portfolios, fiber arts magazines, and her works have been the subject of lectures and trunk shows. She has also been generous with students in sharing her knowledge, wisdom and here arts manifesto. About herself, Trish says, “I bring together the rhythm of hand dyed, painted and commercially made fabrics with the syncopated lines of my quilting to tell stories about the African Diaspora and my community. While my textiles are steeped in the tradition of the story, quilt, cloth-based narratives constructed frequently from scraps of clothing and other familiar fabrics to record history at a particular time and place, they are intended to be viewed on the wall rather than to dress a bed. My tales are for all to see and know, rather than for just an intimate few. I challenge the status quo, refusing to accept the stereotypes forced upon me by society. Instead, I question the very nature of these stereotypes using familiar forms and processes to hold the viewer’s attention.” During the interview, I asked Trish what words of counsel would she offer African American women age 50+, and her response was “learn how to say ‘no’. Accept your power and mean it when you say ‘no’. You can connect with her on Facebook as Trish Williams and her website is www.handworksbytrishwilliams.com