Peggie Hartwell facts for kids

Peggie Lois Hartwell (born in 1939) is a talented African-American quilter and teacher. She is part of a family tradition, being a fourth-generation quilter. Peggie lives in Summerville, South Carolina. There, she leads the Summerville Chapter of the Women of Color Quilters Network. This group teaches school-aged children how to make special story-quilts. They help keep this beautiful art and tradition alive.

Early Life and Family Traditions

Peggie Hartwell was born in 1939 in Springfield, South Carolina. She grew up on a farm with many family members around her. The women in her family were very skilled at making quilts. The men were great at telling stories, a very old tradition.

In the 1940s and 1950s, many African-American farmers moved from the South to cities in the North. Peggie also moved and finished her schooling in New York City.

A Career in Performance Arts

Peggie Hartwell studied dance with a famous teacher named Syvilla Fort in New York City. After her studies, she spent almost eight years performing. She danced Jazz, Modern Primitive, and Modern dance styles. She performed in many countries across Europe and the Middle East.

After her dancing career, she worked at a company in New York City.

Creating Beautiful Quilt Art

During her time in New York, Peggie became a skilled quilt artist. Her quilts often tell stories about her own life. She uses memories from her childhood on the farm. These memories include the folk customs and traditions she grew up with.

You can find some of her amazing quilts at the Museum of Arts and Design.

In 1996, Peggie received a special grant. It was from the National Quilting Association, Inc. This grant helped her create a series of ten quilts. These quilts showed her childhood experiences on the farm in South Carolina.

Teaching and Education

Peggie Hartwell has a college degree in Theater from Queens College in New York. She also has a special certificate. This certificate is for teaching art to students with disabilities. She earned it from the S.C. School for the Deaf and Blind.

She is recognized as a Master Artist for Opus Inc. in Connecticut. She is also listed as an Artist in the Classroom for the State of South Carolina. This means she is qualified to teach art in schools.

Featured Art Exhibitions

Peggie Hartwell's quilts have been shown in many art exhibitions. Both solo shows and group shows have featured her work.

Solo Shows

• "A Quilter's Spirit," YMI Culture Arts Center, Asheville, NC, 2000.
• "Vanished Images," New York Founding Hospital, New York, NY, 2000.

Group Shows

• "Threads of Faith," Beach Institute for African American Art & Culture Savannah, GA, 2006.
• "Threads of Faith," Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2005.
• "Threads of Faith," Gallery of the American Bible Society, New York, NY, 2004.
• "Sixth Annual Quilting Weekend," Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville, NY, 2002.
• "Stories in Art," Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 2001.

Quilts on Film and TV

The Story of Quilted Conscience

Quilted Conscience is a film about 16 girls from Sudan. They came to Grand Island with their families. The film shows how art can help people find a new life. It first aired on June 14 on NET1/HD.

Filmmaker John Sorensen recorded the girls' journey. He showed them learning to be new Americans. They worked on an art project with a local quilters guild. Peggie Hartwell, a well-known African-American quilt-maker, guided them.

Peggie Hartwell is also featured in other films. These include The Cloth Sings to Me (1995) and The Spirit of the Individual (1997). Both films are about textile artists in New York.

She was also interviewed by LeVar Burton on the TV show Reading Rainbow. She talked about her quilt-making and her family's cultural history.

Important Organizations

Ms. Hartwell is a member of several important quilting groups. These include the National Chapter of the Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN). She is also part of the American Quilt Society (AQS). And she is a member of the National Quilting Association (NQA).