3/31/09

Charlene Hughes


Charlene Hughes began quilting in the1980's, when only one person on the entire island Maui taught the subject.This teacher's efforts were directed only to tourists interested in learning
Hawaiian quilting. Two sorely outdated books on the topic were available in the Maui public libraries. In addition to learning the topic, in 1996 Hughes remedied the lack of resources by founding the Maui Quilt Guild. Forty members attended the first meeting. Today the membership numbers 160.

Hughes has actively taught for the Maui Quilt Guild, the Hawaii Quilt Guild, the Hawaii Quilt Research Group and Quilt Hawaii. And in the tradition of many quilters who used their medium as message, Hughes has donated quilts to survivors of Hurricane Katrina, domestic and animal abuse shelters, hospitalized veterans of wars, residents of retirement home, the AIDS Foundation and breast cancer research.

During her life as a quilter, Hughes has been honored by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts purchase of three art quilts; other of her quilts have been purchased for collections on the mainland and in Hawaii. She has been an invited artist in a broad array of local and national shows, as well as a juried contributor to the state's most prestigious Artists of Hawaii exhibition at the Honolulu Academy of Art. The latest events have included interviews and photos for the "Alliance of American Quilts" and being invited to show two pieces at the "Quilts for Obama Inaugural Exhibit" in Washington D.C. Other of Hughes' quilts have been featured in books, magazines and college catalogs.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think your work is beautiful, very innovative. It must be fun looking for just the right fabric to use.:)
Jennifer Cook

Helen Desmarais said...

Charlene Hughes is an amazing quilter and fabric artist. I have had the pleasure of seeing many of her works of art.

Helen Desmarais said...

Charlene Hughes is an amazing quilter and Fabric Artist. I have had the honor and pleasure of seeing many of her works. She is an asset to the Art Community.