I-69 Heritage Corridor - Allen County
cutting fabric
 
  Katrina measures her quilts by eye, without the use of patterns. "If I like it, I sew it."  -- Photo by Jim Diveney
Listen to the Audio File
Previous Slide
Next Slide
Katrina Gorman -- Fabric art (continued)

Katrina quilts “freehand,” without patterns, in contrast to symmetrically measured “block” quilting. She realized fabric art was her calling after her first exhibit, when the memories captured in her designs evoked strong emotions in their viewers: “Some people cried, some people were so excited, or they could relate. Especially to this one called ‘I love my grandma.’ …People would just cry, ‘Oh, I remember my grandma!’”

Since then, Katrina has been extremely busy with Katrina Gorman Designs, but has also found the time to give back to her community. One of her goals is “to be a positive light for women and for black people” through her quilts’ themes. “The ultimate story is my journey.”

Through her not-for-profit organization “Peace Productions,” she hopes to fulfill her dream of teaching Fort Wayne youth the life skills that are sometimes overlooked by hardworking parents. She envisions elders passing on practical skills – like sewing – that might otherwise be lost to the next generation. “It’s hard for kids to be kids now. …Everybody needs to pitch in together.”

Hear Katrina talk about:

Change Listen to Katrina Gorman  (transcript)

Her grandmother Listen to Katrina Gorman  (transcript)

A quilt depicting her mother Listen to Katrina Gorman  (transcript)