Crowd gathers at The Attic Gallery to meet renowned quilter Yvonne Wells

Published 7:08 pm Monday, February 18, 2019

By Terri Cowart Frazier

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(Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post)

The Attic Gallery was packed Friday evening with people anxious to meet renowned quilter Yvonne Wells, as well as view some of her art pieces.

Unlike most quilters, Wells does not use a pattern. She said she just creates from the heart using whatever may be at hand that will help tell her story.

“For those of you who don’t know Yvonne Wells, she is nationally acclaimed quilter,” gallery owner Lesley Silver said.

“She has shown her work in Italy, she has shown her work in France and in Canada,” Silver said, and she even has pieces hanging in the Smithsonian.

“We are honored to have her in Vicksburg and feel like we are sharing something that is very important.”

Many of the quilts that were hung on the third floor of the gallery, which also serves as the home to Silver and her husband, Daniel Boone, represented what Wells called her sociopolitical quilts and during her talk, she walked around the room with a cane pointing out the details on her quilts— small and large —that represented her visions of social justices and injustices.

“The quilts really pop more than I expected. They are wonderful,” gallery attendee Elizabeth Guilder said.

“The quilts are so thought through and they are not strident. They are not one-sided. They convey a perspective that comes out of really having suffered and thought about,” Guider said.

“I thought this was fabulous,” attendee Beth Palmer said of the event.

“The quilts are inspiring, illuminating and incredible,” Palmer said.

Kathryn Loyacono described Wells’ quilts as “very moving and enlightening.”

Gallery goer Deborah Betts concurred.

“It was really emotional as she was talking. Just the artwork and effort she puts in almost leaves you speechless,” Betts said.

The quilts will continue to hang on the third floor of the gallery, Silver said, through the month of February and will be available to view from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 601-638-9221.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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