Quilting her way to national prominence

Karen Sophia Smith is an artist, but she doesn’t create paintings, jewelry, photographs or sculptures. No, her canvas is fabric and her talents lie in stitching. Smith’s quilts have been nationally recognized, but her journey to becoming an acclaimed artist didn’t start out exactly as you might expect.

“Back in 1991, I had Lyme disease, and I was sick for three and a half years. A friend, now mentor, Sue Benner is an international quilt artist who was living in Dallas. She invited me to spend time when I was recovering, and allowed me to work for her when I was okay. I was rehabbing myself by working and walking. I got better. I worked for twelve years, and I’m perfectly healthy now,” Smith said. “I learned to sew in high school. Mrs. Hancock would be proud.” Smith is from LaMarque and graduated high school there.

“These are quilts that are art. They are not for the bed but to hang on the wall. I learned from twenty plus years making quilt art.” Her preferred medium uses 100% cotton and silk.

Smith placed as the only Texas artist at a national art show in St. Charles, Illinois, with the quilt “painting” inspired by Wimberley Valley landscapes.

“This piece came to me and a poem came with it. The land, you have to have a relationship with it. That’s the quilt’s definition. I had it in my mind and on paper... I had to make a drawing on big brown paper. I sewed curved lines together and made pattern pieces, an illustration of the quilt.”

She explained what is in the quilt.

“Mother is laid out underground with ancestor’s around her (horizontally). Above her is technology, (such as) cell towers are out of her throat. Off to the left, wind turbines are on land. Above the sky is a view that is holding us all together. I believe we’re all one.” She continued.

“(In the middle of the quilt) Mother between us and our ancestors and modern technology. Beads (on the quilt) are us being born again into the relationship and modern world.”

The piece is for sale online at the Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, Illinois. “I chose that (art show) and won. I was amazed it was accepted... I was happy and when I won an award I was simply amazed.” She won two awards which were in the top five of the show.

“It’s why I make art, it’s a spiritual healing when I am making art because grace is connecting you to the source of all being.” Karen Sophia Smith lives in Wimberley with her husband Marvin.