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The Glassell School of Art Opens a Dynamic Quilting Exhibition in Collaboration with the Community Artists’ Collective and the Jubilee Quilt Circle

On Saturday, August 9, Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad will open to the public

HOUSTON—August 4, 2025—In partnership with the Jubilee Quilt Circle, the Glassell School of Art presents Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad, the culminating exhibition celebrating the creative expression of quilting, and its connection to the Underground Railroad. Through generous support from E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, the Jubilee Quilt Circle, a long-standing program of the Community Artists’ Collective, participated in a year-long residency at the Glassell School of Art. Participants spent time researching various designs observed in the many crafted textiles on display in the MFAH and honed their artistic skill by immersing themselves in classes offered by Glassell. Paying homage to the practice of designing quilts in this fashion, Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad stands the test of time, bringing a vibrant light to a unique story, revealing a common thread woven into the complex fabric of American history.

“The Glassell School of Art has and will continue to collaborate with the Community Artists’ Collective to support the Jubilee Quilt Circle. This collaboration is funded by a generous grant from the E.A. Michaelson Foundation,” commented Paul Coffey, director for the Glassell School of Art. “Having the Jubilee Quilt Circle in residence at the Glassell School has been a fantastic collaboration that has supported and challenged both partners to expand their perspective and become better makers. This exhibition is the manifestation of the hard work and dedication of the Jubilee Quilt Circle. I have been so impressed with what the quilters have been able to accomplish. I look forward to working with them for the next two years in residency at the Glassell School.”

Michelle B. Barnes, executive director of the Community Artists’ Collective, remarked, “The Glassell residency has aided tremendously in increasing the Circle’s visibility and beautifully displays their growth as individual artists. We are grateful for Glassell’s appreciation for a program we’ve fostered for over 30 years at Community Artists’ Collective and look forward to strengthening our partnership.”

Over the course of several months, the quilters communed around a shared joy of quilting as their form of creative expression. Patterns of Liberation reflects each quilter’s unique design and perspective of the once undercover code of patterns sewn into quilts during the time of enslavement in America. The patterns selected in each quilt honor the intricate network of people who deployed these designs as a tool of communication directing specific pathways to freedom on the Underground Railroad. These pieces of art also stand as a visual acknowledgment of the individuals that made navigation to freedom on the Underground Railroad a possibility. A particular sequence, color, symbols, and thread length all performed a crucial role in secretly revealing vital information to aid in navigation from one checkpoint to the next which ultimately led freedom seekers north to Canada. 

“What a wonderful experience it has been for the quilters to be in residence at the Glassell School of Art. Glassell has provided a spacious place for them to gather and share a collective interest in the art of quilting,” stated April M. Frazier, assistant director for the Community Artists’ Collective. “This has been a powerful example of how resources and connections to art and artists is beneficial not only to them but also aids in educating the broader community through hands-on workshops and exhibitions.”

At the end of the exhibition’s run, the participating artists will hold a panel discussion on September 19 at 1 p.m. in Glassell’s Favrot Auditorium. A closing reception for the exhibition will follow the discussion at 3 p.m. in the Bucher Gallery at the Glassell School of Art.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston  
Spanning 14 acres in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, the main campus comprises the Audrey Jones Beck Building, the Caroline Wiess Law Building, the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden and the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building. Nearby, two house museums—Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and Rienzi—present collections of American and European decorative arts.

The MFAH is also home to the Glassell School of Art, with its Core Residency Program and Junior and Studio schools; and the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA), a leading research institute for 20th-century Latin American and Latino art. Additional resources include a repertory cinema; two significant research libraries, the Hirsch Library and the Powell Library and Study Center at Bayou Bend; public archives; a conservation studio; and an off-site storage facility. www.mfah.org 

Media Contact
Alexandria Yancy, Associate Publicist
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