Pat Guthrie

Growing up I enjoyed looking at photographs in my favorite magazine—National Geographic which visually opened the world to me. I saw worldwide shots of people in their natural habitats and magnificent maps. I was attracted to the color and design.

In college, partly because of my visual grounding from National Geographic, I was drawn to courses in sociology and anthropology. By the time I enrolled in graduate school my focus was anthropology. Of all the graduate school learning activities I experienced, studying classic anthropological films was my favorite. I needed to see what I was studying.

After retiring from working as a professor, I decided to actively engage in some form of visual arts. I began taking community-based art classes—drawing, photography, quilt making, printing, and collage. I kept returning to quilt classes and the art of quilt making has become my passion.

My current work is influenced by my training as an anthropologist. Years of teaching, researching, and publishing about different cultures underpin my creations. I hope my quilts encourage viewers to move beyond art that is merely pleasing to the eye and seek a deeper meaning.