| Anna Willis Artist Statement  |
Anna Estella Willis was born in 1925 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moved to Seneca, SC at the age of two. From the age of six, her mother taught her sewing, quilting, crocheting and knitting. They made all their own clothes, plus their sheets, quilts and pillow cases. Wasting nothing, Anna's mother taught her how to take the strings from feed-sacks and crochet lace from them. They even carded their own cotton for their quilts. Anna became an expert traditional quilter and has made virtually every pattern. In 1986, she started entering her quilts in fairs and art competitions, garnering many ribbons and prizes. In 1995, Anna began doing her own "African" series of quilts using lots of embroidery and applique. She has demonstrated and taught her art to school kids and seniors citizens. She is much sought after for repairs, make-overs and patching of heirloom quilts. | |
| Click here to view a sample of Anna Willis' quilts on exhibit. | ||
| Sheila Gaines Artist Statement  |
Sheila Gaines was born in Oconee County and lives in Clemson. She has been quilting for six years and is self-taught. Sheila says learning from quilters Anna Willis, Priscilla Hair and Marge Edie has insprired her to learn new techniques to incorporate into her designs. She teaches Basic Quilting and Hand & Machine Piecework classes for children and adults at the Littlejohn Community Center in Central where she is also the Project Director for the new "Let It Be Sew, So Others Can" program. This project is in its beginning stage to bring quilters together to support other nonprofit organizations and make quilts for families in need. Sheila's quilts adorn the community center and inspire others with her creative use of color and technique. Below are samples of Sheila's quilts now on exhibit. |
|
Quilts by Sheila Gaines: |
 |
|
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
Quilts by Anna Willis: |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||