Sacred Threads

Sacred Threads Experience Weekend - November 7-10, 2025

We are pleased to announce that our Artist in Residence will be Valerie Poitier. Ms. V is a wonderful choice for the Artist in Residence at the Sacred Threads exhibition due to her remarkable ability to weave emotion, spirituality, and storytelling into her artwork. Her creations not only showcase exceptional artistic skill but also invite viewers on a deeply personal and transformative journey. Valerie's work embodies the mission of Sacred Threads by exploring themes of joy, inspiration, spirituality, healing, and grief with authenticity and grace. Her unique perspective and expressive use of color, texture, and form create a powerful connection between the art and the audience, making her an inspiring and deserving choice for this honor.

Her artworks have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the country. She completed her first bed quilt in 1971. Her professional art training began in 1981 and ten years later exhibited her first textile art works. The past 30 years of teaching and lecturing guided her towards her favorite process, stitching together her take on an historical event. The focus is mainly on the part Africans in the Americas played. The inspiration is stoked when viewing or touching wooden sculptures. Her years of mastering various crafting techniques help push past the limits of traditional quilting. Her textile art works include mixed media, collages, portraits, works depicting human rights issues, often set on a landscaped background. To augment the process, you will find her choice of colors and stream of conscious writings are the building blocks used to draft or sketch the work. Look closer and you will be able to detect her use of a wide range of sewing and fine art techniques. The result has been that her writing and stories, in cloth, have been captured in books, shown on television, and her favorite, in person when she teaches or gives lectures both online and in person.

Valarie Poitier is a formally trained art administrator, lecturer, writer and multimedia artist. She weaves, paints, and is a performance artist who creates art quilts. She received her BA in Art Administration from Pfeiffer University and has also studied at Moore College of Art and Design and Harvard University. She mentors, teaches professional development courses, teaches fiber art and quilting classes, shares multimedia techniques. She leads workshops and seminars at local, regional and national conferences. Her work has been published in books and college textbooks, exhibited in museums and galleries across the US and abroad. She has also served terms as a regional rep, board member, independent curator, quilt exhibit coordinator, and recruiter and is also a performance artist.

To learn more about Ms. V - Lectures and photos of her works are on her blog

https://msvpoitier.blogspot.com/p/gallery.html also, works are on Instagram at #val_poitier, and Facebook at Val Quilting Poitier.

Here is an overview of the Experience Weekend:

Ms. V's programs will build upon each other, but also have the capability to stand alone. Her programs will be based on the Sacred Threads' themes with more information to follow.

On Friday, Saturday and Monday we will offer a catered lunch box for those visitors that are signed up for all day events. It will be $20 and will have dietary options.

Friday Interactive Lecture: How to Promote Yourself and Your Work Without Apologizing (10:00 am - 11:30 am): ($20)

Friday Workshop: Inspiration Journal (1:00 pm - 4:00 pm): ($50)

Saturday Morning Workshop: Healing Through Art (9:00 am-12:00 pm): ($50) This workshop is paired with the theme of Healing. Participants will create a fat quarter sized piece, collage style. This can also be accomplished with paper.

Saturday Afternoon Interactive Lecture: Finding Joy and Peace Through Art (1:30 pm - 3:00 pm): ($30)

Saturday Evening Story Share Dinner ($80)

Sunday Afternoon: Docent Tour of Church (12:30 pm - 1:00 pm): ($5)

Sunday Afternoon Lecture: Art & Activism with Luana Ruben (1:30-2:30): ($20)

Sunday Afternoon Interactive Lecture: Empowering Your Voice (4:00 pm - 5:30 pm) ($20) Encompassing all themes of Sacred Threads. Opportunities to hear uplifting and empowering responses after viewing the exhibition

Sunday Evening SAQA Meet and Greet (At a local restraurant)

Monday Workshop: Developing Your Story (9:00 am - 4:00 pm): ($100) How to Develop Your Story From Start to Finish: brainstorming ideas, planning the piece, executing the work in order to finish and complete this piece all the way through including sleeve/labels.

Registration for the Experience Weekend OPEN: July 1, 2025