NWDC Member Artist Talk
Patti King: Confessions of a Thread Head
Presented on Zoom
Sunday, May 31st at 3PM
Patti King has been working as a textile artist for over 40 years. For 25–30 years, King wove custom rugs for the design trade and individual clients. Over the past 17 years, her practice has transitioned to working in the tradition of the Korean wrapping cloth, generally known as bojagi, with some overlap between the two bodies of work.
This newer medium reflects the geometric structure and color relationships present in King’s earlier rugs, while operating on a smaller scale and using only needle and thread.
Over the past 14 years, King has also curated three exhibitions: two focused on Korean wrapping cloth and one co-curated with Misik Kim in 2022, centered on contemporary Korean quilting. Two of these exhibitions were presented at the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum in La Conner, Washington. Most recently, Bojagi Journey 2023, an international exhibition, ran for 10 weeks during the summer and fall.
In addition to her studio practice, King has taught weaving and, more recently, has led workshops in the art of bojagi. Through this teaching, she guides students along a path of discovery and process-based creativity using needle, thread, and small fabric scraps.
King’s artistic focus centers on the interplay of color and design within a geometric framework, both in weaving and hand stitching. Her work has also, at times, incorporated natural dyeing and shibori techniques.
Watch “Stitching A Life.” This video captures the final stages of a bojagi-jogakbo curtain created by textile artist Patti King for a friend. As she works, Patti reflects on her creative process and her passion for preserving the stories held within inherited cloth—stories that find new life in each carefully placed stitch.
Patti King, Joy Runner (detail), 21" x 68", 2024
Patti King, Tunic, pieced jogakbo style and dyed in indigo, 2015.
Patti King, Woven Rug, 2002
Patti King, Starry Night, 8" x 8", 2018.
NWDC’s Mission is to educate the public about Craft. It is also our intention for members to know each other – to have community. Our Zoom Artist Talks address both of these purposes. The Zoom talks grew out of a tradition from in-person meetings where members presented their life story and their work. It was a way to share with each other and to get to know each other in depth. A strong Crafts community is essential to promoting Craft in our wider culture.
When the talks moved to Zoom during the pandemic, we immediately saw a new advantage: far-away members could participate in real-time, the public could tune in, and we could make a permanent record of the talks on YouTube.
The support team for the Zoom talks include Executive Director Daniel Wallace, President Nancy Loorem Adams, Katherine Lewis, Lois Harbaugh, and Denise Snyder.