Katrina Story Quilts was the initial school outreach program that invited children to explore and share their ideas and stories about their "new" world. “After Katrina, we felt it was vital to give children an opportunity to “voice” their thoughts and feelings through art as part of the recovery process”, says Mary Cordray, Program Director. Themes for the quilts are What Katrina Couldn't Take Away, Rebuilding Our Town, Changes in the Neighborhood, Katrina Surprises, and Dreams. Working in small groups with a museum staff member, students created art work for the quilt. The art work was scanned and printed on fabric by volunteer Peggy Guyton from Ocean Springs MS and by Original works in Stillwater NY. Quilters Peggy Guyton and Sandy Tully, along with quilters from Janet's Quilting Bee, SandStitchers of Biloxi and Ocean Wave Quilters assembled the quilts. Completed story quilts were initially displayed at each participating school.
A total of eight quilts were created during the school year.
The Discovery Center is interested in exhibiting the quilts individually or as a group.
Any museum interested in an exhibit opportunity may contact
Mary Anne Caldwell at the Discovery Center, 228-897-6039.
This project was partially funded by grants from
MS Humanities Council
and the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson .
Quilts have been displayed at the following venues:
Omaha Children's Museum
Omaha, NE
Assoc. of Children's Museums Conference
Chicago, IL
Huntsville Museum of Art
Huntsville, AL
California Quilters Showcase
Ontario, CA
Spindletop International
Houston, TX
Kiwanis International
Montreal Canada
Delta Cultural Center
Helena, AR
Agriculture in the Classroom/Farm Bureau
Atlantic City, NJ
American Quilter Show
Paducah, KY
Burlington Square Mall
Burlington, NC
MS Conference for Nonprofits and Volunteers
Jackson, MS
MS Assoc.of Planning Developers
Tunica, MS
Southeastern Theatre Conference
Orlando,FL
Cascade View Elementary School
Snoqualmie, WA
National Assoc. of Junior Auxiliaries Convention
Little Rock, AR
USM Museum of Art
Hattiesburg, MS
MS State Legislature
Capitol Building
Jackson, MS
Students create art work for Katrina Story Quilts.
Samples of children's quilt art .
Volunteer Peggy Guyton scans children's art work and prints on to fabric squares.
l to r Quilter Sandy Tully, Ocean Wave Quilters and Janet's Quilting Bee &
SandStitchers of Biloxi sewing quilts.
"Katrina Surprises" created
Beauvoir Elementary students in Biloxi with art work by students from
with their Katrina Story Quilt, Second Street Elementary
"What Katrina Couldn't Take Away". in Bay St. Louis.
Art teacher Lisa Bouvette, right,
pictured with Mary Cordray, left.
