OLLI Hosts Fiber Art Exhibition for Local Artists
Mon, 02/24/2025 - 11:43am | By: Gabriela Shinskie
Martha (left) and Linda Ginn (right)
Smiles and conversation filled the Peck House in Hattiesburg, Miss last Friday as Southern Miss Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) members watched mother-daughter duo, Martha and Linda Ginn display intricate quilting patterns for public viewing. The pair was excited to display their work to the OLLI community and discuss their passion for quilting for all to see.
鈥�Creating my fiber art is quite a personal and solitary activity. Some pieces take a lot of time, often in stages and stops and starts, with enjoyment along the way. Seeing finished pieces displayed in a gallery-like setting is extremely satisfying. I love getting to share my art with friends from OLLI and the community and hearing their comments and reactions,鈥� said Martha.
Since 1984, Martha鈥檚 intricate quilting patterns have quickly become recognized in national art exhibits and publications. She鈥檚 traveled the globe displaying her love for fiber arts and is a founding member of Pine Belt Quilters, the Mississippi Quilt Association and Southern Fiber Artists. Her daughter, Linda, has been quilting for eight years and focuses on contemporary designs and bright colors.
Martha was grateful for the moment she displayed her quilting next to her daughters鈥� work. Both collaborate on quilts for the Pine Belt Quilters鈥� community sewing projects, working on different parts of a quilt and later, piecing it all together. This exhibit was the first time Linda鈥檚 quilts were displayed and a memory she will cherish forever.
鈥�Being invited to display my work alongside my mother's, seeing our works hanging together and talking to exhibitgoers has been gratifying as well as humbling.鈥疘 think each of us has a creative spark that can be nurtured, increased and shared with others. My path into creativity does not need to mirror anyone else's, nor does anyone's experience of artistic expression need to mirror mine,鈥� said Linda.
鈥淲hen a viewer is moved by the colorful fabrics and stitches in my work, I feel that I have enriched their life that day and perhaps given them a memory to keep. Explaining a technique or pointing out the simplicity of colorful fabrics and threads helps people appreciate how a time-honored craft can become an art form,鈥� said Martha.
The exhibition is open throughout April. Click to view Martha鈥檚 online gallery.
OLLI is open to anyone 50 years of age and older who has a passion for learning. Members can take classes on wide-ranging topics and establish friendships through social events and interactions. OLLI courses are available on the Southern Miss Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses.