Westmoreland Review

Patty Kennedy-Zafred, a Murrysville resident, has been recognized at the 2024 State Museum of Pennsylvania’s Art of the State exhibition, earning second place in the craft category for her quilt titled "American Portraits: Deep Roots." This quilt features silk-screened photos depicting America's diverse field workers.

Reflecting on a past exhibition experience, Patty recounted an emotional moment when a man was moved to tears by her "Coal Town: Silent Canary" quilt at the 2014 International Quilt Festival in Houston. “He stood there for a while and I knew he was experiencing something authentic, so I didn’t want to interrupt him,” she said. The man's wife later explained that he had lost a family member in a mining accident.

Patty is no stranger to success at this event; she previously won first place in 2022 and received the Purchase Award in 2016, leading to her work "Boys of the Mines" being added to the museum's permanent collection.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission since its establishment in 1905, hosts this annual juried art exhibition in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. The museum itself moved to its current location next to Harrisburg's capitol building in 1964 and has hosted Art of the State since 1968.

Explaining her creative process, Patty combines photography with quilting using a photo emulsion technique similar to film development. Her works are often screen printed on hand-dyed cloth or vintage feed and grain bags for an aged appearance.

Her award-winning piece will be displayed until January 5, 2025. Following this period, it will be exhibited at Shippensburg University’s Kauffman Gallery from January 29 to February 27, 2025. Artists interested in participating in next year's competition can submit their entries by January 17, 2025.

For more details about visiting hours or submitting artwork for future exhibitions at The State Museum of Pennsylvania located at 300 North St., Harrisburg, visit statemuseumpa.org. To explore Patty's portfolio further, visit pattykz.com.