The Voices & Visions quilt project began in the fall of 2025 when a group of 2D Design art students was asked by instructor Ani Volkan to design patterned quilt squares based on the Carolina Village residents’ lives. The students interviewed individual residents to gauge which colors and patterns best fit their personalities. A peaceful person was interpreted as the color blue, while a vibrant personality became the color orange. A master gardener translated to a pattern with a flower basket, while a community activist became a friendship star pattern. Once the students finished their 5” by 5” squares, they gave them to a group of residents at Carolina Village, who worked to stitch fabric quilt squares using the students’ patterns to guide them.
Over the course of several weeks, the residents worked with Carolina Village Wellness Coordinator Aleen Dailey to create a colorful heirloom quilt that visually represents the community’s collective life stories.
The Voices & Visions quilt will be on display at A-B Tech’s Coman Gallery in the Coman Student Activity Center throughout the summer from May 2- July 31, Monday -Thursday from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. In August, it will move to the Asheville Art Museum for an exhibit before finally coming home again to live with the residents at Carolina Village.
