About Shelly :: In the Media

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"Why do I have to learn this?" Virtually any teacher and parent has been on the receiving end of this incredulous question, and many have struggled to provide meaningful answer. But it takes only a moment with Shelly Zegart to for the meaning and value of her work to become apparent to anyone wondering, "Why quilts?" Rachel Guadagni from Kentucky Monthly speaks with Shelly Zegart about quilt history, quilt scholarship, exhibits among many other things in this article.

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Ian Jackson reviews the Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics documentary, created and produced by The Kentucky Quilt Project, Inc., and Executive Producer Shelly Zegart. "Quilts transcend the gulf between art and function far more easily than other crafts, but they do so only because of the rich tradition of quilting that came before. To those of us who love quilting, it may seem obvious that they represent far more than the sum of their parts, but what is less easy to articulate is why."

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Voice-Tribune reporter Ashley Anderson interviewed Shelly and her husband Kenny Zegart in August 2012, after they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. This is an engaging article that not only answers the questions "Why quilts? Why now? What do they mean?," but also shines light on who Shelly and Kenny are in their personal life, and their family.

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Courier-Journal reporter Martha Elson interviewed Shelly Zegart in January 2012, just a few months after Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics documentary series produced by The Kentucky Quilt Project, Inc., had debuted on PBS and was released on DVD.

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In February 2007 Zegart was featured in "Quilting Transformed: Leaders in Contemporary Quilting in the United States – The 20th Century and Beyond" (Jacqueline M. Atkins; Nihon Vogue Co., Ltd.) The book is described as a "celebration of contemporary quilting, from its experimental beginnings at the beginning of the twentieth century to the expansive and innovative position it inhabits in the quilt world today, and to the people and events influencing its progress."

Zegart is among eight individuals highlighted as "people who have been key to promoting an understanding of contemporary quilting through their exhibitions, collections, and publications, and through their tireless efforts in gaining recognition and respect for the art and craft of quiltmaking in today's world."

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"To a home owner, a bare wall can be as troubling as a blank sheet of paper is to a writer. That was the case for Shelly Zegart when she moved into a newly built contemporary house 30 years ago. Although already an art-lover, she wasn't sure how to handle the large expanses of white in her new home. But once she was introduced to quilts , Zegart not only solved her decorating challenge, but also discovered a passion that would lead her to become a world known expert" This article, published by Chicago Tribune at the time of the opening of "Exploring Quilts: Art, History and Craftsmanship" exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, introduces Shelly Zegart and her passion for quilts as art. The Art Institute acquired Shelly's amazing personal collection at that time.

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The article published in Courier-Journal e at the opening time of the "Exploring Quilts: Art, History and Craftsmanship" gives the higlights of the exhibit and recognizes Shelly Zegart's accomplishments in the world of quilt scholarship.

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"Shelly Zegart has spent much of the past two decades traveling between her home in Louisville, Ky., and New York City. <...> Hotels became her home away from home, but five years ago she realized she needed something more permanent. 'I wanted a place that felt friendly and comfortable -- a place where I could totally relax,' Shelly says. Once she found a space she loved, she turned to her close friend David Drummond for decorating advice and to fellow antique dealers for the special items that make the one-bedroom apartment feel like home."

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In a frank conversation with Surface Design Journal writer, Shelly Zegart discusses issues in contemporary art quilting, recognizing several prominent artists, as well as several other aspects, such as marketing of contemporary art quilts. The article also covers the historical impact of antique quilts on their contemporary counterparts.

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This article presents Shelly Zegart and her role in organizing the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the historic exhibition, "Abstract Design in American Quilts," (Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC, 1971) in Louisville, KY. "Louisville Celebrates the American Quilt" is a "multi-event, gala tribute to the growth of quilt-related activities." This article chronicles how this important event came to be -- from its roots in the Kentucky Quilt Project started in 1981 by Shelly Zegart and Eleanor Bingham.

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«If you could bottle Shelly Zegart, you'd make a fortune. She is a tonic, one of those high-energy people who hum and vibrate if asked to sit still too long. Shelly is a make-it-happen person, a self-taught quilt scholar who lives in Louisville, KY, but enjoys an international reputation as a quilt critic, historian, consultant, collector and dealer. This article reviews a number of quilt projects and exhibits that Shelly spearheaded, as well as gives insights into Shelly's high-energy personality and her views on quilts in art and everyday life.»