Bets Ramsey’s formal training includes a B.A. in Art, with honors, from the University of
Chattanooga in 1950, and an M.S. in crafts and design form the University of Tennessee in
1972. She is a founding member of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG) and the
Tennessee Association of Craft Artists, and is a member of the American Crafts Council, the
South Highland Craft Guild, and other related professional organizations.
Perhaps best known for her career as a textile artist, Ramsey has made a lasting impact on
quilters and the history of quilting through a variety of venues within the quilt world, not least of
which were her 884 weekly columns begun in 1980 and ending in 1991, “The Quilter,” that ran
in the Chattanooga Times. In 1974 Ramsey founded the Southern Quilt Symposium, an early
gathering in the newly emerging quilt revival of late 20th century, at the Hunter Museum of
American Art in Chattanooga, which lasted 17 years. Each year she coordinated a variety of
lectures and workshops for the symposium as well as curated an annual major exhibit, drawn
from nation-wide quilt artists, museums, and private collectors. It was the first continual art quilt
series that drew from a wide audience and was placed in an art setting. That first annual exhibit
began with the Holstein/van der Hoof “The Pieced Quilt” from the Whitney Museum. The last
one was in 1991, “Southern Quilts: A New View.” She has curated numerous other exhibits over
the years in addition to the ones associated with the Southern Quilt Symposium and has had
her own work shown in galleries and museums across the United States and abroad, many
which featured her as the solo artist. From 1983-1987 Ramsey co-directed the Quilts of
Tennessee documentation project with co-author Merikay Waldvogel, which resulted in a book
and traveling exhibition. In addition she has presented six research paper at the American Quilt
Study Group’s annual seminar in 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1993 and seen them
published by AQSG http://www.h-net.org/~aqsg. Ramsey has also authored three other books
plus written countless essays, catalogs, book reviews and exhibition reviews during her career.
Ramsey continues to lecture, serve as a consultant to several museums, and exhibit her work. A
40-year retrospective of her work was exhibited in Marion, Indiana, at The Quilters Hall of Fame
during Celebration 2005. At her induction festivities Ramsey made a donation of 15 small quilts
to The Quilters Hall of Fame that she made. These particular quilts each contain some fabric
pieces from the fabric stash of QHF Florence Peto.
Chattanooga in 1950, and an M.S. in crafts and design form the University of Tennessee in
1972. She is a founding member of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG) and the
Tennessee Association of Craft Artists, and is a member of the American Crafts Council, the
South Highland Craft Guild, and other related professional organizations.
Perhaps best known for her career as a textile artist, Ramsey has made a lasting impact on
quilters and the history of quilting through a variety of venues within the quilt world, not least of
which were her 884 weekly columns begun in 1980 and ending in 1991, “The Quilter,” that ran
in the Chattanooga Times. In 1974 Ramsey founded the Southern Quilt Symposium, an early
gathering in the newly emerging quilt revival of late 20th century, at the Hunter Museum of
American Art in Chattanooga, which lasted 17 years. Each year she coordinated a variety of
lectures and workshops for the symposium as well as curated an annual major exhibit, drawn
from nation-wide quilt artists, museums, and private collectors. It was the first continual art quilt
series that drew from a wide audience and was placed in an art setting. That first annual exhibit
began with the Holstein/van der Hoof “The Pieced Quilt” from the Whitney Museum. The last
one was in 1991, “Southern Quilts: A New View.” She has curated numerous other exhibits over
the years in addition to the ones associated with the Southern Quilt Symposium and has had
her own work shown in galleries and museums across the United States and abroad, many
which featured her as the solo artist. From 1983-1987 Ramsey co-directed the Quilts of
Tennessee documentation project with co-author Merikay Waldvogel, which resulted in a book
and traveling exhibition. In addition she has presented six research paper at the American Quilt
Study Group’s annual seminar in 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1993 and seen them
published by AQSG http://www.h-net.org/~aqsg. Ramsey has also authored three other books
plus written countless essays, catalogs, book reviews and exhibition reviews during her career.
Ramsey continues to lecture, serve as a consultant to several museums, and exhibit her work. A
40-year retrospective of her work was exhibited in Marion, Indiana, at The Quilters Hall of Fame
during Celebration 2005. At her induction festivities Ramsey made a donation of 15 small quilts
to The Quilters Hall of Fame that she made. These particular quilts each contain some fabric
pieces from the fabric stash of QHF Florence Peto.
| Bets Ramsey |
Inducted in 2005 at The Quilters Hall of Fame
Celebration, Marion, Indiana.
Celebration, Marion, Indiana.