"Healing Journey" by Lauren Kingsland
About the Exhibit
"Healing Journey - Personal Transformation in the Presence of Cancer” is now on display at the University from Aug. 20 to Dec. 12, 2014. This special exhibit, located in Innovation Hall, showcases eleven handmade quilts by Lauren Kingsland, a pioneer in the field of fiber arts.
Lauren’s "Healing Journey" collection was first exhibited in 2013 at the Lombardi Cancer Center. “Each quilt was inspired by the experiences of cancer that I have witnessed during my work as a visiting artist there.” The quilts explore the many aspects of the presence of illness as well as represent what Lauren has seen and learned about transformation, change, and what people are faced with when they have a disease.
Each of the eleven quilts on display was inspired by patients, caregivers and staff at the hospital. For Lauren, “a quilt is a metaphor for putting pieces of a situation together in a harmonious way. The underlying message of a quilt is about the creation of beauty in daily life, about being tucked in and cared for, and about connection, cooperation and community.”
About the Artist:
Lauren Kingsland is a pioneer in the field of thread work therapy - sewing and other handwork to calm the body, quiet the mind, and engage the creative self as well as promote a sense of connection and accomplishment. During her 25 years of work as a freelance fiber arts consultant Lauren has worked for the Clinical Center at NIH, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) at Georgetown University Medstar Hospital, The Children’s Inn at NIH, and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital.
During that time she has designed many group projects to work through common concerns and build community. She lectures for quilt and civic groups about fiber art and healing, leads retreat activities, and teaches workshops on color, mandala design and quiltmaking techniques. Patients who sit with her one-on-one find her a compassionate listener and teacher of creative process which produces a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment.
Her book, “Healing Journey - Transformation in the Presence of Cancer” explores themes of fear and courage, companionship, and the acceptance of change in a positive, supportive way and was inspired by her 14 years as a weekly Visiting Artist at the Lombardi CCC Arts & Humanities program. A longstanding relationship with the Children’s Inn at NIH has included making unique auction quilts for their galas which have raised many thousands of dollars for the Inn. She serves on the national organizing committee of the biennial juried exhibit, “Sacred Threads,” for quilts on themes of joy, healing, grief, inspiration, spirituality, and peace.
Lauren holds a Masters degree in Applied Healing Arts from the Maryland University of Integrative Health, Laurel MD. She is a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, MO. Her studio is based in the Sandy Spring Museum in Sandy Spring, MD.
The exhibit is on display at the GW Virginia Science & Technology Campus, Innovation Hall, 45085 University Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147. It is free and open to the public.
For more information please contact the Office of Corporate and Community Relations by email or by calling 703-726-3652.