www.sunywcc.edu/peekskill . peekskill@sunywcc.edu With an “arts community” and many other diverse community groups here in Peekskill, we are uniquely situated to contribute hundreds of beautiful quilt squares to this visionary project. Each square of the quilt reflects an individual voice—stories of hope, history, concern and aspiration—stitched together to form a larger whole. Rather than emphasizing division, the quilt invites connection, offering a way to channel personal beliefs, frustrations, and dreams into a collective statement. Two quilt-making workshops were held at the SUNY Peekskill Center for the Digital Arts on Sunday, May 31st, and Monday, June 8th. FEATURED FOCUS When artist Kara Wilson enrolled in 3D Modeling and Printing for Adults at the SUNY Peekskill Center for the Digital Arts, she was looking to expand her creative practice through digital fabrication. Guided by instructor Myron Mock Yen’s calm, patient teaching style, Wilson developed the technical confidence to transform complex ideas into finished works of art. “The course gave me the confidence to work through challenges independently while knowing support was there when I needed it,” she says. The skills she learned became the foundation for a series of ambitious sculptures, culminating in Phoneagle, a featured work in ArtsWestchester’s Art in a Season of Revolution, an exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Combining 3D-printed components with lightweight materials such as Pantone Letrafilm and fine wire, Wilson embraced experimentation and problem-solving to bring the intricate sculpture to life. Together with her companion piece, Phone a Founder, the works explore Americana, nostalgia, and the ways digital culture has transformed our relationship with communication, currency, and national identity. Through familiar symbols— including vintage telephones, coin-operated machines, and the American eagle— Wilson invites viewers to reflect on the nation’s past while questioning its present. Wilson credits the Center’s Daily Open Studio Access Package as an essential part of her creative process. “The flexibility to work independently on my own schedule was invaluable. It allowed me to experiment, refine ideas, and solve problems as they arose. Simply put, I would not have been able to create this artwork without it.” Kara Wilson’s journey demonstrates how technical training, dedicated studio access, and creative persistence can empower artists to transform new digital skills into compelling professional work. ARTIST FOCUS COMMUNITY FOCUS Quilt for Democracy National Quilt Project posted in Robert Hubbell Newsletter Peekskill Coordinator: Carla Rae Johnson Excerpt from Carla Rae’s “Peekskill’s Contribution to Quilt for Democracy” 16
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