About
Ford Fiber Art Studio is located in Worthington Ma, now home to a full range of creative fiber endeavors, including quiltmaking, fabric collage, weaving, rug making with discarded clothing destined for landfill, and wearable knitted art wraps.
Kathy's work as a quilt artist spans forty years, beginning with traditionally inspired designs and evolving into a more spontaneous process with a wide variety of techniques that often includes her own hand-dyed fabrics and threads. She has exhibited and sold her work, taught classes, and written a book about her adventure with quiltmaking.
Architecture & Design was her profession for forty-five years. A passion for working with the character of existing buildings manifested in a practice of adaptive re-use, historic renovation, and affordable housing. She worked with individual homeowners, municipalities, and non-profit organizations to provide a process oriented team approach to project management and design.
Her personal journey includes being a mother of two children, yoga practice/teacher certification, and training in Energy Medicine.
Exhibitions
2025 Quilt National. The Dairy Barn Art Center (juried)
2024 Hilltown Open Studio Tour
2024 New Members Show, Oxbow Art Gallery Easthampton, MA
2022 Hilltown Open Studio Tour
2020 Hilltown Open Studio Tour
2021 Hilltown Open Studio Tour
2019 Hilltown Open Studio Tour
2019 Quilt National, The Dairy Barn Art Center (juried)
2018 Hilltown Open Studio Tour
2018 Quilt = Art = Quilts, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn NY (juried)
2017 Quilt = Art = Quilts, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn NY: Awarded Third Prize for 'Container' (juried)
2016 Quilt = Art = Quilts, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn NY(juried)
2015 WMAIA Exhibition, Art by Architects, Northampton MA (juried)
2013 Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse NY
2011 Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse NY
2011 Hands Across the Valley Quilt Guild Exhibition, Amherst MA
2007 Hands Across the Valley Quilt Guild Exhibition, Amherst MA
2005 Hosmer Gallery, Four Quilters, Northampton MA
2005 Burnett Gallery, Local Quilt Artists, Amherst MA
2003 Hands Across the Valley Quilt Guild Exhibition, Amherst MA
Education
Practitioner Certificate, Institute for Healing Arts and Sciences, 2005-2009
Master of Architecture, Harvard University, 1985
Bachelor of Arts, William Smith College, 1980
1978/79 year at The Institute for Architecture &
Urban Studies, New York, NY
Professional Experience
Hilltown CDC
Project Manager, part-time 2019-2021
Bartons Angels
Home Health Care, part-time 2017-2018
Kathleen Ford, Architect
Massachusetts 2012 - 2022
New York City 1992-1998
Ford Gillen Architects
Amherst, MA 1998-2012
Beyer Blinder Belle Architects
New York City 1997-1998
Prentice & Chan, Ohlhausen Architects
New York City 1987-1991
Perkins, Geddis, Eastman Architects
New York City 1986-1987
Gauchat Architects, Inc.
Cambridge, MA 1983-1986
Related Work / Community Involvement
Oxbow Art Gallery, Board Member
Hilltown Arts Alliance president
Worthington Planning Board Member
Worthington Cultural Council
Bartons Angels, Home Health Aide
Amherst Rotary Club
Town of Amherst, Planning Board Member
Town of Amherst, Design Review Board Member
Town of Amherst, Chair LSSE Commission & Rep. to CPAC
Association for Community Living, Springfield MA Board Member