May 1–31, 2026 @ Johnson County Center for the Arts
Mountain City TN— The Johnson County Center for the Arts fiber artists, Mona Alderson and Connie Moody, are celebrating the vibrance of spring through the patterns and textures of textiles in their upcoming show,“What’s Blooming?”.
Alderson and Moody have a shared love of flowers, both wildflowers and garden flowers, which are often the subject or an accent to many of these artists' textile pieces.“In light of these shared interests,'What’s Blooming?' seemed like a good title to invite others to see what is blooming at the Arts Center with our show in May,” said Alderson.
Working together on the show seemed natural to Alderson and Moody, considering their textile-focus and common interests in flowers.“I especially admire Connie’s artistic approach and'shabby chic' style,” said Alderson.“I think our works complement each other and will offer patrons a variety of art and functional pieces perfect for gifting or for their own enjoyment.”
As fiber artists Alderson and Moody both employ many techniques often combining them to fulfill their creative ideas.“I love upcycling and repurposing, and a favorite item is old blue jeans,” said Moody.“I made Wall Pockets from harvested blue jean pockets planted with embroidery and beadwork. I upcycle and repurpose in my home gardens, too. Old garden gates, galvanized tubs, pump handles, wagonsand wheelbarrows play host to plants throughout my beds.”
“Another technique I enjoy is called fussy cutting where elements of designs in fabric are cut out and reapplied elsewhere,” said Moody. “I am the happy beneficiary of fiddly bits of leftover fabrics from quilters, so I don’t usually have large pieces of fabric. Combining small pieces and fussy cut designs is a very rewarding effort.”
Alderson will be displaying several quilted photographs of wildflowers and other plants at“What’s Blooming?”.“Although I am just an amateur photographer, I love using my I-phone to photograph flowers and plants,” said Alderson.“I have printed some of my favorites onto fabric and have“framed” and quilted the photos. I will also have a few small plant-pounded quilted wall pieces, some hand-dyed scarvesand several other surprises.”
“I love anything with fiber or involving textiles,” said Alderson.“I especially like trying new techniques either on my own or through classes. The Blue Ridge Fiber Guild, based in Boone, (a group Alderson is a member of) provides lots of inspiration with members expert in everything from quilting to weaving, spinning, knitting, felting, dyeing, and other fiber pursuits. We enjoy sharing our skills and knowledge.”
In addition, Alderson has been working on a local wildflower guide based on her Tomahawk Newspaper feature,“Wildflower Watch.” The book is finished and should be available by May 1.
The show opening for“What’s Blooming?” is Friday, May 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Johnson County Center for the Arts’Gallery on Main at 129 W. Main St., Mountain City, Tennessee. Meet the artists and celebrate their interpretation of the spring season in textiles. There will be light refreshments and a local musician.
Category: Exhibits