Brenda Plaster lives and works in rural Washington County, Kentucky with her husband “Carvin’ Artist” Bob Gibson. Appreciation of the beauty of quilts has been with Brenda throughout her life, but she only began creating them a few years ago.
Brenda’s primary focus is on traditional quilts. The design unit used to make them, the quilt block, can be manipulated to form endless variety; the same block can look totally different by changing the placement of color and color value. The paradox of limiting the design to the use of one or two blocks yet having almost limitless possible results is fascinating. There’s also a sense of continuity and kinship with so many (usually) women before us who have used those same blocks to create quilts.
Another favorite type of quilt favored by Brenda is the theme quilt. She has made a butterfly quilt for someone crazy about butterflies, a ballerina quilt for a beautiful ballerina-to-be, a golf quilt for a golf enthusiast, etc.
Memory quilts are a variation of theme quilts. Pictures can be scanned into a computer, then printed onto fabric for inclusion in a quilt. For example, when a local school was closed due to consolidation, Brenda used yearbook photos to create a unique quilt highlighting the school's history. View images of some of these quilts in the photo gallery.
Quilts by Brenda Plaster are regularly found at the Kentucky Artisan Center, located just off Interstate 75 at exit 77 (Berea). The Center’s exhibits, shopping, and travel information areas are all open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the café from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Brenda and Bob at work
Below is a segment from a recent WKY PBS broadcast of "MainStreet" featuring Brenda and Bob at work in their Lawenceburg, Kentucky studio.
