North Dakota artist and award winning quilter, Debbie Kauffman, tells her stories through drawing and sculpting with thread. Her textile art often begins with a photograph she has taken, trying to make sense of the world around her, through what she creates. Making use of her wide range of skills, she manipulates fibers and embellishes with thread, yarn, paint, beads or whatever material that will express the story. She strives to use her platform for the greater good, often including details that support social justice themes. Her current work is focused on using sustainable textiles or materials that are already on hand. Much of her life has been spent doing women’s work, so she continues to include elements to honour the women who came before her, especially those that passed their skills on to her.
While her roots are in art, in 2006, she began helping others finish their quilts in her longarm quilting business. This has taught her much about what a longarm machine is supposed to do, though she revels in pushing those boundaries. She’s known for her creativity and attention to detail.
Her work has been a part of multiple quilting books and exhibits. Most notably, Mary W Kerr’s, Twisted, Modern Quilts with a Vintage Twist. This exhibit has hung at the National Quilt Museum and the International Quilt Festival.
Many of Debbie’s pieces reside in private collections across the country. Most recently, her textile work has been shown and sold at the Minneapolis Airport Exhibits with the Minnesota Studio Art Quilters Association. Several times a year she makes time to quilt projects for organizations, like the Social Justice Sewing Academy, that aims to empower young people.
Debbie’s studio is located in rural Minot, where she lives on the family farm. When she isn’t creating, her favorite pastime is playing with her grandson and granddaughter.
