Contact: Mandy Wilson
mwilson@contemporarycraft.org
412.465.1637

For Immediate Release:Patty Kennedy-Zafred’s solo exhibition, American Portraits: The Family Farm, at Contemporary Craft
PITTSBURGH, PA - December 2021– Fiber artist Patty Kennedy-Zafred’s solo exhibition, American Portraits: TheFamily Farm, will be on view at Contemporary Craft’s (CC) BNY Mellon Satellite Gallery (500 Grant Street,Pittsburgh, PA 15258) from December 4, 2021 through April 4, 2022. American Portraits speaks to the rich historyof American family farming and its rapid decline in modern times. It is a companion exhibition that echoes thelarger narrative of CC’s current social justice exhibition, Food Justice: Growing a Healthier Community through Art,in Lawrenceville.
Kennedy-Zafred aims to evoke memories and history by bringing unique stories to life through the use of fabric,dyes, silkscreens, and ink. The interpretation of her work is conceived through the lens of individual experiences,memories, or perspectives. Her quilts marry a lifelong fascination with photography, history, and stitch, often
reflecting faces of pride and dignity, sometimes under challenging circumstances.
The modern day agricultural industry has begun to eradicate individually owned family farms, hence the quilts andart books in the exhibition highlight the importance of family farms as an important element of American history
that cannot be replaced and should not be forgotten. During the 1900s, almost half of the U.S. population worked
on farms, whereas today that number has dropped to only 2% of the population. The images used andscreen-printed on vintage feed sacks and hand dyed fabrics in Kennedy-Zafred’s American Portrait series wereinspired by the Farm Security Administration Photograph Collection, held by the Library of Congress, and takenfrom 1937-1942. “Being raised in Ohio, where we were surrounded by fields and small family farms, this Series isan homage to a lifestyle and time period that no longer exists,” states Kennedy-Zafred.
Patty Kennedy-Zafred received her B.A. in Journalism and Communications with a minor in Photography from Point
Park University. Her 30 years of art making have been recognized, highlighted, and showcased nationally andinternationally. She has received awards such as selection as a Master Visual Artist VII at the Heinz History Center,
Masters Award for Innovative Artistry, and the Paul J. Smith Award of Excellence, to name a few, and her work ispart of the permanent collection of Museums across the country.

CC’s BNY Mellon Satellite Gallery is located in the lobby of the Steel Plaza T-Station in Downtown
Pittsburgh. American Portraits is a contactless exhibition that is free and open to the public daily throughmidnight. For more information, please contact Mandy Wilson at mwilson@contemporarycraft.org.

Contact: Mandy Wilson
mwilson@contemporarycraft.org
412.465.1637

Support for Food Justice: Growing a Healthier Community through Art is provided in part by the National Endowment forthe Arts, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, and JENDOCO Construction Corporation. Media sponsors for this exhibition
are NEXTpittsburgh, 90.5 WESA, and 91.3 WYEP. General operating support for Contemporary Craft is provided byAllegheny Regional Asset District, The Heinz Endowments, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Opportunity Fund, thePennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Elizabeth R. Raphael Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation, Bloomberg
Philanthropies, Jack Buncher Foundation, The Fine Foundation, Giant Eagle Foundation, Anonymous foundation, and bymembers of the Heart of Craft circle of donors.
(As of May 2021)
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT
Presenting contemporary art in craft materials by regional, national, and international artists since 1971, Contemporary Craft offers
cutting edge exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity and contemporary art, as well as a range of artist-led studio workshops,
community outreach programs, and a store. Located at 5645 Butler Street in Pittsburgh, PA, Contemporary Craft’s exhibition andDrop-In Studio are free to the public. For questions related to accessible accommodations, please contact us at
info@contemporarycraft.org or visit www.contemporarycraft.org. CC is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please check
CC’s website for updates.

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