A Quilters Garden

116 Marlboro Road

Southborough, MA 01772

Mary L. Walter

(617) 480-6360

marywalterquilts@gmail.com

 

Employment

Technical Editor/Designer

Interweave Publishing

                                  2011-2012

• Responsible for technical editing all published information for the Craft and Quilt division.
• Created samples and written patterns to be included in publication for Stitch, Modern Patchwork, and Quilting Arts magazines.
• Drafted and illustrated selected technique articles and artist profiles as assigned.
• Preparation and collection of items for off- site photo shoots.
• Researched, fact checked and verified of all contributors, products, and pricing information for publications.
• Assembled and managed databases of published patterns for e-commerce promotions resulting in a successful launch of online membership and pattern sales.

 

Curator

New England Quilt Museum

                                     2007-2010

• Responsible for all aspects of the curatorial and collections management and managed a staff of 30 volunteers.
• Scheduled two-year cycles of exhibit programs, signage, researched and wrote gallery guide, and exhibit labels, planed lectures and fundraising events around exhibit themes.
• Installed, promoted and implemented each exhibit with staff and volunteers to present a varied and engaging exhibit program that successfully increased our visitors, donations, and membership.
• Responsible for curatorial lectures, guest gallery talks, Gave lectures and tours, receptions, and site visits with potential donors.
• Responsible for grants writing, tracking and reporting. Development for sponsorship funds for exhibitions from local and national sources. Obtained sponsorship for all exhibits in my curatorial calendar resulting in savings for our annual exhibit budget.
• Responsible for writing, coordination, and management of all public relations and printed materials for exhibits and special events.

 

 

Shop Manager/Consultant

New England Quilt Museum

                        2005-2007

• Consulted with the New England Quilt Museum to remodel and redesign its existing retail space. Sales and visitation to museum shop increased. Managed a staff of 4 employees and 12 volunteers.
• Responsible for creating museum-related products, reproduction fabrics, and quilting patterns for sale in the museum shop.
• Developed policy for identifying and communicating with local artists to consign artwork in the museum shop.
• Implemented the redesign of museum consignment system, and created a new program with the accountant staff to ensure accurate payments and inventories. Resulted in an increase of products to sell without increased spending on commercial inventory.

 

Curator/Consultant                                                                                                                      

Fredrick Scott Gallery

                                      2003- 2005

• Attend area exhibits as gallery spokesperson to help find and identify local artists for possible exhibits.
• Interview candidates and schedule portfolio reviews.
• Plan a schedule of exhibitions in two galleries.
• Layout and install exhibits with gallery owner.
• Meet with our public relations manager and graphic designer to coordinate themes for post cards, press releases and public events related to gallery exhibits.
• Hosted private client visits through the gallery to recommend sales and install artwork in homes and offices from the gallery.
• Exhibited and sold my own artwork in the gallery.

 

 

Quilt Shop Owner & Teacher

A Quilters Garden

                                      1995-present

• Coordinated and managed a staff of five teachers and two part-time employees.
• Worked with commercial and private vendors to procure fabrics, notions, patterns, and books.
• Hosted off-site conferences preparing all related materials and media for promotion of events.
• Lectured to New England area quilt guilds, vended and exhibited at guild and trade shows.
• Managed all business-related tasks, accounting, and inventory, customer service and sales.
• Designed, taught, and sold original patterns and hand-dyed fabrics.
• Wrote and produced quarterly newsletter that increased sales and class attendance.
• Exhibiting quilts in invitational and juried exhibits national and internationally. Recipient of many awards and ribbons.
• Created commissions and sales from exhibits now in private and corporate collections worldwide.

 

Education

 

Clark University, Worcester MA,  Masters Public Administration (2013)

Capstone Project:  Partnered with the Sterling Economic Development committee to provide an updated town business database, conduct resident and business surveys, research and provided recommendations for future economic development.

 

Clark University, Worcester, MA,   B.S. Communications and Culture. (Summa Cum Laude) (2011)

Major Project:  Curator, “Still We Rise Again: Quilts for New Orleans,” at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas (Nov. 2010)

Experienced with all Microsoft Office programs, Excel, Word, Power point and Access, Social Media with blog, Facebook, Twitter, Web, and SEO

 

National Quilting Association, Certified Quilt Judge.  (2000-present)

Completed three-year judge’s college level certification program. Currently NQA volunteer to review judging candidate’s paperwork and assist in panel reviews. Judge quilt shows and multimedia juried exhibits nationally and internationally.

 

Framingham State College, Framingham MA, English, Fine Art and Art History Major (1978-1979)

 

School of the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA Fine Arts, and Art History (1979-1981) Extensive study of museum collection, Art History and Fine Art classes.

 

Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA Fine craft studies (1979-1981) Study and hands on classes for fine craft including clay, fiber, metal and wood mediums.

Adjunct Faculty and gallery exhibitor in textile department (1990-1992)

 

Additional Training:

Score Small Business Seminars: Basic Accounting and Bookkeeping, Marketing, Managing Employees,

Writing a Successful Business Plan, Budgeting for Small Businesses

East Coast Quilters Alliance: Professional Writing and Publishing

Pro Chemical & Dye: Dying and Surface Design Techniques

Machine Quilting Exposition: Professional Long-Arm Quilting Techniques

New England Museum Association: Museum Shop Merchandising, Digitizing Museum Collections

Museum Textile Services: Textile Conservation Internship

Awards

 

•  
• Commonwealth Award for Excellence in Art
• Multiple awards for Best of Show, Viewer’s Choice and Excellence in Craft (Fiber)
• Frances A. Kinnicutt Travel Study Award from Worcester Art Museum: Awards allow deserving women the chance to learn about fine arts in other cultures and to enhance their skills. Traveled to France.  Produced Lecture and exhibit of quilts with Provencal Fabrics.
• Commissioned artworks included in private and corporate collections.
• Mass Cultural Council Grant for Town of Hudson. Designed and created four commissioned quilts for permanent display in Town Hall .
• Three quilts in New England Quilt Museum collection. (Two designed/collaborated for Marcus Brothers Fabrics with reproduction fabrics from museum quilts) (One from my “Old Traditions New Art” exhibit featuring my contemporary interpretations of Welsh quilts with collector Jen Jones antique collection of Welsh Quilts)

 

Memberships

 

 

Founding member of  Women Who Run With Scissors- a group of exhibiting quilters showing contemporary art quilts

Juried member of New England Fiber Collective – a group exhibiting multiple forms of fiber art.

National Quilting Association

Quilters Connection Quilt Guild

Volunteer

 

 

Town of Southborough Cultural Arts Council: Reviewed and awarded Mass Cultural Council Awards to applicants.

Southborough Cultural Arts Center: volunteer to promote, jury and install multiple exhibits, lectures and programs for arts center.