TODAY · 7:00pm
Panic at the Prom Murder Mystery
RICHESART GALLERY
TODAY · 9:00am
The Art of Quilting
Thursday, October 29 at Southwestern University, Austin
About this event
Explore the artistry and family stories woven through generations of quilting. The Art of Quilting celebrates the artistry, craftsmanship, and family traditions of quilters Debbie Pauley and her mother, Opal Strickland. Featuring award-winning works alongside treasured family pieces dating back to the 1940s, the exhibition highlights generations of creativity expressed through intricate hand appliqué, quilting, and vibrant design. More than works of art, these quilts preserve memories and traditions passed from one generation to the next. Together, they tell a story of patience, creativity, family, and the enduring art of quilting. The Art of Quilting exhibit will run from October 23, 2026, to January 22, 2027, at the Dorothy Perry White Welcome Center Art Gallery at Southwestern University.
Who's playing
Debbie Pauley and her mother, Opal Strickland, are the quilters behind the show. Their work covers hand appliqué, quilting and bold, colorful design. Some pieces have won awards. Others are family quilts kept for decades, and the oldest date to the 1940s.
What to expect
This is a gallery exhibition that you walk through at your own pace, not a class or demonstration. It runs for several months, so there is no set program to arrive for. The gallery sits just inside the lobby of the Welcome Center, a limestone building on the eastern edge of the Southwestern campus. The center opened in early 2026, and a theatre and a cafe are in the same building.
Why go
The show is as much about family as about craft. It follows skills and memories passed from mother to daughter across generations. Seeing the older quilts next to the prizewinners shows how the work has changed and what has stayed the same. It is also an easy reason to see the new Welcome Center and the Georgetown campus, about 30 minutes north of Austin.
Where
Southwestern University · 1001 E. University Avenue · Georgetown, Austin TXDirections
