Artist Talk: Storied Threads, The Work of Kay Khan

Artist list

Kay Khan

Kay Khan’s textile works are layered with imagery. By sewing, stitching, deconstructing, embroidering, quilting, beading, and using sculptural techniques, Khan creates patchworks that tell deeply personal stories about the natural world, modern culture, and the body.

Every detail has meaning. Colors and shapes express emotion. Sculptural forms evoke ancient myths. Compelling words and thoughts are stitched as text into her compositions. Her meticulous, symbolic sculptures are contemplations on both the modern and timeless relationship to identity, communication, movement, and devotion. 

As a toddler I was into details. I would wander into the woods examining every insect, flower, and leat. This is where it all began.

Khan will present a curated selection of sculptures from three series: 

Armor and Façade
​Khan creates figurative sculptures without using figures, only articles of clothing. Created from ordinary, deconstructed garments, she reconstructs them into sculptures, embellishing them with quilting, imagery and text. Works from this series ruminate on the ways we use clothing to both shield and present ourselves.

Narrative Necklaces
Wearable sculptures for the body in which every bead and stitch is a deliberate choice, these necklaces explore how we communicate whether through cell phones, tattoos, or adornments. 

Vessels
Inspired by the pictorial storytelling of ancient Greek urns, Khan’s sculptural vessels are visual poems of form, narrative, and sculpture. 
Khan’s background in painting and ceramic sculpture at James Madison University informs her distinctive approach to textiles. After graduating university, she took a job in an upholstery shop where she learned to think about textiles three-dimensionally, which led to developing techniques that push the conceptual limits of fabric artwork. A celebrated artist, her work is held in prominent collections nationwide, including the DeYoung Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the New Mexico Museum of Art, among others. 


Don't miss this intimate talk with Kay Khan as she shares all the exquisite details of her process, techniques and inspiration.
Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 1- 5 pm. Light Refreshments will be served.