From the baby quilts we wrap newborns in, so they are enveloped in love from their first breath, to the quilt we make for loved ones to mark life events such as graduations and unions, to the lap quilts we stitch together to keep our queridos warm when they are receiving infusions. They are expressions of love. They are maps to freedom. They are communities coming together to remember those who passed and optimistically look forward to those who come after us. Expressions of hope and tangible, utilitarian items which provide warmth and comfort.” — Joseph Thatcher

Joseph Thatcher is a bold American mixed-media artist whose work stitches together personal narrative, social justice issues, religious, cultural, and sexual identity. The fight for equal rights is a common topic, and Thatcher brings a radiant defiance to every thread and scrap he works with.
 

Raised in a strict Mormon household primarily in Asia. He left the conservative religion when he came out of the closet. Joseph's creative lens is shaped by his lived experience as a missionary and anthropologist in Guatemala, a nurse, and a gay man. These contrasting identities collide, intentionally and beautifully, in his art. There is a celebration of contrasting colors, designs, and topics that clash perfectly to challenge the viewer to go deeper and examine the patterns in their own life.

In March 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Joseph taught himself to use a sewing machine. What began as a personal exploration soon became an act of resistance. As he immersed himself in online quilting forums, he was surprised, shocked, and disappointed to see online bullies, mostly women, who wanted to ensure only traditional themes and methods were explored. There was little openness to ideas or people considered non-traditional by this matriarchy. His response? Radical quilts celebrating strong, often overlooked women, stitched with boldness and inclusivity.

His series, “Caridad”—named after the Spanish word for "charity"—is a loving rebellion. It honors everyday heroines and iconic figures alike: nurses alongside politicians like Hillary Clinton and Ilhan Omar, activists beside pop icons. “Strong women are everywhere,” he says. “I started exploring them in my work during the 2016 election. I was horrified by the open misogyny displayed in the political arena and on social media.” Since then, his quilting practice has evolved into a global conversation. Followers from around the world now send him images and fabric to include in his work, forming a vibrant, growing community of activist quilters.

One of Thatcher’s larger works was commissioned by Dr. Delinda Collier, Dean of Graduate Studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. The quilt is displayed prominently in her office. A testament to the resonance and relevance of his message.

Thatcher makes an unapologetic assertion: traditional crafts are not the exclusive domain of the Christian right or those practicing in conservative faiths. “They are a cultural heritage owned by all of us,” he declares. “I hope to inspire others to see the humanness in each other and to celebrate the crafts and heritage which make us uniquely American.”