Image: Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University has announced that its 2026 exhibition ‘Sew Their Names: Quilting, Creativity and Activism’ is the subject of a new episode of ‘The Kitchen Sisters Present,’ a podcast produced by Nikki Silva and Davia Nelson. The episode examines stories connected with quilting, creativity and activism and extends the exhibition’s regional subject matter to a national audio audience.
The museum published its announcement on June 15, 2026, describing the podcast as the latest episode in the series. According to the museum, ‘The Kitchen Sisters Present’ uses interviews, field recordings and music to explore overlooked or under-recognized aspects of history. Silva and Nelson are identified by the museum as nationally recognized and Peabody Award-winning producers.
The producers’ work has appeared on NPR’s ‘Morning Edition’ and ‘All Things Considered,’ as well as the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Smithsonian and Pacifica Radio, according to the museum. The ‘Sew Their Names’ episode is available through the podcast’s distribution platforms, with the museum directing listeners to hear it on its website or wherever they get their podcasts.
The episode also relates to the latest iteration of the Auburn Forum for Southern Art and Culture, a programme associated with the exhibition. Photographs published by the museum show forum participants working with the Mt. Willing Quilters, while another image records Rev. Dale Braxton opening morning quilting workshops. The museum’s documentation also shows exhibiting artists Wini McQueen, Yvonne Wells, Charlie Lucas and Mercedes Braxton with Auburn Forum moderator and podcast producer Nikki Silva.
The exhibition’s material includes textile-based work by McQueen. The museum identifies her piece ‘Somebody’s Calling My Name’ as a 2022 mixed-media textile measuring 67.5 by 89.5 inches. Another photograph shows Wells discussing ‘Worshippers at Mt. Willing Church’ during a ‘Sew Their Names’ workshop. The museum’s published images include a student guide leading seventh graders through the exhibition, indicating that the project has also been presented in an educational setting.
‘Sew Their Names’ forms part of The Jule’s 2026 exhibition programme at Auburn University. The museum describes its wider role as combining exhibitions with educational and public programmes, and states that general admission and all programmes are free. The museum is located at 901 South College Street in Auburn, Alabama. The podcast episode provides an additional way to encounter the exhibition’s stories beyond the gallery.
