Heather Kerley (b. 1977, She/Her) is a mixed media and fiber artist living in the Washington DC area. Her artistic practice is centered around the tradition of surface embroidery ranging from the realistic to the abstract. As a fiber artist committed to sustainability, she uses found and upcycled materials in much of her work which inspires creative improvisation and play. Her slow-stitching “riffs” on and transforms found fabric pieces using an eclectic mix of different yarns, flosses, and beads.
In 2024, Kerley completed a large redwork quilt depicting the 23 species the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed for delisting due to extinction.. In order to offer a pathway to hope alongside grief, she is also working on a series of “Seed Bank” mini-quilts. These small pieces are a love letter to the practice of saving seeds for next year’s crop. By also celebrating life alongside loss, this project taps into the historical healing role that quilts and fiber art have played in material culture. Further, it conveys a message about the resilience of the spark of life, if not its distinct manifestations in certain species.