 Houston – March 26, 2007 – Quilts, Inc. announced that the recipient of the Silver Star Award is Michael James of Lincoln, NE. This award is given annually to living persons who have made a lasting and positive impact on the field of quilting and textile art over their careers. James – a member of the Quilter’s Hall of Fame – was chosen for a lifetime of work that has seen him move through various styles and techniques, but always remain on the cutting edge of quilt design, construction, and scholarship. Michael’s approach to quiltmaking is greatly influenced by his background as a painter. He is currently the department chair in Textiles, Clothing & Design at the University of Nebraska/Lincoln and a Faculty Fellow at the International Quilt Study Center. His work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions too numerous to list, and appears in more than a dozen museum collections. Finally, his quilts have won many awards, and two of them (Aurora and Rhythm/Color: Improvisation) made the list of the 20th Century’s Best American Quilts. James will be honored at the Silver Star Salute, part of the events at the 2007 fall edition of International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX. This special dinner is Saturday, November 3, from 7:30-10:00 p.m., and will feature a speech from James along with a visual career retrospective. Work and memorabilia from his entire career will also be on display in the “Silver Star Salute” special exhibit on Festival’s show floor. For more information visit www.quilts.com | 
