Upcoming Exhibition:

You Are Welcome Here.

I Saved a Chair for You.

New Weavings & Drawings by Kathryn Pannepacker

Sept 11 - October 23, 2025

The William Way LGBT Community Center presents You Are Welcome Here; I Saved a Chair for You, an exhibition of weavings and drawings by fiber artist Kathryn Pannepacker, on view from September 11th to October 23rd, 2025.

In this new body of work, Pannepacker works with a recurring motif of chairs, which imply spaces to gather and create community. These images start in the form of marker drawings, which are translated into large weavings completed on a loom in a time-intensive process. Additionally, chair caning, the craft of weaving rattan cane on the seats and backs of chairs, is also a part of Pannepacker’s practice as an apprentice. The exhibition and its programming aims to cultivate a space of radical inclusivity, inviting people to build community and support through a variety of art workshops and community gatherings.

Programming:

Opening Reception: Thurs, Sept 11th, 6-8PM

Artist Talk and Closing: Weds, October 22nd, 6-8pm. “Art & Life Balance: My Solo Studio & Community-Engaged Life”

Fiber Art Workshops:

Show & Tell, Listen & Learn, Make & Take: 5-week Fiber Art Workshop for Adults with Kathryn Pannepacker

Come for one or all sessions. Free and open to the public, no experience necessary. Please check back for registration link.

-Wednesday, September 17th, 2-4pm. Looms & Frames/ Warp & Weft-Weaving!

-Wednesday, September 24th, 2-4pm. Textures & Techniques- Weaving!

-Wednesday, October 1st, 2-4pm. Form & Function (beyond rules)-Weaving!

-Wednesday, October 8th, 2-4pm. Bitch & Stitch (text-textile)-Embroidery!

-Wednesday, October 15th, 2-4pm. Cane and Rush- Chairs & the Art of Craft!

Demonstration and discussion of techniques along with guest, Nick Thaete, Master Craftsman. You are welcome to bring your own chair for questions.

Artist Bio:

Kathryn Pannepacker is a textile and visual artist based in Germantown, Philadelphia. A graduate of Penn State University, she has furthered her practice through intensive apprenticeships both nationally and internationally, including in traditional tapestry-making. Pannepacker has exhibited widely and is represented in many public and private collections. She has been the recipient of numerous grants, including the Leeway Foundation’s Window of Opportunity, Art and Change, and the Transformation Award. Artist-in-Residence grants have brought her to France, Japan, Mexico, Lithuania, Turkey and Canada. Her work has been featured on the cover of American Craft, and in many other publications.

Pannepacker’s career includes extensive collaborations with Mural Arts Philadelphia and other community-focused organizations, facilitating projects with participants from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Her community-engaged practice focuses on art as a vehicle for healing and connection. For the past nine years, she has centered her efforts in Kensington, using art as harm reduction and wellness support alongside those in active addiction, many of whom are unsheltered. Through partnerships with The Kensington Storefront, Prevention Point Philadelphia, and Sunshine House—and in collaboration with Lisa Kelley—she helps create “sanctuary studios” that foster belonging, dignity, and creative purpose. She regularly leads workshops and lectures on the intersection of art and social change.

More information can be found on her website, at www.kpannepacker.com