On View: Sept 11 - October 23, 2025
Gallery Hours: Monday–Thursday, 1–9 pm

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. 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. 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:
Thursday, September 11, 6-8 pm, free and open to the public

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

5 WEEK FIBER ART WORKSHOP

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

Come for one or all sessions. Free and open to the public, no experience necessary.
— Wednesday, September 17, 2-4 pm. Looms & Frames/ Warp & Weft-Weaving!
— Wednesday, September 24, 2-4 pm. Textures & Techniques- Weaving!
— Wednesday, October 1, 2-4 pm. Form & Function (beyond rules)-Weaving!
— Wednesday, October 8, 2-4 pm. Bitch & Stitch (text-textile)-Embroidery!
— Wednesday, October 15, 2-4 pm. Cane and Rush- Chairs & the Art of Craft! (Demonstration and discussion of techniques along with guest, Nick Thaete, Master Craftsman)

Update: Thank you for your interest! Workshop registration is currently full. If you have any questions, or would like to be put on a waitlist, please email arts@waygay.org

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

Artwork Sales
Many works in the show are available for purchase, with 65% of the proceeds going directly to the artists and 35% supporting the Center’s Art and Culture programs. You can inquire about purchasing an artwork via email at arts@waygay.org or online in our virtual exhibition. Buying artwork is a great way to support both the artists and the Center.

William Way LGBT Community Center
1315 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107