From The ArtsXchange:
“Some artists leave behind more than their work. They leave memories, inspiration, and a community that carries their legacy forward.
ArtsXchange is honored to celebrate the life and work of our dear friend and longtime supporter, Marquetta Bell-Johnson (1956-2025), a vital force in Atlanta’s arts and cultural community.
Threads of a Living Legacy: The Art of Marquetta Bell-Johnson opens Sept. 12 with a reception from 7-9 p.m. in the Jack Sinclair Gallery. Come gather with us to remember Marquetta, celebrate her remarkable work and honor the legacy she continues to weave through our community.”
The Late Artist and Her Legacy
Known affectionately throughout the art world as the “Yo-Yo Queen” for her masterful use of dimensional fabric rosettes, Bell-Johnson passed away in Atlanta on February 11, 2025 at age 69.
Her death marked the end of a profound era for Southern arts, leaving behind a body of work celebrated for its vibrant hand-dyed palettes, community healing, and fierce advocacy for accessibility.
In 1989, a drive-by shooting left Bell-Johnson paralyzed from the waist down. Confined to a wheelchair, she pivoted from a corporate career to textile art, channeling ancestral quilting traditions. She became a pioneer in the medium, hand-dyeing and block-printing eco-friendly fabrics to create massive, multi-sensory quilts heavily adorned with fabric medallions, beads, and cowrie shells.
Bell-Johnson used her craft as a tool for fierce social activism. She traveled the American South as a facilitator for The NAMES Project, helping grieving families stitch panels for the AIDS Memorial Quilt. As a certified Kennedy Center Teaching Artist, she taught thousands of students through Atlanta Public Schools, VSA Arts, and the High Museum of Art.
Her contributions earned her Atlanta’s prestigious Phoenix Award and a spot as an International Arts Fellow. Her masterworks reside in prominent permanent collections, including the High Museum of Art and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Up until her final months, she served as the lead production designer for the Alliance Theatre’s Rhythm & Thread.
Time & Location
Sep 12, 2026, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
ArtsXchange, 2148 Newnan St, East Point, GA 30344, USA
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