still life, slo/stitch
People are turning to “slow” practices—stitching, knitting, crochet, mending—as acts of care, presence, and shared time, offering reflection and reconnection at a moment when many are rebuilding social ties. Still Life, Slo/Stitch grows from this cultural shift and an existing grassroots community.
Since 2024, COOP Gallery has hosted monthly, multigenerational slo/stitch gatherings led by artist Theresa Buffo. What began as a small exchange of techniques has grown into a meetup of neighbors, friends, newcomers sharing materials, learning, and time together. Sessions welcome all skill levels, emphasizing presence, exchange, and mutual support.
Still Life expands this model beyond the gallery. A collaboration between COOP, Edgehill Public Library, The Downtown Presbyterian Church, and Tennessee State University Art Department's Arts and Social Practice program, centers storytelling through textile arts and text. From September 2026 through May 2027, the project will include Library meetups, weekend Church and Art events, and University craft nights. All sessions will provide upcycled fabric and sewing tools, to create textile books, forming a collective archive of community contributions. Patrons and artists collaborate at public events while University sessions connect students, artists, and professionals through conversation and making.
The project culminates in a public exhibition at COOP Gallery in June 2027, transforming fabric scraps into a shared cultural time capsule.
Still Life affirms that experiences—when shared—hold artistic and cultural value. By centering community voices and public institutions, it strengthens the city’s cultural fabric—one stitch, story, and shared moment at a time.
Many thanks to the William N. Rollins Fund for the Arts for supporting this community project!
For more information or to participate, please email slostitchnashville@gmail.com.
Follow along on Instagram @slostitchnashville
