A cumulative public artwork celebrating America’s semiquincentennial.

In celebration of America’s 250th year, Roswell, Georgia is engaging residents in a year-long artistic initiative that highlights the city’s rich history as a mill town and textile center. Rooted in the America 250 theme, "One Nation, Many Stories," the project will teach residents the art of quilting through artist-led workshops, hands-on instruction, and pop-up events led by local experts. The resulting quilt-inspired art installations will represent a collective symbol of unity, showcasing individual contributions from across the community.

Artist Joe King led a collaborative art-making workshop for Roswell Youth Day, offering the youth an opportunity to express their hopes for a brighter, more joyful future.

Participants were invited to paint images onto paper or plexiglass, which was used to create monoprints onto fabric panels. The workshop encouraged participants to engage in hand-painted manifestations—capturing their dreams for tomorrow onto a vibrant tapestry that will be incorporated into the larger installation.

Led by Atlanta-based artist Chloe Alexander, Impressions of Us invited students to explore the storytelling power of quilts through a hands-on printmaking workshop. Inspired by the cultural and generational tradition of quilt-making, participants used custom-carved woodblocks featuring design patterns from Gee’s Bend, the Underground Railroad, Indigenous quilts, and Scandinavian traditions to personalize their own swatches of fabric. Each student’s contribution will become part of a collective quilt, reflecting the shared history, identity, and creativity of the broader community.

Chloe Alexander

Chloe Alexander is a printmaker who lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. Her most recent work focuses on using various printing techniques to create unique works and varied editions. She obtained a BFA from the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University in 2010. Since then, her work has been exhibited broadly, including at Kai Lin Art in Atlanta, the International Print Center in New York, and the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair in London.

Chloe has received several awards, including the Parent Artist Award at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, California and the Penland Summer Residency Fellowship at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina. Her work is included in numerous public and private collections, including the Harvard Museums in Cambridge, MA; The Museum of Fine Art in Boston, MA; The Fidelity Investments Art Collection; and The Petrucci Family Foundation for African American Art in Asbury, NJ.

Joe King

Joseph Dreher (also known as JOEKINGATL) is a contemporary artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, photography, and large-scale public works. Based in the American South, his work explores themes of visibility, resilience, and the dignity of those often overlooked in society. Dreher transforms everyday subjects into monumental presences, creating images that honor endurance while inviting empathy and dialogue. His murals and mixed-media works have been featured in community spaces, galleries, and public art projects, where they serve as both witness and catalyst—reframing narratives of the South as a place of struggle, creativity, and transformation.