Winner of a 2025 Public Media Award for Visual Arts 

and a 2025 Virginia Association of Broadcasters Award for Best Human Interest Series

Artistic Encounters -Meet the Artist essentially takes the artist from behind the camera and welcomes them into the Blue Ridge PBS studio.  This provides our arts loving audience the opportunity to meet the featured artist while they introduce their works one on one. Specially curated pieces from their collection will be on display during the reception and for several weeks afterwards with many available to take home by making a donation to Blue Ridge PBS. Additionally, each artist will donate one piece to Blue Ridge PBS which will then be auctioned the night of the artist’s reception. Proceeds benefit the artist and Blue Ridge PBS so it may continue its mission of enriching people’s lives by providing educational, informational, and cultural programming that fills a unique role as a positive and lifelong resource for the communities we serve.

Rebecca Kea is a passionate quilter with over 38 years of experience, whose creative journey began at a very young age. She first discovered sewing using a toy battery-operated sewing machine before advancing to her mother’s Singer machine, where she learned to sew clothing under her mother’s guidance. Those early lessons laid the foundation for a lifelong love of fabric and design.

Rebecca is a graduate of Northside High School and Ferrum College, where she earned a degree in Environmental Studies. Her professional career included a variety of government roles, such as forest firefighting, serving as Director of Natural Resources for an Indian tribe in Montana, and working as a restaurant inspector for the state health department.

Her quilting journey truly began after the birth of her son, when a visit to a quilt shop on Grandin Road sparked an immediate and lasting passion. Surrounded by vibrant fabrics and beautiful quilt displays, she fell in love with the art form—a moment that would shape the rest of her creative life.

Early in her quilting career, Rebecca earned a third-place ribbon at the prestigious Floyd Quilt Show, an encouraging milestone that fueled her dedication. As her family grew with the addition of twins, quilting time became limited and was sometimes placed on the back burner. However, after her three children graduated from high school, she returned to quilting with renewed focus and energy—a passion that has only continued to grow.

Rebecca has since earned numerous blue ribbons at the Salem Fair, including Best in Show, and has recently received multiple awards at the Star Quilters Guild Quilt Show. Over the years, her artistic vision has evolved, with a strong emphasis on bold color, fabric embellishment, and adding her own unique creative twist to every piece.

Her process often begins with a purchased pattern and carefully selected, vibrant fabrics. From there, she brings each quilt to life through her own custom longarm quilting and finishes every piece with a signature flange binding. She finds joy in every step of the process, from initial inspiration to final stitch.

Rebecca is an active member of a local quilt guild, contributing to comfort quilts for charitable organizations. She has also donated over 70 of her personal quilts to the North Carolina Hurricane Helene relief effort, using her craft to bring warmth and comfort to others.

Inspired by travel, quilt retreats, and fabric shopping adventures with friends, Rebecca continues to expand her creativity. Her goal is simple yet powerful: to create vibrant, colorful quilts that inspire both herself and others.

She embraces creativity fearlessly and lives by one guiding principle—she dares to be creative.

Reception: 

Thursday, April 23 from 4 – 6 pm

Exhibit & Sale: 

Weekdays, April 27 – May 8 from 1 – 4 pm
And by appointment. 

Admission is free. 
 Blue Ridge PBS: 1215 McNeil Drive, Roanoke, VA 24015

In order for the series to continue we need funding and artists! Please reach out to ArtisticEncounters@BlueRidgePBS.org

Recognizing and supporting Blue Ridge PBS’ artist series, Meet the Artist 

• Brenda Barksdale
• Ann Martyn 
• Mark Wheeler

Support this series  -Pledge Now!