Barbara Ann McCraw grew up on the south side of Chicago and later received her degree in English at Illinois State University in 1973. In 1986 she earned a degree in Medical Technology. She has worked at Texas Woman’s University, the University of North Texas and at U.T. Southwestern Medical Center where she was promoted to pathology supervisor before retiring in 2000.
Her lifelong love of sewing led from taking classes in quilting to teaching classes in quilting. She has achieved quilting Masters Status and her specialty is in telling stories and making statements with fabric art. Along with teaching, she has lectured and exhibited her work in shows, galleries, universities, and museums throughout the U.S., Europe and Africa.
Barbara’s submissions to quilt shows and exhibits have won numerous awards and acclaim. Several of her quilts are in private collections, including the Denton County African-American museum, the Denton County Courthouse museum, the University of Michigan and North Carolina Central University.
Her quilts have been featured in, Lark Publications for IQA, 500 Traditional Quilts, Journey of Hope, And Still we Rise, and Conscience of the Human Spirit by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi. The Texas Museum of Fiber Arts publication, Touching Fiber Arts by Carol Ikard and Jacquie Smith, and Hampton University and Hair Sophisticates publications. She was also featured in a documentary film Woven Together by the University of North Texas Radio and Film department, and in a television human interest story for CBS.
Barbara was invited to teach quilting in Tanzania, Africa in 2012, where she spent two weeks teaching a quilting program to young men and women with the goal of providing them a marketable skill to help better their lives. Two years later she returned to Johannesburg, South Africa, to participate in a quilt exhibit honoring Nelson Mandela. In 2013 she developed a no-cost, six-week summer program in her community to teach girls and boys the basics of sewing and quilting at her studio
Ernie is retired from a career in Beauty Supplies where he spent over 40 years buying, and selling, and as a Director in Advertising, Marketing and Product Development. He was responsible for building the Ion Hair Care product line from inception to a one-hundred-million-dollar brand. Since retirement he has taken up quilting to stay alongside his wife of over 40 years as they stitch together in her sewing studio. His art background in early years has helped Barbara achieve some of her wonderful masterpieces and although he is not at a master quilter level, he has created some fun art quilts and many for donations to worthy causes.