A Conversation With Transmissions Quilts Director Cordy Joan

We had the chance to sit down with Transmissions Quilts Director Cordy Joan. Cordy shared that the project began with a deeply personal encounter while living in the Bay Area, when a friend shared a family heirloom quilt that had been made for them at birth. The quilt had been kept folded away in a corner — a traditionally treasured object created to honor a version of the person they no longer identified with. In response, Cordy made a quilt in the hope of welcoming their friend into their current self.

That experience became the catalyst for Transmissions Quilts, an ongoing project that creates handmade quilts for trans recipients. Rooted in the long tradition of quilts marking major life transitions across cultures and generations, the project offers trans people an opportunity to see themselves reflected within a broader lineage of care, memory, and belonging

“Quilts help us see ourselves on longer timescales,” Joan said, noting that many trans people are often denied access to that kind of continuity and inheritance.

They began by creating eight quilts for individuals in what became known as “The Prologue.” As more nominations and requests arrived, the project expanded into “Chapter One,” during which 14 additional quilts were completed. The collective is now in “Chapter Two,” with 46 quilts created so far, including several connected to Maine.

A central component of the project is valuing the labor of trans artists. Every quilter involved in Transmissions Quilts is paid for their work. Funding has come through grants, public showcases, and community partnerships that help sustain both the artists and the growing network of participants.

Joan said they continue to be humbled by the number of people who want to participate.

“The nominations keep coming in, and we keep finding the energy and love to keep making,” they said. Unlike many exhibition models that prioritize either artist or subject, Joan describes Transmissions Quilts as equally centered on both the maker and the recipient. Each quilt emerges through a collaborative process of storytelling, conversation, and interpretation. “Our project is about the maker and the recipient rather than one over the other,” Joan explained.

For Joan, quilting has also become transformative on a personal level. “When I work on the quilts, I can feel them working on me,” they said. Despite leading a large-scale quilting initiative, Joan did not grow up sewing or formally training in textile arts. Much of their work consists of hand-sewn, whole-cloth quilts developed through experimentation and intuition.

The Transmissions Quilts Project is currently on tour, making its way across the country and later to the UK. “We’re committed to celebrating a wide range of people in our trans community, including those living far from traditional art hubs. Bringing this exhibition to Belfast felt like an important way to extend that reach and deepen those connections.” — Cordy Joan, Director, Transmissions Quilts

Come witness, reflect, and connect. This is a space built on care, creativity, and community.

Participating artists in the Belfast exhibition include Travis Clough, Dan Toomre, Maddy Magnuson, Danika Azevedo, Joey Dehais, Abby Meyeroal, Nailah Taman, Jordan Lister, Lunilah Project, hail linnet, Harvest Fladd, Maggie Ruth Haaland, and Cordy Joan.

We are grateful for the opportunity to share it with you. The show opens June 5th.