Kansas City PBS Broadcast: Celebrating America 250: Made with Love

Begins airing Friday, May 29, 2026

I’m honored to be featured in Made with Love: America 250, an upcoming special celebrating the creativity, craftsmanship, and stories that shape our nation.

Produced as part of the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, this series highlights artists and makers whose work reflects the depth, complexity, and beauty of American identity. Through studio visits and personal interviews, the program offers an intimate look at process, inspiration, and the meaning behind the work.

As a weaver, I have the privilege of witnessing transformation firsthand, a simple white cone of yarn becoming a delicate, colorful piece of woven textile. My segment shares insight into my textile practice, from hand-dyeing and weaving to the ways memory, land, and lineage inform each piece. Everything I create in the studio, from large-scale fine art works to handwoven scarves, is made with thoughtfulness, care, and especially it is Made with Love. It is truly an honor to be included and featured in this meaningful project.

Thank you so much to the Made with Love team and PBS for this incredible opportunity.

SOLO EXHIBITION

Throughline: At the Loom

June 5 – December 18, 2026
 Leedy Underground Gallery I
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center

Debbie Barrett-Jones is a Kansas City–based textile artist working within weaving as a living tradition shaped through hand, material, and time. From her studio in the lower level of the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, she engages the loom as both tool and lineage.

Throughline: At the Loom brings together finished works, process pieces, and woven studies that reveal transformation and making as an active practice.

Also included is Woven Together, a collaborative landscape weaving project inviting visitors to contribute to a shared textile using frame looms in the gallery.

Woven Together

Debbie Barrett-Jones
 June 25 – July 12, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 25 | 5–7 p.m.

Greenlease Gallery
Rockhurst University
Kansas City, MO

Gallery Hours:
Thursday, Saturday & Sunday: 1–5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Closed July 3–5 | Reopens July 9

Weaving Together with Debbie:
Saturday, June 27 | 1:30–3 p.m.
Friday, July 10 | 10–11:30 a.m.

About the Exhibition

Woven Together is a participatory textile installation and exhibition presented in collaboration with Rockhurst University’s Greenlease Gallery. The project transforms the gallery into an active weaving space where visitors are invited to contribute directly to a growing communal landscape textile.

Rooted in Debbie Barrett-Jones’ Healing with Weaving initiative, the installation continues an ongoing exploration of weaving as a form of connection, care, and shared authorship. Since 2021, the project has welcomed more than 75 participants whose individual woven contributions form a collective record of place, memory, and presence.

Within the gallery, frame looms are available for visitors to add their own woven sections to the work. As the piece evolves throughout the exhibition, it reflects a living landscape shaped by many hands rather than a single author.

Presented in the lead-up to global cultural events in Kansas City, Woven Together emphasizes the role of craft as a universal language—one that invites participation, slows time, and creates connection across backgrounds and experiences.

Visiting Information

Greenlease Gallery is located on the campus of Rockhurst University and is free and open to the public during gallery hours. Visitors are welcome to attend exhibitions, participate in workshops, and engage with the installation throughout the run of the show.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Healing with Weaving Workshops at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center

Frame Loom Weaving Part I & Part II

Saturday, October 24, 2026

Session 1 Paper Weaving Workshop: 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
Session 2 Frame Loom Workshop: 1–3 p.m.

Session 1 Paper Weaving Workshop Description:

Paper weaving is often overlooked but offers a unique and versatile medium for artists to explore form, color, and structure. Join textile artist Debbie Barrett-Jones for this two-hour “Intro to Weaving Workshop Part One: Paper Weaving, on Saturday, October 24th, 10 am-12 pm, to discover how the simple yet profound act of interlacing paper strips can transform everyday materials into intricate, artistic compositions.

In addition to its creative potential, paper weaving offers valuable therapeutic benefits. Engaging in this hands-on craft can provide a soothing escape from daily stress, enhance mindfulness, and foster a sense of accomplishment. The rhythmic weaving helps center the mind and create a calming, meditative experience. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the artistic and healing power of paper weaving with expert guidance.

The workshop includes instructions, a portfolio, and materials for the workshop and future projects. 

Sign up Today

Session 2 Frame Loom Workshop Description:

Discover the art of frame loom weaving in “Intro to Weaving Workshop Part Two,” led by the master weaver and textile artist Debbie Barrett-Jones. Scheduled for Saturday, October 24th, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, this workshop continues our weaving series, focusing on the rich textures and creative possibilities of frame loom weaving.

In this hands-on session, you’ll learn the fundamentals of using a frame loom, which will teach you how to create beautiful, structured weaves that can be decorative and functional. Barrett-Jones will guide you through the essential techniques, from setting up your loom to exploring various weaving patterns.

Weaving has long been celebrated for its calming and therapeutic effects. The rhythmic motions of interlacing threads can reduce stress, enhance mindfulness, and foster a sense of accomplishment. As you work on your frame loom, you'll find that the process provides a meditative escape from daily pressures, allowing you to focus on creativity and self-expression.

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Debbie Barrett-Jones currently has work in the basement gallery of Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, next to her weaving studio.

Open Studio with Debbie Barrett-Jones

Monthly | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

June 6
Aug 1
Sept 5
Oct 3
Nov 7
Dec 5

Visitors may view works in progress and contribute to Woven Together during open studio hours.