Marquetta Johnson was a visionary textile and quilting artist based in Atlanta. A self‑taught creator, she blended quilting traditions passed down by her grandmother, Hattie Miles, with fearless experimentation in hand‑dyeing, painting, and weaving fabrics. Her signature works—Nine Patch (2016–2018), Hope Blossoms (2009), and Small Steps (2016–2017)—brought together traditional precision and vibrant spontaneity. These pieces, infused with emotional depth and improvisational flair, have become part of the High Museum of Art’s permanent collection. In her early 30s, after surviving a drive‑by shooting that left her paralyzed from the waist down, Johnson vowed to dedicate her life to teaching art to young people if she survived—and she fully honored that promise. In 2006, she began working with the High Museum during its “Quilts of Gee’s Bend” exhibition, and over the years became an influential teaching artist there. She developed inclusive programming for autistic and visually impaired children and traveled widely to inspire others with creative and community‑centered workshops. Her teaching extended even further through her involvement in the National AIDS Memorial’s “Change the Pattern Quilt” workshops, where her warmth and skill guided countless participants in storytelling through textiles. Johnson was recognized as a National Fellow of the Kennedy Center/VSA Arts and was inducted into the Shepherd Center Hall of Fame. More than a maker, Johnson was a storyteller and educator, known for her generosity and her belief that “art can change the world.” Her workshops, quilts, and creative spirit continue to inspire, teach, and uplift communities well beyond her time.