Co-Presented by Textile Center, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, and the Minnesota Historical Society

Most, if not all, fiber artists have unfinished projects awaiting completion, and when Randy J. Hartten’s mother, Mary K. Hartten of New Ulm, Minnesota, died in April 2023, he pondered what to do with 54 quilt squares she created from a sampler quilt pattern published in The Farmer’s Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird, 2009, one of Mary’s many unfinished projects.

Instead of engaging a quilter to complete the quilt, and after conversations with his sisters, Cathy and Chris, Randy tapped into his interest in the book arts and commissioned Kent Aldrich of Nomadic Press to collaborate with him to create a unique book portfolio they titled An Unfinished Project. Completed in 2024, An Unfinished Project is a one-of-a-kind letterpress book that tells the story of Mary by presenting her 54 quilt squares on letterpress-labeled mounting sheets and related supporting documents that are housed in an archival presentation box.

An Unfinished Project presents a time capsule of sorts, stoking the mystery of history, honoring Mary and her work, celebrating her surrounding community, and combining and highlighting multiple art forms: textile arts, book arts, and letterpress printing.

This work was formally unveiled at Textile Center. Guests were invited to view it and to join Randy in conversation about how he and Kent Aldrich of Nomadic Press conceived and implemented this unique intersection of textiles and the book arts. This book become part of the Minnesota Historical Society’s extensive collection of artists’ books, and is available to the public through the Gale Family Library at the Minnesota History Center.