Worcester Native Paula Gulbicki Brings ‘Cultural Patchworks’ Exhibit to Worcester Center for Crafts
By Whats Up Worcester Staff
WORCESTER, MA — Textiles gathered from different parts of the world will come together in Worcester this fall as local artist and curator Paula Gulbicki presents a collection shaped by more than five decades of collecting, teaching and studying cultural clothing traditions.
“Cultural Patchworks: An Exhibit of International Folk Art” will be on view from Aug. 26 through Oct. 9 at the Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road. The exhibit includes 30 wall hangings created from textiles, garments and accessories with origins in North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.
The Worcester Center for Crafts also lists the exhibition on its official events calendar in the Mary and Van Aroian Community Gallery.
According to materials provided by the Worcester Center for Crafts, Gulbicki assembled the works by combining textiles from two or more cultures into individual compositions. The exhibit is intended to show how textile traditions from different parts of the world can be viewed together through color, pattern, construction and craftsmanship.
A Collection Built Over More Than 50 Years
Gulbicki has collected cultural textiles, garments and accessories for more than 50 years.
The collection began in connection with a Cultural Aspects of Clothing course she taught at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, Massachusetts. Over time, those materials became the foundation for the wall hangings included in “Cultural Patchworks.”
The Worcester Center for Crafts describes the exhibit as reflecting Gulbicki’s interest in the connections among people from different backgrounds, cultures and traditions.
The source material also references the phrase “We are all related,” which Gulbicki connects to the idea of relationships among people and the natural world. The exhibit materials state that the works bring together traditions and cultural heritage from different parts of the world.
Worcester Roots
For Worcester-area audiences, the exhibit also carries a direct local connection.
Gulbicki is a Worcester native, and according to the exhibit materials, her interest in cultural textiles and clothing began when she was young. She became curious about traditional clothing after finding small, traditionally dressed figures in Van Brode breakfast cereal packages.
That early interest later developed into formal study.
While attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, Gulbicki took a historic costume course that met weekly at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Curators presented ethnic clothing and accessories from around the world for students to sketch and examine, including their construction and embellishment techniques.
After graduating from Pratt Institute, Gulbicki worked as a craft designer for several Manhattan-based magazines.
She later earned a master’s degree in Museum Studies from Framingham State University and spent 32 years leading the fashion program at Middlesex Community College, according to the Worcester Center for Crafts materials.
Artist Talk Scheduled for September
Residents will also have an opportunity to hear directly from Gulbicki during the exhibition.
An artist talk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Worcester Center for Crafts Multimedia Studio.
The source materials do not list an admission price for the exhibit or the artist talk.
The exhibit itself is scheduled to remain on view through Oct. 9. The Worcester Center for Crafts lists “Cultural Patchworks” among its upcoming exhibitions on its official events and exhibitions page.
For Worcester residents, the exhibition provides a local opportunity to view works built from international textile traditions while also learning about the career of an artist whose connection to clothing, design and cultural study began in Worcester and continued through decades of professional and academic work.
Residents interested in attending can visit the Worcester Center for Crafts at 25 Sagamore Road and check the organization’s official events calendar for current exhibition information and gallery details.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
• Project / Topic: “Cultural Patchworks: An Exhibit of International Folk Art,” curated and created by Worcester native Paula Gulbicki.
• Current Status: The exhibition is scheduled to open Aug. 26, 2026, at the Worcester Center for Crafts.
• Key Dates or Decisions: The exhibit runs Aug. 26 through Oct. 9, 2026. Gulbicki’s artist talk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1 to 2 p.m.
• Estimated Cost: The materials provided by the Worcester Center for Crafts do not list an admission price for the exhibit or artist talk.
• Timeline: The exhibition will remain on view for approximately six weeks, from Aug. 26 through Oct. 9.
• Immediate Next Steps: The exhibit is scheduled to open Aug. 26, followed by Gulbicki’s artist talk on Sept. 19.
• Primary Sources: Worcester Center for Crafts press materials and the Worcester Center for Crafts official events calendar.
• What We Do Not Yet Know: The provided materials do not state whether reservations are required for the artist talk or provide a specific admission cost for the exhibition.
About The Author
