Michael Thorpe, Former Basketball Star Turned Skilled Quilter: Boston Globe

Former Emerson Men’s Basketball star Michael Thorpe ’16 turned his artistry on the court into a lucrative career as a quilter, and currently has an exhibition open at the LaiSun Keane gallery through May 29 in the SOWA Art District, called “Meandering Thoughts.”

Thorpe’s work will also be featured in the Museum of Fine Art’s exhibition opening in October, “Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories.”

Some of his influences are Matisse, Hockney, and Basquiat, though his style is his own. Thorpe’s work includes colorful portraits and landscapes, and describes his vision as “Black artist aesthetic,” utilizing his art as a medium to convey his thoughts on issues in today’s society.

Read the Boston Globe article. Emerson Today also highlighted Thorpe’s career in the following post: Former Emerson Men’s Basketball Star Becomes All-Star Quilter.