(playful music) - I'm Starla Sampaco in the Crosscut KCTS nine newsroom.

(gentle music) A long time Seattle artist is finally getting his due.

Entirely self-taught, Joey Veltkamp didn't start making quilts until his early forties.

As he got older, he started thinking about the things he would leave behind.

What if he could make something that was actually comforting?

A painting you could sleep or snuggle with.

Now, at 50 years old, Veltkamp is getting a major solo show at the Bellevue Arts Museum.

"SPIRIT!"

is a celebration of queerness, the Pacific Northwest, community, and nostalgia.

One of the quilts on display features stitched letters from cut fabric, much of it denim and plaid flannel.

The letters spell words like "rain," "ennui," "earthquake," "Subarus," "Colts," "grunge," "coffee," you get the point.

It's a Pacific Northwest smorgasbord.

Veltkamp's show will be on display at the Bellevue Arts Museum through October 23rd.

I'm Starla Sampaco.

Find Nonprofit Northwest News every day on crosscut.com.

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